Snack Happy Challenge with California Almonds

I need all the energy I can muster, looking after my Granny full time,with a family and just life.

I'm trying to eat and drink more healthily, my meals are pretty good, I recently took up the water challenge with Brita and that still is helping, as I lost weight with Slimming World I am also keen not to snack unhealthily but really do need a top up boost during the day. I need to eat more now to maintain my weight,lots of energy is used up for me now and I know that grabbing chocolate or biscuits may lead to weight gain and bad habits.

California Almonds invited me to take part in a healthy snacking campaign and I took them up on it, the aim is to encourage women to form a healthy snacking habit and feel the benefit in just three weeks. 

Three weeks later and I definitely feel the difference, I have more energy, my low time is about 4pm. I am usually flagging and this is the time I actually need to be moving, cooking meals, chatting to Granny to keep her motivated. Then the family come home from work and need to chat. So for me the almond snack packs were very beneficial. 

Just at the time I need energy they really did do just that. The handy size meant I had a pack on me most times. I could munch on them while doing something else.

The moment is all too familiar - your tummy rumbles, the pangs take over and you just have to eat something, anything.  Let’s face it, often in these situations, what we grab isn’t the most nutritious or satisfying and can even leave us feeling frustrated about the choice we’ve made.  There’s a really smart, simple solution: a handful (approximately 30g) of almonds, enjoyed as a snack, daily. Take the new Snack Happy Challenge with California Almonds to form a healthy snacking habit, and with the help of experts, discover just how easy it is to include naturally delicious, nutrient-packed almonds as a healthy snack option. 

A recent study[i] from Leatherhead Food Research reveals that a woman’s daily total energy intake is the same, whether or not almonds are consumed as a mid-morning snack.  This is because when women ate almonds as a mid-morning snack, they ate less at their next meal(s) compared to when they didn’t have a snack[ii].  What does this mean for busy women who are always on the go?  It means that they can enjoy naturally delicious and ultra-nutritious almonds as a snack, between meals, without worrying that they will consume more calories than if they had not snacked on almonds. In addition, it was demonstrated in the Leatherhead study that when women snacked on almonds mid-morning, they had significant reductions in cravings for salty, fatty, sweet or savoury foods at their next meal(s)[iii], indicating potentially healthier food selections at these meals!  

Armed with this research, California Almonds, along with personal trainer and author, Bridget Hunt, nutritionist Amanda Hamilton and psychologist Anjula Mutanda, have created the Snack Happy Challenge.  It encourages women to eat a tasty handful (30g) of nutrient-packed almonds every day for 21 days, the time it can take for a habit to form, without worrying about over-eating.

Try almonds as your daily snack or perhaps if you don’t normally snack, give it a go as the body of research on almonds continues to grow:

·         Researchers[iv] discovered that people who included 63g of almonds a part of their diet, did not gain weight and that whole almonds provided a daylong feeling of fullness[v].

·         An additional study[vi] published this year found more good news; almonds have approximately 20% fewer metabolisable calories than originally thought. Meaning a handful or a 30g serving has just 138 calories versus the 173 calories listed on labels.

The Snack Happy experts will be giving women a helping hand by sharing their advice on healthy snacking on-the-go, how to stay in shape and achieve a healthy body and mind. Information will be housed on the Almond Board of California’s website, where women can sign up and find ongoing tips from Bridget, Amanda and Mutanda. 

Personal trainer and author of Six Pack Chick, Bridget Hunt said: “Often people think that snacking isn’t good for them, but in my experience, it’s quite the opposite. Almonds pack the tasty, satisfying crunch and punch I need to keep me going whatever my day may bring, so it’s one less thing for me to worry about.  I am getting behind Snack Happy because it’s a simple habit that makes a real difference. I simply decant a handful of almonds every morning into a sandwich bag or tin and keep it in my handbag. It means I have a deliciously nutritious snack ready for when hunger strikes!”    

Almonds offer natural goodness in every bite. As a natural source of protein and fibre, almonds are high in nine essential nutrients, including vitamin E and calcium – making them the perfect, nutritious snack that women can take anywhere and eat at anytime.

For further information and to join the Snack Happy Challenge visit www.AlmondBoard.co.uk 

 California Almonds has asked me to take part in the Snack Happy Challenge. They have provided me with all I need to complete the challenge. For more information about healthy snacking please visit www.AlmondBoard.co.uk