6 Popular Snacks to Avoid at the Office

The vending machines at the office are filled with all sorts of treats to keep your hunger at bay. However, are any of these products really healthy for you? If you feel that most packaged treats, like cookies and chips, are definitely bad for you, think of what you can pick up at the grocery store that will keep you going when those hunger pains attack. You may be surprised to learn that not everything is as positive as advertised. Here are a few examples of snacks to avoid at the office.

Donuts - Donuts seem to be a tradition around office workers. They represent friendship, special occasions, skipped breakfast or a source of quick energy. If people realized what one 5-inch glazed yeast doughnut actually did to their system, this tradition would be totally destroyed. A typical glazed doughnut has:

• 270 calories
• 25g carbohydrates
• 15mg cholesterol
• 13g fat
• 289mg sodium

Pop Tarts - If you are going to go for this childhood favorite, it really doesn't matter if they are frosted or not. A pop tart with no icing has a thicker crust to make up for the lack of frosting so the calories are actually higher. A typical frosted pop tart has:

• 410 calories
• 72g carbohydrates
• 11g fat
• 420mg sodium

Potato Chips - While potato chips lack the sugar found in sweet pastries, they make up in other areas. The biggest problem with chips is that you can't eat just one. If you get an 8-ounce bag from the vending machine, the whole bag is consumed in minutes. A typical bag of salted potato chips contains:

• 293 calories
• 36.6g carbohydrates
• 14.5g fat
• 457mg sodium

Because the main ingredient in chips is potatoes, there are slight amounts of vitamins and minerals listed. However, this hardly makes up for the processing additives that accompany each chip.

Pretzels - Somewhere along the line, pretzels have gained the reputation for being healthier for you than potato chips. While the numbers are a little more reassuring, pretzels are a long way from a healthy office snack. 3 pretzels include:

• 110 calories
• 22g carbohydrates
• 1g fat
• 610mg sodium

M&M's Peanut Chocolate Candy - Let's talk chocolate. Chocolate is that wonderful option that most workers find gratifying. Add a peanut and your protein is accounted for. While there is 2.9g of protein and 23mg of calcium in 28 little candy pieces, this far from compensates for being considered healthy. M&M's peanut candy includes:

• 144 calories
• 17.3g carbohydrates
• 7.5g fat
• 14ng sodium

Protein Bars - Here is a market that has caught the attention of office workers. Protein bars have become a replacement for many snacks. The reputation suggests that they can provide extra protein in a healthy way. A Chocolate Chip Clif Bar is an example of a fast energy protein bar. The issue is that the body breaks down carbohydrates and calories differently, depending on the activity. An office job, where little or no activity isn't what these bars are designed for and you are better off with a more well-rounded food item. Here is the breakdown:

• 300 calories
• 51g carbohydrates
• 29mg cholesterol
• 6g fat
• 240mg sodium