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They come in a range of shapes and sizes. They can be sweet or salty, and may even have fillings. They have become one of the most widely consumed food items in the world. We are referring , of course, to cookies and crackers.

Have you ever wondered if being so popular prevents them from becoming part of a healthy and well-balanced diet?

Today, at MyDiet™, we want to share some advice with you on how to choose cookies that best fit into a healthy diet plan.

Homemade or industrially processed?

Homemade food is, without a doubt, generally healthier than the processed food you buy. Cookies are no exception. Moreover, baking cookies is a good way of teaching children how to cook. If you decide to make cookies at home, we recommend you try the following:

• If the cookies are for the kids, take advantage of the opportunity and introduce food into their diet that they otherwise avoid. Few children eat oats or coconut. However, they will eat cookies made with these ingredients.
• If the cookies are for adults, try following a recipe that uses low-fat products (light butter or margarine and skim milk). Use egg whites instead of whole eggs (to lower the cholesterol content), and use cooking sweeteners to reduce the sugar content.
• Remember that, in addition to limiting the amount of cookies they eat (2 or 3 per person), children should not get into the habit of eating cookies every day or of eating them instead of having a proper meal.

Cookie doughs can be modified in order to be much healthier. For example, you can use oats instead of chocolate or candies. In addition, you can use whole-wheat flour instead of regular, all-purpose flour; replace butter with margarine or vegetable oil, and use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar to lower the calories and to make the cookies adequate even for people with diabetes.

If you don’t have time to make your own cookies and have to buy industrially processed ones, consider the following advice when you make your choice:

• Crackers tend to have a high sodium and fat content. Choose the salt-free varieties.
• Don’t be misled into thinking that all whole wheat crackers are healthy. Many whole wheat crackers are made with palm oil which is rich in saturated fatty acids.
• The filled cookies kids love are full of fats and sugars. Read the labels carefully before making your purchase.
• If you buy cookies at a small baker’s shop, ask about the nutritional content of their brand products. Don’t forget to deduct the calories from the cookies you eat from your planned total daily calorie allowance.

Remember, if you eat in moderation and choose wisely, you will often be able to include delicious cookie treats in your diet.