Healthy Snacks Choices for Soccer Watching

2014 World Cup Brazil, a much-awaited event, is drawing near. Soccer fans will be soon watching the World Cup games on TV, and very likely snacking at the same time for better fun. Popular snacks on these occasions are usually potato chips, prawn crackers, soft drinks, beer, etc. They are all high in energy; over-consumption of these food items may result in overweight/ obesity, thus they are a health hazard in the long run. If you don’t want to develop a pot-belly during the matches, please note the suggestions below:

Popular snacks in soccer viewing time	Healthier alternatives
A small packet of potato chips, approx. 30 g Energy：153 kcal Fat：10.0 g A small packet of prawn crackers, approx. 30 g Energy：162 kcal Fat：9.8 g	15 pieces of baked tortilla chips (a Mexican snack), approx. 24 g Energy：112 kcal Fat：3.7 g Three rice crackers, approx. 27 g Energy：104 kcal Fat：0.8 g Approx. 10 cherry tomatoes Energy：31 kcal Fat：0.3 g
Reminder from dietitian: Non-deep fried snacks are much lower in fat and energy when compared with their deep-fried counterparts. Fruit or vegetables as snacks (e.g. cherry tomatoes) are not only low in energy and fat, they can also help you meet the daily target of 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables.
One can of soft drink, approx. 330 ml Energy: 135 kcal Sugar content: 34.7 g	Juice of one lime mixed with soda water, approx. 330 ml Energy: 11 kcal Sugar content: 0.7 g
Reminder from dietitian:Soda water tickles your tongue as much as soft drink does, but it has less energy and sugar. It is best when made into fruit drinks.
Source: Centre for Food Safety

At last, before you eat any snack, remember these points:

snack only when you’re hungry, and not because you want to; and
to avoid excessive energy intake, cancel your afternoon tea and do it in soccer viewing time instead, or reduce your dinner portion accordingly.

When you’re snacking…