Introduction
With busy schedules, back-to-back meetings, and tight deadlines it’s no surprise that busy executives eat at odd times or forget to eat at all. It’s also no surprise that the need for quick energy drives most people in this situation to grab the fast-burning simple sugars at the local fast food joint or convenience store.
The better alternative is to keep a stash of low GI (glycemic index) snacks at your desk which you can eat throughout the day between proper meals. Low GI foods burn slowly and will greatly reduce the desire to binge on simple sugars or caffeine.
Top 5 Snacks for the Office
1) Fruit: Bananas are a great source of carbohydrates and are easy on the stomach to digest. Other whole fruits or vegetables such as grapes, carrots and apples are also easy to eat and will provide you energy as it digests slowly throughout the day.
2) Whole Grains: Make yourself a mix of nuts, granola, or dried fruit. Keeping a box of breakfast muesli in your desk works just as well.
3) Popcorn or Pretzels: Ditch the Pringles and grab a bag of whole wheat pretzels. It gives you the same crunch but is a much healthier option. Plain popcorn is one of the healthiest snacks as long as you avoid the excess salt and butter.
4) Leftover dinner: If you had a well-balanced dinner of brown rice, leafy green vegetables and protein, save yourself an extra portion for the next workday and eat it in the late afternoon.
5) Water: When you experience ‘hunger’ pains in your stomach, sometimes what your body is telling you is that you’re dehydrated. Before grabbing the solid snacks, have a full glass of water and see if the hunger persists.