The Washington Post provides guide for healthier snacks

If you have been wondering what the healthiest snacks are, Anahad O’Connor with The Washington Post has done the work for you, having analyzed the nutrition labels of dozens of ultra-processed and packaged snack foods.

O’Connor opens the story by pointing to a large study that found “that compared with people who snacked on nutritious whole foods, like apples, oranges, nuts and seeds, those who snacked on junk foods, such as cookies, candy and potato chips, had more visceral fat around their internal organs and higher body weights, blood sugar levels and triglycerides, a type of fat that circulates in the bloodstream.”

Federica Amati, a medical scientist at Imperial College London and head nutritionist at Zoe, a personalized nutrition company, advised caution when choosing snack foods, telling O’Connor that even if you tend to eat nutritious meals, snacking on junk foods can undo the metabolic benefits of eating healthy meals.

For each of the best snack options, O’Connor includes what he calls “red flags” and healthier options for that category.

For example, he notes that popcorn is a good choice, but can be high in sodium and sometimes sugar. He also offers five best popcorn choices, including SkinnyPop Original Popcorn, which has only three ingredients and is low in sodium.

Other suggestions include chips made with simple ingredients that provide modest amounts of fiber, whole grain, nut and seed crackers, nuts, which he called “a nutritional powerhouse and an optimal snack,” beef jerky, protein and snack bars — because they are often available when real food isn’t an option or when you need something sweet — and some cookies in moderation.