Snack swapping

Snacks are very often the culprits that make up all those extra calories we consume daily - and yet they're also the treats we're most in denial about: after all, if no one saw us eat them, they don't count, right? Wrong!

A bag of crisps a day (especially now that the larger sizes make the old 30g packets seem rather inadequate) will soon make a difference to the average waistline, and fatty, salty or sugary snacks are no good for general health either.

Too much fat in our diet not only shows up on the outside: it also lies around our major organs, putting them under extra stress. An excess of salt - which is so easily taken in when you realise that it's present in foods like bread, breakfast cereals and ready meals, let alone added during home cooking - raises the blood pressure and increases water retention.

Too much sugar converts to fat and, if you already have an insulin deficiency, can lead to type 2 diabetes. To top it all, none of these types of foods actually keep you feeling full for any length of time, but they are very moreish, meaning that one very often leads to another.

So, given all that rather grim information, it's a really good idea to swap your usual snacks for something healthier.

Here are 10 top swaps:

Snack food
Why not?
Swap for
Why?

Milk chocolate
It lacks the useful nutrients that dark chocolate contains
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate has marginally less fat and sugar, but contains valuable antioxidants

Packet of crisps
High in saturated fat and salt (even those labelled 'low fat, low salt')
Packet of flavoured rice cakes
Virtually fat free and the energy is released more slowly, keeping you feeling fuller for longer

Chocolate biscuit
Sugary and high in saturated fat, so it which gives you an energy 'high' followed quickly by a 'low'
Peach, nectarine or plum
You'll get natural sugar, fibre and slow-release energy from fruit, keeping you satisfied

Cheese and crackers
High in saturated fat and salt; low in fibre
Low-fat soft cheese and oatcakes
Lower in fat and salt; higher in fibre

Croissant
Very high in saturated fat; made with refined flour
Malt loaf slice
Almost fat-free; higher in fibre; contains flavonoids and fruit; stodgily satisfying

Custard pot
High in sugar and/or artificial sweeteners as well as fat (unless you choose 'low fat' varieties)
Low-fat natural yogurt with berries
Lower in fat, with natural sugars from the fruit. Berries are packed with antioxidants

Milkshake
High in fat and sugar
Homemade fruit smoothie
Lower in fat (lowest with skimmed milk) with only natural sugar from the fruit

Pizza slice
High in saturated fat and salt
Toasted wholemeal pitta pocket and low-fat cheese dip
Low in fat and high in fibre to keep you feeling fuller longer

Jelly sweets
Very high in sugar and sometimes artificial colourings and flavourings
Dried raisins
High in fibre with only natural sugars

Sausage roll
High in saturated fat and salt
Breadsticks and hummus
Contains monounsaturated fat from the olive oil in the hummus, and high in fibre