It started with Lucy Mountain, fitness instagramer. She has been writing on her Instagram page for a long time about the increase and decrease, the effect of sports, and especially how her body changes. But with some very special postings she has attracted the media attention. Because when she juices a handful of nuts, a handful of Gummizuckerl and writes that they both have 188 calories, it makes people suspicious. Because we live in a world of self-optimization. In a world where health is almost synonymous with fitness. We want to become leaner, stronger, sportier and healthier and try a variety of sports, diets and nutrition tips. And we actually believed that there is a difference between an unhealthy and a healthy snack. I've seen the pics, put my opened pack of student food with chocolate kisses (totally healthy) aside and talked to Tina Ganser. Ganser is an independent nutritionist with a focus on health promotion and another in the culinary world. She likes healthy food, as her book "Vegetable Love" reveals, and she says you should not take everything at face value when it comes to calories.

Only the calories do not say anything about the true nutritional value.

Firstly, it is important to say that more exercise consumes more calories, so if you have enough exercise, you can also treat yourself to a little exercise. Dark chocolate, nuts or other snacks are a good choice. She likes to pick a slice of wholewheat bread with a little cheese if hunger gets too big. "It is important that you consciously perceive the food, especially during snacks like nuts: You should make sure that you eat them one at a time and not five in your mouth," says the expert. "The difficulty is often fast food, and then the body does not perceive what is happening, because the satiety always comes after 15 minutes, no matter what you eat." She also emphasizes that in the modern world it is often hard not to be distracted while eating. If you eat at the workplace, of course, it would be ideal to turn off the screen and just enjoy. But it is also something unrealistic. Therefore, Ganser advises to slow and conscious grip on sandwich, nuts or other goodies. Because then the body can better adapt to food intake. But what should you snack at all? Can I confidently treat myself to a piece of milk chocolate, as it has fewer calories than the same amount of dark chocolate? "Well, the dark chocolate has more calories, but less sugar and fat, so if you've got 70% cocoa, there's not that much room left for sugar, fat, and other ingredients," explains Ganser. Of course you should enjoy everything in moderation, because just because you know that something is theoretically healthy, you do not have to overeat it yet.

Drinking is also a very important point. Ganser himself always has a bottle of water with him, whether she's just drinking coffee or doing errands. "One and a half or two liters a day may sound a bit unrealistic in the beginning, if you're not used to it, but you can always do it. Start early with a glass of water and a jug of water – and that's usually already Liters – stand and then you see, that you have drunk until the afternoon. " We hear: healthy snacks may have more calories, but they provide important substances, such as omega-3 fatty acids, that are in nuts. Taking a snack does not make us sinners, but we should try to eat slowly to adjust the body to it. And do not forget to drink a lot!