Biscuits And Obesity: How To Keep Obesity At Bay?

Biscuits are an integral part of the daily ritual of afternoon tea if you hail from the United Kingdom or any of the Commonwealth nations. In the US, reaching for the cookie jar has been one of the fondest culinary experiences of our childhood. However, in a nation that is increasingly becoming obese, can we afford to indulge in our fondness for sweet biscuits?

First off, it is important to realize that eating biscuits and cookies does not make you fat. Obesity is caused due to a lack of exercise and undisciplined eating habits. Yes, if you keep buying large packs of chocolate chip cookies and stuffing your face with them, you will become fat.

Especially if this is in tandem with sitting in front of the television idly surfing channels. So eating biscuits and cookies does not make you fat, but eating too many of them definitely will.

Biscuits And Cookies - What To Choose?

Another thing to keep in mind is that while your grandma’s homemade cookies were delicious and healthy, the cookies that you buy in the supermarket are not necessarily the healthiest option. This is because ready made cookies and biscuits contain a lot of artificial preservatives. In addition, they are mostly made with refined flour and also contain artificial taste enhancing ingredients.

Fortunately, with the increasing awareness of health and nutrition, biscuit makers are once again resorting to making healthier biscuits and cookies. However, do keep a stern eye on that nutritional label when buying them, as the terms “low-fat” and “fat-free” are bandied around just to add to the sales. Generally, biscuits made from whole wheat are healthier than those made from refined flour.

Crackers are an excellent option if you are looking to reduce weight. Crackers are low in fat and do not contain many calories. These healthy biscuits can be combined with various low-fat toppings to enhance their taste.

Crisp bread is a dry and flat cracker that is made from rye flour, salt, and water. Although it was traditionally considered to be a poor man’s food, over the recent years it has become popular all over the world because it is very healthy and low in calories. Nowadays, crisp bread is available in many different flavors that enhance the taste of this healthy, low calorie snack.

So now that you know all about the healthy options when it comes to biscuits, crackers, and crisp breads, the choice is all yours. Read the nutritional labels carefully and make a healthy choice for your next snack that will help you to maintain your ideal body weight.

Submitted on January 16, 2014