Ah, snacking.

Who doesn’t get excited about a mid-afternoon treat or having something delicious to munch on while we’re watching “The Pitt”?

But not all snacks are created equal, and if we want to choose one that offers some nutrition, what are our best options? And are these new “naked” and “natural” snack foods that are popping up everywhere really that much better for us than their “dressed” and “unnatural” counterparts?

That’s what we — Raj Punjabi-Johnson and Noah Michelson, co-hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — asked Maya Vadiveloo, Ph.D., RD, a registered dietitian, nutritional epidemiologist, and associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Rhode Island.

“We got a question [from a listener named] Cambria, and she’s talking about ... something called Simply NKD Nacho Cheese Doritos,” Michelson said. “So I’m looking at [this snack] online right now, and it says it’s ‘the classic Doritos flavor you love, but now naked of dyes and artificial flavors.’ What are your thoughts on that?”

Vadiveloo was suspicious of the product and others like it.

“For me, that’s more of a health-washing trend,” she told us, adding that companies are aware that many consumers are now concerned about so-called “ultra processed” foods and what they may do to our bodies.

“The current working definition [of an ultra processed food] ... is really just a food that is including some form of cosmetic additive or ingredient that’s not regularly available in a home kitchen,” she said. “[Warnings about] ultra processed [foods have] really taken off politically as well right now, and food companies are not going to lose money because now they’re demonized for having a food dye.”

It’s incentivized manufacturers to create snacks that are free of dyes and artificial flavorings, but that doesn’t necessarily mean these snacks are better for us.

“They haven’t done anything to inherently make the Dorito healthier,” Vadiveloo said. “And for me, while there may not be a need for the cosmetic additive, removing the cosmetic additive doesn’t make Doritos suddenly something that I would say should be the basis of a snack.”

When Punjabi-Johnson noted that “a ‘naked Dorito’ feels like a tortilla chip,” Vadiveloo countered: “Even if it is a tortilla chip, a tortilla chip is relatively high in calories ... again, you can have a handful of tortilla chips in the context of a balanced diet, but it’s not going to be that balanced snack that’s giving you the nutrition that you really need.”

Instead, she urged us to reach for whole foods that offer protein, fiber or other nutrients — especially fruits and vegetables, which she said are “woefully underconsumed” in the United States.

Vadiveloo, who loves to snack baby carrots or trail mix with nuts and unsweetened dried fruits, also emphasized that it’s not just words like “naked” or “natural” that are being used to sway shoppers.

“Food companies are really smart — like if you look at even the NKD Doritos packaging, it’s not bright and loud like the regular Doritos,” she pointed out. “It’s like meant to be muted ... They’ve done thousands upon thousands of focus groups to say, like, ‘What do you think of when you see, you know, a matte color palette that’s kind of green?’ You associate that with health, just like we use ‘traffic light’ labeling to convey messaging very simply. You know, you can use it to make people to think of it as maybe not as bad ... That’s one of the things that’s so fascinating about behavioral economics and things like that is we can all be manipulated even when we know we are [being manipulated].”

Vadiveloo told us about a study that found “in general, the higher the number of health claims, the less likely the food was to meet general nutritional guidelines,” which she said highlights the absurdity of the health-washing that is currently present on many products.

“I think it’s always funny when you see a jar of peanut butter and it’s ‘cholesterol free,’” she said. “Of course it’s cholesterol free because it’s plant based, and cholesterol only is an animal products.”

Ultimately, Vadiveloo encouraged us to be wary of any promises that seem too good to be true.

“When you start to see more health claims on something, it should probably alert you that maybe somebody’s trying to prove something too much,” she said.

And, as with most things in life, moderation is always going to be our best bet when picking a snack.

“[We should] absolutely normalize that it’s not that easy to make a healthy choice and to do it all the time and that everybody is imperfect in making those choices,” Vadiveloo told us. “It’s really [just about] trying to move the needle of ‘OK, how can I feel myself better at my next meal or at my next snack?’”

We also chatted with her about the current protein bar craze and what to avoid, the link between anxiety and snacking, and much more, so click above to hear the full episode or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Make sure to subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” on whatever podcast platform you prefer so you don’t miss a single episode from our brand-new third season. And check out some of our favorites, including how to apologize or vanquish your credit card debt; how to find love online or overcome anxiety; tips for online shopping, taking care of your teeth and pooping like a pro; secrets to booking and staying in a hotel; how to deal with an angry person; how to make friends as an adult; everything you need to know about protein; getting your best workout; taking care of your car; surviving a breakup; avoiding forever chemicals, plus much more.

You can also watch the full episode on YouTube.

For more from Maya Vadiveloo, head here.

Have a question or need some help with something you’ve been doing wrong? Email us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we might investigate the topic in an upcoming episode.

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