Snacktrition, a new line of calcium and fiber enhanced nut snacks from Mellace Family Brands, today released the results of a national consumer survey that sheds some light on common snacking habits and nutrition knowledge. The survey was hosted by leading food and diet brand Hungry-Girl.com, which currently has more than 500,000 avid followers. Participants, consisting primarily of women ages 25 to 55, were asked about the snacks they choose as well as specific questions related to their knowledge of a snack™s calcium and fiber amounts, the two nutrients commonly missing from Americans™ diets. Results showed that approximately 63 percent of participants could not identify the recommended amount of calcium they are supposed to consume daily while nearly 50 percent were unfamiliar with the daily allowance of fiber suggested for healthy adults.
In this marketplace of better-for-you foods, we wanted to find a site whose readers are conscious about what they eat, said Mike Mellace, founder of Snacktrition. We knew that Hungry-Girl.com would be a great place to find out about snacking habits and what consumers know about nutritional needs.
While consumers today continue to be inundated with information about what makes a snack healthy, there seem to be some misconceptions about the nutrients we need to be putting into our bodies each day. Although the National Dairy Council recommends that adults consume 1,000 milligrams per day of calcium, recent studies show that 55 percent of Americans are not getting enough, which has been proven to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension and aid with blood pressure regulation. In addition, 95 percent of Americans have difficulty meeting the National Fiber Council™s recommended allowance of 32 grams of fiber, which helps to promote intestinal health, lower cholesterol and prevent fat absorption. One simple way to avoid calcium and fiber deficits is to snack on small portions of enhanced foods, such as Snacktrition, between larger meals.
Planning ahead for healthy snacking is an important step for consuming the correct amount of vitamins and minerals a body needs without adding too many unhealthy fats or calories. According to the survey, almost 50 percent of respondents label themselves as inconsistent snackers, admitting that they try to keep wholesome snacks around, but often grab whatever they can find. More than half of the survey respondents said that they always take the time to read nutrition labels before making a food purchase, yet the survey found that even with these good intentions people may not always know how to decipher the information they see, and when hunger strikes, they may choose a snack that can derail their entire diet for the day.
Hungry-Girl subscribers are especially busy so I encourage them to pre-pack grab-and-go snacks that will not only leave them satisfied between meals, but meet some of those dietary needs, said Lisa Lillien, founder of Hungry-Girl.
Snacktrition believes that nibbling between regular meals is the perfect way to incorporate positive nutrition into a person™s diet.
About Snacktrition
Developed by snack food innovator Mellace Family Brands, Snacktrition offers great-tasting nut and dried fruit snacks that are fortified with valuable nutrients that adults and kids need as part of a balanced diet. The innovative line of natural, healthy snacks offer a terrific way to satisfy hunger while delivering some of the critical vitamins and nutrients a body needs. For more information, please visit www.snacktrition.com.
About Hungry-Girl
Hungry-Girl is a free, daily email subscription service that reaches more than 530,000 people daily. The popular newsletter offers recipes, tips, tricks and strategies on how to enjoy eating in a weight-conscious world. Lisa Lillien (aka Hungry-Girl) is a New York Times Best Selling author, as well as a regular contributor to People Style Watch, Seventeen, New York Daily News and has regular online columns on Yahoo! and Weight Watchers.
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