KEY POINTS:
It's 3pm and you urgently need a sugar hit. But instead of heading for the chocolate and chippies, you summon all your willpower and choose the healthier option of nuts, seeds and dried fruit.
But before you start to feel too smug about your choice, bear in mind that if you overdo the portions, dried fruit, nuts and seeds can be almost as bad for you as chowing down on a choccie bar.
Wellington dietitian Kath Fouhy is a big fan of eating small snacks throughout the day because they help maintain energy levels and reduce the likelihood of overeating at meal times.
"But you can have too much of a good thing," she says.
A 30g serving of nuts, for example, has about 180 calories and 15g of predominantly unsaturated fat. Thirty grams is quite a small handful so if you keep grazing on nuts, the calories soon mount up."
Pumpkin seeds are brimming with zinc to support our immune systems and fertility, and are great sources of iron and fibre. But at 91 calories a tablespoon, too many can up the calorie loading.
The same goes for dried fruit. Although dried apricots do contain useful antioxidants, four dried apricots are about the same as eating two fresh apricots.
"Most people probably wouldn't eat more than two fresh apricots at one sitting, so that means you shouldn't really have more than four dried apricots at one go; calories aside, your gut probably wouldn't thank you for it either!"
Generally though, dried fruit is a great snack and when mixed with nuts and seeds, provides good amounts of protein, heart healthy fats and carbohydrates.
"Just remember that portion control is king."
Fouhy says she bases a snack on having 100 to 200 calories, which can vary if a person's goal is weight loss, maintenance or weight gain.
"But just because something falls into your calorie 'budget', doesn't mean you should have it every day. For example, a 25g Sante chocolate bar has about 145 calories, but it isn't nutrient-rich. Chocolate is high in fat and sugar and should be kept as a treat item, not an everyday one."
If muesli bars are your thing, then be vigilant about choosing one that has less than 10g fat per 100g.
Other snacks that don't pass the low-calorie test are muffins, which Fouhy calls "glorified cakes".
"A large muffin can contain up to 700 calories and 35g of fat - that's almost half a woman's daily calorie requirements and a whopping seven teaspoons of fat. And don't be fooled into thinking the bran ones are any better - they might have more fibre but they can be just as lethal."
Scones also fall into the not-so-good-for-your-thighs snack trap, particularly the savoury versions where high-fat cheese can push the calories through the roof.
If you're out for coffee and feeling peckish, Fouhy advises having biscotti or, if you're near a juice bar, a smoothie with low-fat milk or yoghurt will increase your protein levels, keeping you fuller for longer. "Just don't let them upsize it, because that will give you extra - and often unwanted - calories," she warns.
Yoghurt is a good snack option and is packed with calcium and protein. And because yoghurt is usually low-fat, you don't have to choose a "lite" one.
When all else fails, breakfast cereals can adequately fill the gap: for example, one cup of Nutrigrain provides fewer calories, sugar and fat than a WeightWatchers muesli bar - although don't forget adding milk or yoghurt is extra. The trick, says Fouhy, is to control portion sizes and to do that, there's one simple rule to follow.
"Eat your snacks with no other distractions around, especially if they're a treat. Food should never be consumed in front of the television or computer, while driving or while standing up because when you're doing those things, you're not concentrating on what you're eating or savouring your food. And that makes it very easy to overeat."
THE TOP FIVE SNACKS
A 200ml smoothie made with fruit, low-fat milk and yoghurt contains about 160 calories and 1g of fat.
Fresh fruit - always buy in season: things taste a lot better and are generally cheaper.
Ten almonds and four dried apricots: about 110 calories and 6g of heart-healthy fat.
A hot cross bun or fruit bun without lashings of butter gives about 140 to 150 calories. A slice of fruit toast is about 95 calories.
Two Ryvita crackers with quarter of an avocado or two tablespoons of hummus has about 170 calories and 10g of mainly heart-healthy fat.
