Ideas for sugar-free snacks

Convenience means that often the easiest snack is something that we should only be enjoying on special occasions, but these are now widely available and often within reach.

If you’re on-the-go, it can be tempting to snack on a chocolate bar rather than a healthy piece of fruit. Working in an office can also put you in close proximity to sweet treats like cake and biscuits throughout the day, increasing the likelihood that you’ll snack.

Often a reliance on cakes, chocolate bars and biscuits has become a habit, which our body quickly gets trapped into as we crave more and more sweet food.

Sugar free February is a nationwide challenge where people choose to cut out the sweet stuff for the whole of February. Perhaps one of the most surprising things about this challenge will be the hidden sugar that is lurking in your favourite foods.

Cutting out or reducing sugar is not only great for your wider health, but it’s also great for your teeth. Snacking on sugary food and drink between meals is one of the leading causes of tooth decay, so cutting out sugar is one of the best ways to safeguard your oral health.

Do your teeth a favour and cut sugary snacks

Snacking on sugary food is particularly bad for your dental health as well as your overall health. Sugar feeds bacteria in your mouth which then produce acids. If these aren’t brushed away, these acids will attack the surface of your teeth and cause enamel erosion and eventually decay.

Many sugary snacks are also starchy, and these can stick to your teeth, causing further damage. Snacking between meals is one of the worst things you can do for your teeth, as your mouth won’t produce the same amount of saliva as you would when you are eating a full meal. This means that the food debris won’t be washed away and acids produced from your food won’t be neutralised.

The best way to see off a dependence on sugary snacks is to have some delicious alternatives on hand that will fill the void. Being prepared means that you’ll always have something healthy on hand so you aren’t tempted to reach for something sweet.

You also need time. You need to give yourself time to be able to break a habit. General consensus points to 21 days as being the amount of time needed to form a new habit. This is why month-long challenges can be so effective for breaking a habit or starting a new habit.

Once you get into the pattern of reaching for a healthier alternative, it will become second nature. You’re likely to be very surprised at the amount of sugar you previously consumed.

The best alternatives to sugary snacks:

Looking for some healthy snacks to keep on hand throughout the day? Prepare these ahead of time so you don’t have to rely on convenience snacks.

Crudities – Carrot sticks, cucumber sticks and mangetout all make very good on-the-go snacks. Children love eating these – we just need to keep it that way!

Fruit – Fruit does contain naturally occurring sugar but it also brings immense health benefits so tuck in.

Cheese – whether you chop up your own or take ready-to-go individual portions with you, cheese is an alkaline food, which means it will not contribute to acid erosion of your teeth.

Nuts – A really good source of natural protein and an excellent and filling sugar-free snack.

Natural yoghurt – unlike flavoured yoghurt plain natural yoghurt is sugar-free. Add in fruit if you want extra flavour.

Cooked meat – A slice of turkey or ham could be all it takes to get you through to your next meal.

Drinks to replace your fizzy pop

It’s not just your snack choices that will need a refresh. Your choice of drink could also be inviting lots of excess sugar into your body.

If you like to have fizzy drinks as a treat, start by replacing full sugar versions with sugar free versions. This will have a significant impact on your sugar intake.

Skip the smoothies and fruit juices and try adding some cucumber slices or lemon wedges to your water to make a refreshing treat.

Try to drink more water and herbal tea to stave off hunger attacks and to beat boredom snacking. The fewer snacks the better really as this will cut down on temptation.

Seeing the benefits on your oral health

Your dentist will be able to see the benefits to your oral health during your next routine checkup. You’re much less likely to experience tooth decay, bad breath or gum disease as a result of the changes to your diet.

If you are concerned about the health of your teeth or just want to book a dental check up, get in touch with Bhandal Dental Practice.