The Truth About ‘Healthy’ Snacks: How to Spot What’s Really Good for You

We’ve all been there- rushing between meetings, running errands, or studying late into the night- and reaching for something that looks healthy. Granola bars, “protein” cookies, “natural” chips… they seem like smart choices, right?

The truth is, many of these snacks are ultra-processed, loaded with sugar, and cleverly marketed to make us feel virtuous about eating them. But “healthy” on the label doesn’t always mean healthy for your body. Here’s how to decipher between genuinely nourishing products and those that just look the part.

1. Don’t Be Fooled by Buzzwords

Front-of-pack claims are designed to catch your eye- not to give you the full picture. Words like natural, gluten-free, high in fibre, or made with real fruit sound wholesome, but they don’t necessarily mean the product is good for you. Example: Many “natural” granola bars contain multiple forms of added sugar (like rice syrup, honey, fruit juice concentrate), processed oils, and very little actual protein or fibre.

What to do instead:

• Always flip the pack over and read the ingredient list.

• Treat health claims as marketing, not nutrition facts.

2. Check for Added Sugars (They Hide in Plain Sight)

Sugar isn’t just called sugar. It hides under dozens of names, including syrup, nectar, concentrate, juice, coconut sugar, agave, and date paste. Even “unrefined” or “natural” sugars still count towards your daily intake. Tip: Ingredients are listed in order of quantity. If any form of sugar appears in the first 3 ingredients, that’s a red flag.

For a truly balanced snack:

• Aim for less than 5–8g of added sugar per 100g, ideally.

• Prioritise snacks with naturally occurring sugars (like from fruit), balanced with protein and fibre to avoid blood sugar spikes.

3. Watch Out for Ultra-Processed Oils

Many so-called healthy snacks are made with cheap, highly refined oils like sunflower, rapeseed, palm, or soybean oil. While these can be fine in small amounts, frequent consumption (especially in ultra-processed forms) can contribute to inflammation and poor metabolic health.

Better choices:

• Products made with olive oil, coconut oil, or nut butters as the main fat source.

• Whole food-based snacks (like nuts, yoghurt, fruit, or homemade energy balls) that avoid added oils altogether.

4. Look for Protein and Fibre

A good snack should actually satisfy you, not leave you hungrier an hour later. Protein and fibre slow digestion, keep blood sugar stable, and support satiety.

Aim for:

• At least 5–10g of protein per snack.

• A few grams of fibre, ideally from whole ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, or legumes.

Example: A boiled egg with oatcakes, Greek yoghurt with berries, or an energy ball made with nut butter and flaxseeds will keep you going far longer than a “protein cookie” made with refined flour and sugar.

5. Keep It Simple: Short Ingredient Lists Are Best

Generally, the fewer ingredients, the less processed the product. If you need a chemistry degree to understand the list, it’s probably not the healthiest choice.

Good sign: Ingredients you recognise and could find in a kitchen (like oats, almonds, dates, cinnamon). Red flag: Additives, artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, gums, or long strings of preservatives.

Better-for-You Snack Ideas

Here are some easy, genuinely nourishing options to have on hand:

• Apple slices with almond butter

• Greek yoghurt with berries and cinnamon

• Hummus with veggie sticks or oatcakes

• Homemade chia pudding (see recipe below)

Decoding “healthy” snacks isn’t about perfection- it’s about awareness. Once you learn to read labels critically and focus on real, whole foods, making better choices becomes second nature.

Next time you reach for a snack, ask yourself: Is this truly nourishing me, or just marketed to look like it is?

Recipe: Cinnamon Almond Butter Energy Balls

Makes: ~12 balls | Prep time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats

• ½ cup natural almond butter

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed

• 2 tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of sea salt

Optional: 1 scoop protein powder, chopped dark chocolate

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Add almond butter, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla; stir until combined.

3. Roll into bite-sized balls.

4. Chill for 15–20 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to a week.