Do you feel guilty about snacking between meals or eating fast foods because of a hectic schedule? Here’s some good news: snacking is good for you. You just have to choose the right foods.

“Snacking is not only OK, I recommend it,” says Susan Fyshe, a registered dietitian with Healthy Lifestyle Nutrition in Toronto. “We shouldn’t go more than four hours without eating. Small meals and light snacks that are high in protein and fibre help keep energy levels high. Feeding your hunger and your metabolism makes you feel better.”

Claire Cronier, a registered dieti-cian with CCC Communications in Ottawa and a lecturer at the University of Ottawa, says snacking is “a good way to satisfy the appetite between meals so that at your next meal you are not so hungry that you overeat.”

The problem with snacking is that a lot of unhealthy choices, such as croissants, doughnuts, oversized muffins, processed crackers, cookies and chips are readily available. These foods are usually high in processed carbohydrates that quickly raise your blood sugar. “They give you a quick burst of energy, then you have a drop in blood sugar, low energy and you are hungry an hour later,” Fyshe says.

The body needs carbohydrates for energy, according to a report from the Harvard School of Public Health. It says the best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains, such as oatmeal and whole wheat, which the body can’t process as quickly as it can processed carbohydrates such as white flour. Whole grains keep blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, then falling, too quickly, keep hunger at bay and may help prevent Type 2 diabetes.

When you’re busy at the office or on the run and want to keep your energy up, you need a snack that is high in protein and high in fibre, Fyshe says. There are many tasty, healthy choices that fit the bill.

Nuts are Fyshe’s No. 1 choice for healthy snacking. They provide fibre, protein and healthy fats. Almonds, cashews and hazelnuts are all good, but a mixture of nuts is best. And nuts can withstand cold and heat, and are easy to carry around. “It’s easy to keep a small container or small bag of mixed nuts in the car, your pocket, briefcase or your desk for a quick and easy snack,” she says. But because nuts are high in calories, a small handful is enough.

Fresh fruit is another snack food that’s healthy and portable. “We call fruit ‘nature’s convenience food’,” Fyshe says.

Fruit is loaded with fibre, which keeps up your energy level. Fibre also helps regulate blood glucose and cholesterol by keeping them in more normal ranges. “Have a good handful of nuts and finish off with a fruit, and you have a really healthy snack,” she says.

Although fresh fruits are a great way to keep calorie intake down, dried fruits such as apples, apricots, raisins, cranberries and kiwis are a more durable substitute. Dried fruits are less filling, however, so we tend to eat more of them, which means more calories. Four or five dried apricots have about the same amount of calories as one apple. Cronier recommends drinking milk, juice, tea or coffee with dried fruit to help you feel full.

“Although we get specific nutrients from certain foods, a variety of foods is what constitutes a healthy diet,” Cronier says. “So, it’s good to snack from a variety of foods.”

Here are some more healthy snack suggestions:

> about 10 grapes, with an ounce of cheese and a few crackers;

> peanut butter on crackers;

> baby carrots, which come in small packages, with a dip — or cut-up vegetables, such as cucumbers, peppers, celery and zucchini;

> a couple of hard-boiled eggs;

> a serving of yogurt or cottage cheese.

On the road, you can take along any of a variety of light snacks. Fyshe suggests packing a wrap — a whole wheat tortilla stuffed with sandwich filling — that is compact and easy to eat in the car. Put in some lean meat — turkey or chicken — a sprinkling of cheese and some vegetables. Vegetarians can use hummus (a dip made from chickpeas) in their wraps, or use hummus as a dip for vegetables.

“A latte is not a bad choice for a coffee drinker because it contains a serving of milk, which is a source of protein,” Fyshe says.

@page_break@Avoid pop, which gives a sugar “hit” but has no nutritional value and causes fluctuations in your blood sugar. Keep bottled water in the car instead.

If you must pick up packaged foods, check the list of ingredients. “The shorter the list, the better,” Fyshe says. “And when you see names you can’t pronounce in the ingredients, it’s probably not the most nutritious snack.”

Cronier says to watch out for foods with added salt, fat and sugar. Salt may contribute to hypertension, and fat and sugar add calories that may lead to weight gain and further health complications. IE