Mood food – Top tips for healthy snacking

We all know that food can be comforting on occasion – when we’re having problems with loved ones, or during that time of the month. A third of women regularly attempt to eat themselves into a better state of mind. But how can we make sure we’re snacking on the right foods? Our tips below may help limit the damage to waistline and willpower caused by cravings.

Snacking isn’t always bad but all those chocolate bars can take their toll. According to a recent study by California Prunes, 44% of women feel guilty when reaching for junk food, and 60% admit the benefits of bingeing are only short-term. Heavy, fatty foods can make us lethargic and sugar lows often leave us feeling worse than ever.

Here are some tips to make sure comfort eating doesn’t get the better of you:

Be prepared for a snack attack - Keep a bag of dried fruit in your bag or desk drawer to stop you from munching on sweets and chocolate when you get a sugar craving. Prunes (dried plums) are ideal as they are low calorie but sweet to taste. They also have a low Glycaemic Index (GI) meaning they provide slow releasing energy that can stabilise mood swings and avoid the “sugar low” that comes after eating chocolate.

Are you actually hungry? – Before you reach for the biscuit tin have a large glass of water, you may just be thirsty. The advantage of this is not only will you snack less but by improving your body’s hydration you reduce any risk of headaches and your concentration levels will improve.

Avoid too much sugar - Concentrated sources of sugar found in fizzy drinks and sweets can cause highs and lows in your blood sugar, which can leave you feeling tired and irritable.

Incorporate more fibre in your diet - Foods rich in soluble fiber have the ability to slow down the absorption of sugar in your blood and potentially lessen blood sugar and mood swings. Foods such as oats, apples, pears, oranges and prunes are perfect for this. Prunes are naturally high in fibre, providing 7g fibre per 100g, that's over a quarter of the adult daily needs in 10-12 prunes.