We love snacking at work - it's official. A recent Mintel report says that we spend 50% more on snacks at work than on lunch! There are so many reasons for snacking... No time for breakfast? Eat 'deskfast'. Lunch too light? Top up later. Pre-dinner peckish? Bridge the gap. One word of warning: when you're at work, you're distracted by the business going on around you, so keep your mind on what you're eating and don't have a Snickers just because your colleague is having one. Here's our tried-and-tasted guide to good snacks to keep in your desk.

By Adrienne Wyper

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Oatcakes contain slow-release carbohydrate, which helps the absorption of tryptophan, an amino acid - which is converted by the body into the feelgood hormone serotonin. Spread some sugar-free peanut butter on the oatcake for a source of protein, part of which is made up of tryptophan. And, of course, you can keep that jar of peanut butter in your desk too.

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We all need five a day but never try to eat a mango at your desk - too messy. Same goes for lychees - too fiddly. What you want is either small fruit that you pop in your mouth whole, like berries, fruit that's tidily wrapped, like a banana, or fruit you can bite, like an apple. Anything that's tough to peel is a pain, so oranges are out but easy-peel tangerines and satsumas are in. And avoid pips. Your colleagues don't want to see you spitting them into the bin. Or your hand. A big bowl of fruit also pretties up the desk.

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You can either eat straight from the box in handfuls, or get yourself a bowl, buy a pint of milk (or use what's in the office kitchen...) and relish the idea that you had an extra 10 minutes in bed and now you're multitasking by having deskfast while checking your emails. Wholegrain cereal is best, as its energy is released slowly. A bowl of cereal also comes in handy as a stomach-liner if you're going out for drinks straight from work.

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Just add boiling water to some couscous in a bowl or mug, wait, stir and you've got the basis for lunch - add some veg and protein and you've got a beautifully balanced meal. Couscous is also a good source of the mineral selenium, and a lack of that may make us feel depressed.

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The soup that's best for you is undoubtedly miso. Coming from Japan, it has a lovely savoury flavour and is rich in B vitamins, which could improve concentration, and antioxidants. For extra authenticity, you can serve it in a wooden Japanese bowl. Its little green bits are seaweed, which is rich in minerals. Have you ever read the length of the ingredients list on a box of those advertised-on-TV instant soups? It's as long as your arm - a lot of stuff for a tiny sachet of powder. You can find it in most supermarkets.

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Snacking through the day?: what to eat when

Try the snack-all-day diet: lose up to 3lb in five days

Satisfyingly crunchy, breadsticks don't go stale like bread and are tasty enough to eat on their own, and can also be used as a handy dipper for use with hummus, guacamole, soft cheese, or similarly sloppy substances. And their slimline shape makes them particularly desk-friendly.

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They're often underripe when you buy them, so pop one in your drawer and check it every day. When you feel that slight 'give' under pressure, cut it in half and spoon direct from the skin, or spread onto oatcakes. Avocados are high in protein and fat, but it's good fat: the monounsaturated type, which may help to cut the risk of cancer and heart disease.

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Snacking through the day?: what to eat when

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We asked you, on the discussion boards, what you like to eat at work...
 
Kaur 77 said: 'I eat at my desk all the time, even at lunchtime whilst I am on the net. I have fruit and nuts which include raisins, pumpkin seeds and so on, and a few Tracker bars. I tend to take things from home on a daily basis as if I keep a whole box of something, I end up eating everything in one day - no willpower! I also have my breakfast at my desk around 8.30ish - as I can't eat too early.'

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Snacking through the day?: what to eat when

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Franbee says: 'When we are being good we have dried bananas or 'munchy seeds' but if we are being naughty we have chocolate!'

Tell us what your favourite snack at work is in the comments box below, or on the forums here

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Snacking through the day?: what to eat when

Try the snack-all-day diet: lose up to 3lb in five days