Crunching Your Way To Snacking Satisfaction

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

(NAPSA)—Most everyone faces a few snack cravings during the day but for many, the challenge is finding satisfying, great-tasting snacks that are also low-calorie and low-fat. Dr. Gary Foster, weight management expert and behavioral psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, looked at why people choose the snacks they do, and how to enjoy healthy snacking without adding to your waistline. “People choose their favorite snacks for a variety of reasons, including taste, texture or just plain fun, but ultimately, they snack to feel satisfied,” said Foster. “Based on my experience, when it comes to snackingsatisfaction, I’ve found that people really fall into two groups—‘Crunchers,’ those who prefer crunchy snacks, and ‘Creamies,’ those who prefer richtasting, creamy snacks.” The Psychology of Snacking Foster said that people’s snack preferences—crunchy or creamy— satisfy very specific physiological and psychological needs for each group. A recent survey found that whether chomping on chips, pretzels or candy, three out of five (60 percent) Crunchers gain satisfaction from the act of crunching itself. Additionally, more than a quarter (26 percent) of Crunchers say crunching is fun and 20 percent claim that crunching is a stress reliever. As for the Creamies, whoprefer snacks like ice cream, chocolate or cheese, the survey found that Converting Creamies To Crunchers Cruncher Snacks with a Creamy Touch Total Calories Black beandip (1 Thsp) on QuakerRice Cake (1 cake) 50 “Lite” cream cheese (1 Thsp) on Quaker Rice Cake (1 cake) 55 Salsa (2 Thsp) on bakedchips (1 oz) 125 Low-fat cheese (1.5 oz) on whole-wheat cracker 198 (5-7 crackers) Yogurt (1/2 cup) on graham crackers (4 squares) 224 Total Fat 0g 1.25q lg 8g Total Sodium 65 mg 460 mg 447 mg Dr. Gary Foster advises people who prefer creamy snacks to explore the crunchy side of snacking, because “Crunchers” have more options that are lower-calorie and lower-fat. While a complete conversion to crunchy snacks may take some time, Dr. Foster suggests “adding a little creamy to your crunch”to easethe transition. Listed above are a few creamy/crunchy combinations to get people started. almost half (49 percent) prefer creamy snacks because the texture of these snacks is more appealing. More than two out of five (41 percent) said they prefer creamy snacks because they are comforting. According to Dr. Foster, that comforting feeling provided by creamy snacks is more physiological than psychological. “The creamy feeling that provides a sense of satisfaction is really due to the fat moleculesliterally rolling around on the tongue,” said Foster. “And the appeal of creamy snacksis also the challenge of creamy snacks, they tend to be higher infat.” Putting the Crunch on Unhealthy Snacking Habits Foster’s advice to the Creamies is to explore the crunchy side of snacking, because Crunchers have more healthy options that are lower-calorie and lower-fat, such as baked chips, Quaker Rice Snacks or baby carrots. While a complete conversion to crunchy snacks may take timefor some Creamies, Dr. Foster sug- gests “adding a little creamy to your crunch” to ease the transition. For example, spread peanut butter on Quaker Rice Cakes (plain or lightly salted flavors), which are made from whole-grain brown rice and arelow in fat and calories. “Whether you’re a Creamy or a Cruncher, following this approach will ensure snacking satisfaction as part of a healthful diet,” said Dr. Foster. “Having people think about why they make the food choices they do is the first step to changing behavior and making better choices.” For more information, please visit www.quakerricesnacks.com.

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