Turning an Addictive Snack into a Complete Meal

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Article Title:

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Turning an Addictive Snack into a Complete Meal

Article Description:

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The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores,

and vending machines in virtually every corner of residential

America has created a serious nutritional problem.

Additional Article Information:

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748 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: Fri Jul 29 13:21:15 EDT 2005

Written By: Protica Research

Copyright: 2005

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Turning an Addictive Snack into a Complete Meal

Copyright © 2005 Protica Research

http://www.protica.com/

The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores,

and vending machines in virtually every corner of residential

America has created a serious nutritional problem. “Snacking”

– a harmless-sounding verb that deceptively implies something

unobjectionable – has reached addictive proportions.

The manifestation of this addiction goes beyond mere obesity

something that is widely considered to be a severe public health

crisis[ii]. Even among non-obese Americans, researchers are

identifying a wave of general malnutrition that is sweeping

across the country due to addictive snacking habits[iii].

This addiction to snacking is enhanced, ironically, by the rather

confusing range of so-called diet-friendly foods on the market.

Some foods that are dubbed “lo-carb” diet-foods are actually

causing weight gain among some dieters[iv]. In fact, some “lo-

carb” labeled foods are comprised of little more than unhealthy

saturated fats and even worse, they have an incredibly high

calorie count[v].

Furthermore, many self-professed “lo-carb” foods are dangerously

devoid of essential proteins and vitamins. The resulting

nutritional shortage often compels dieters – even subconsciously

-- to crave stimulating foods of all kinds. These cravings often

include what is closest at hand: snacks and other nutritionally

bankrupt junk foods.

Snacking is indeed a problem that America must begin resolving

within the first few years of this 21 century. A real, practical,

tangible solution is required now more than ever before, because

education and awareness are not enough.

This does not imply that education and awareness aren’t vital

allies in the fight against snacking and unhealthy eating.

Education and awareness have played an important role thus far,

and have helped create a number of healthier eating options.

Indeed, the “lighter fare” choices in restaurants, and the

occasional granola bar in a vending machine that is otherwise

loaded with chocolate bars, are worthy gains that education and

awareness have inspired. Yet education and awareness are, in and

of themselves, evidently not halting this epidemic addiction to

snacking quickly enough.

Adding to the problem is that so many of these junk food products

are packaged in a way that implies some semblance of nutritional

value. Terms like “on the go” or “instant meal” or “for busy

lifestyles” adorn many packages for foods that are virtually

nothing more than glorified snack foods foods that are absolutely

not providing the vitamins and proteins that a healthy diet

requires.

Therefore, a new approach to solving this problem is required one

that stems from the momentum gained by awareness and education,

but delivers a real, tangible product in the hands of Americans

who want to regain control over what makes them move.

Attempts have been made, especially in the last decade, to

provide Americans with this tangible solution. Nutritional energy

bars now line the counter shelves of many convenience stores, and

instead of energy infusion via a chocolate bar, more people are

opting for these seemingly “healthier”. This is a positive step

but it is not enough.

Products such as these mentioned above, while somewhat better

than candy bars, are not rich in essential proteins or fortified

by essential vitamins. So while ”snackers” are better off after

eating one of these nutritional bars than they would be if they

consumed a bag of potato chips, they are not as well off as they

think they are or that the nutritional bar packaging implies that

they will be. These snackers still face a shortage of protein and

essential vitamins a shortage that is not going to be filled

unless additional nutrition is provided.

It is within this paradigm – the search for a complete “tangible”

nutrition source that is rich in protein and essential vitamins –

that forward-thinking companies are engineering smarter products.

These nutritionally advanced solutions are carbohydrate-free,

fat-free, and low calorie complete meal sources for snackers of

all types, including those that are dieting.

There are, admittedly, only a very small number of companies and

products that are delivering nutritionally intelligent products

into the hands of snackers. However, the fact that these

progressive companies – and their innovative products – exist is

a positive sign, and one that just may eventually be the turning

point in America’s war against poor eating habits.

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References

Source: “Survey: America’s Addicted to Snacking”. Channel

3000 Health. http://html.channel3000.com/sh/health/conditionsaz/

news-health-990730-141923.html

[ii] Source: “Obesity Epidemic Astronomical”. WebMD.

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/57/66035.htm

[iii] Source: “Americans Shrinking ad Junk Food Takes its Toll”.

Guardian Unlimited Special Reports.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1185457,00.html

[iv] Source: “Low Carb Confusion”. MSN Diet and Fitness.

http://diet.fitness.msn.com/article/773599.armx

[v] Source: “Low Carb Diets”. ABC & Chicago.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/connectwithkids/

091504_cwk_lowcarb.html

Copyright - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com

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About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm

with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect,

a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage

containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on

Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com