food

Good and Bad About Snacks


audio Podcast

Good Aspects of Snacks:

  1. Nutrient Boost: Snacks can provide additional nutrients if chosen wisely. For example, nuts offer healthy fats, fiber, and protein; fruits give you vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; yogurt provides calcium and probiotics.
  2. Energy Maintenance: Snacks can help maintain your blood sugar levels, providing energy between meals, which is particularly useful for people with active lifestyles or those who need a boost during long work hours.
  3. Mood Enhancement: Certain snacks like dark chocolate can release endorphins, leading to mood improvement. Plus, eating something you enjoy can simply make you feel good.
  4. Hunger Management: Snacking can prevent overeating at meal times by keeping hunger at bay, thus aiding in portion control and potentially weight management.
  5. Convenience: Snacks are often easy to prepare or grab on the go, fitting into busy schedules or serving as quick meals for children.
  6. Social Aspect: Sharing snacks can foster social bonds, whether at work, home, or during social gatherings.

Bad Aspects of Snacks:

  1. Caloric Intake: Many snacks, especially processed ones like chips, cookies, and candies, are high in calories but low in nutrients, leading to weight gain if consumed in excess.
  2. Nutritional Deficiency: Regular intake of high-sugar or high-salt snacks can contribute to an imbalanced diet, potentially leading to deficiencies in essential nutrients.
  3. Health Risks: Frequent snacking on unhealthy options can increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and dental issues like cavities, particularly from sugary snacks.
  4. Portion Control Issues: Snacks can be deceptive in terms of portion size; it’s easy to eat more than recommended, especially with foods that are palatable and easy to consume in large quantities.
  5. Quality of Ingredients: Many snacks contain preservatives, artificial colors, flavors, and trans fats, which are not beneficial for health and can even be harmful in large amounts.
  6. Interference with Meals: Snacking too close to meal times might reduce your appetite for more balanced meals, potentially leading to a less nutritious overall diet.
  7. Mindless Eating: Snacking often occurs while doing other activities like watching TV or working, leading to mindless eating where you might consume more than intended without noticing.

From your friendly AI.

Daily writing prompt
What snack would you eat right now?
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Life Support

Around a year and a half ago I experienced a near death event. I had a massive blood clot between my lungs, and I thought I took my last breath. I don’t know where I went but wherever I was I experienced something I have never experienced before in my life and that was peace, total peace. I believe this was a preview of time after death. I cannot explain what it felt like but, I must say it was great. Since then, I have not felt that way since.

My experience can be read at My Blood Clot Link.

Since that time, I have been on a blood thinner prescription. The medical team could never determine what caused my clot. I did not fit any item on their laundry list of reasons for my blood clot. Therefore, I was put on this medication and told to expect to take this pill every twelve hours. They told me to try to be consistent. If I start taking them at seven in the morning, then take one at seven in the evening. Getting in the habit of taking one when I get up and one when I go to bed is not consistent enough. Since it may vary by two to three hours. Also, they said if I forget one do not double up the dosage. This could cause internal bleeding. In other words, they gave me a good scare, be consistent or maybe pay the consequences.

Sure, I make sure that I take my keys, money, driver’s license, and all the other necessities. However, the most important thing for me is to carry one day’s dosage on me in case I am delayed somewhere. I think I can say, “I am on life support.” mail@tomt2.com

Daily writing prompt
What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
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I Avoid the Kitchen

This was Friday’s prompt, and I had a senior moment and failed to publish it. So, here it is!

As you can see from the title the kitchen is not one of my favorite places. I try not to cook. I never learned how to cook. I was raised with a mother and grandmother who did all the cooking. My mother was a homemaker and did not work outside of the home. My grandmother was with us until she passed on when I was fifteen. I don’t remember if my mother offered to show me how to cook or I did not have any interest. Also, grandma needed something to do, and she helped mom cook. The era I grew up the mother and the father had specific duties. The father worked and brought home the bacon. The mother was the home keeper and raised the children. The most I remember about my dad was him coming from work and sitting in the living room reading the daily newspaper and waiting until dinner was ready. After supper he would continue reading the paper or magazines until bedtime.

I lived at home until I was drafted into the army. No cooking lessons there. Unless you want to say peeling potatoes and cleaning pots and pans is a cooking lesson. Meals and food were provided by the army. After my tour was over, I returned home.

I lived with my parents until I married. I married a woman that was some years younger than me. she just graduated from beautician school and didn’t have a job. She needed something to do so she started doing the cooking and worked for a temp service. Pregnancy came soon after marriage vows. This marriage lasted about ten years.

You are what you are exposed to. I grew up in the atmosphere where the husband works, and the wife is the homemaker and child raiser with very little crossing of these duties. I think this was part of the problem in the marriage. During that time, I didn’t see it, but, as I age, I am seeing things differently.

Here I am divorced, living in an apartment by myself with very little cooking skills to my name. Me and millions of others are the reason fast food, frozen dinners, microwaves are so popular. Who wants to come home from work dead tired and cook something so you can eat alone. Those years were the hardest years in my life.

I then met a great woman who was willing to take on the challenge of me. We have been together for over forty years and was married in 1995. My cooking skills are still very limited, but I am willing to cross over the line and help. I also clean up after a meal and put the dishes in the dishwasher and other duties around the kitchen.

In conclusion, the kitchen is not my favorite room. There are times when I wish I would have learned more about the kitchen and cooking.

Read more: I Avoid the Kitchen

About Tom T2.0

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite thing to cook?
View all responses