What are you eating: Snickers
Deadly white powder
It's not cocaine, but a regular 58g bar contains 26.1g of another habit-forming white substance: sugar. Studies at Princeton University show it causes three key signs of addiction: cycles of cravings, binges and withdrawal symptoms. Your blood only needs a teaspoon of sugar in it to work effectively. A Snickers contains 6.5. But you can counteract your snack with the right evening meal. Loading your plate with chromium balances out blood sugar, cuts cravings and reduces your risk of diabetes, according to research in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Research. Cook a stir-fry of beef, broccoli, mushrooms and onion, and eat with brown rice (all are good sources of chromium). And if your sweet tooth is still not extracted, have a low-sugar yoghurt its zinc helps insulin to work, further lowering your diabetes risk.
Chew the fat
A Snickers contains 16.5g of fat, 15% of your RDA. Of that, 6.4g will be saturated and you'll also find trans fats, which Harvard University found can cause a 73% spike in C-reactive protein. This will increase your risk of a heart attack, which is far worse than being berated by a bling tank-driver who thinks you're a fool. Fortunately, reducing levels of C-reactive is as simple as a fruit-and-veg bender. A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that for each portion of fruit and veg you wolf down, the risk of too much C-reactive is reduced by 21%. Pay off your Snickers with a breakfast smoothie. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and an apple in your blender will cut your C-reactive risk by 40%. Just remember to leave the lid on and you'll spray a juicy, protective coating all over your heart rather than your work surfaces.
Love and chocolate
It puts her in the mood on Valentine's Day but there are other reasons that chocolate makes you happy. The mood-enhancing stimulants phenethylamine (PEA) and theobromine both raise dopamine production, improving mood and alertness. If you're after similar results without the sugar and fat make a turkey and avocado sandwich both ingredients are packed with tyrosine, an amino acid used to produce dopamine. Need something quicker? Peel a banana. A study at Kobe University in Japan found they're packed with tyrosine, putting you in a happy place to rival a post-gig Jacuzzi with Girls Aloud.
Power trip or just nuts
Peanuts make up almost 25% of a Snickers, delivering 5.5g of protein. That's 8.7% of a man's RDA not bad. However, The Journal of Food Composition and Analysis reports that while peanuts contain most essential amino acids, they are low in methionine. The body uses methionine to make creatine, which feeds your muscles with energy. Researchers at the University of Florida found boosting creatine levels enhances the effectiveness of weight training, and increases fat-free body mass and muscular strength. You can make up for the shortfall with a fish supper rich in methionine. Bake a piece of trout with crushed garlic and serve with lentils all of the ingredients contain high amounts of the muscle seeder.
Sum and substance
The 296 calories you get here make up 15% of an average man's daily needs. A bar a day equals 2,072 calories a week and over the course of a year that's 2st 3lb (14kg) of weight gain. To earn and burn your bar, clean the house for an hour. Or, if you have someone to do that for you, hit the treadmill for 20 minutes at approximately 8mph. Now who's the fool?
Balance your books
IN A SNICKERS...
- 26.1g sugar, which can trigger cravings
- 16.5g fat, putting extra pressure on your heart
- Low in methionine, needed to muscle up
- 296 calories. A bar a day will add 2st 3lb in a year
SO DO THIS...
- Cook up a beef stir-fry to keep your blood sugar levels under control
- A fruit smoothie for breakfast will keep you ticking over
- A fish supper will increase your muscular strength
- Tidy up your house for an hour or run it off in just 20 minutes
Photography: Johanna Parkin