Healthy Snacks | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Friday, October 23, 2009

Fresno, CA -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snack Smart Tips (pdf)
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Consumer Reports says diet experts point to common snacking triggers: being tired and stressed, watching TV, going to the movies, shopping at the mall, and going to a party.

"Supermarket shelves are crammed with 'crisp' versions of crackers and chips that look healthy. So we checked out 14 snacks to find out how nutritious they were and how good they taste," said Sue Perry with Consumer Reports.

The snacks include ones from Nabisco, Pepperidge Farm, and Frito Lay.

"You shouldn't be fooled by words like 'baked' and 'brown rice' on the label. Those foods could actually have more fat and sodium than you realize."

For example, a Rice Works Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps has six grams of fat per one-ounce serving. That's more than a serving of pork rinds! And Pepperidge Farm Baked Natural Pretzel Thins has 390 milligrams of sodium per ounce. That's more than Lay's Classic Potato Chips!

For a healthier snack, try Wheat Thins Multigrain Toasted Chips or New York Style Original Pretzel Flatz.

If you want to cut down on snacking, Shopsmart says avoid eating right out of the carton or box, because it's tough to stop and you're less aware how much you've eaten.

And remember, whatever you reach for, read those nutrition labels so you'll know whether that healthy-sounding snack you're getting is really good for you.