5 Unhealthy Extremes of Healthy Eating
We often abandon our usual products in favor of more "healthy" ones. But even such, at first glance, very correct and healthy food, or rather new eating habits, can harm the body. So, what could be wrong?
Bread is eaten a lot in our country, for us it is a traditional snack for almost any dish. But this source of fast carbohydrates leads to the inevitable gain of extra pounds. Therefore, when we embark on the path of proper nutrition, we first of all exclude bread from our diet.
It is a paradox, but in the recognized most healthy diet — the Mediterranean — a real cult of bread and pasta is proclaimed. The thing is that flour for "their" bread and pasta is made from durum wheat. The composition of such flour does not include fast carbohydrates, as in our wheat, but slow ones. They act on the metabolism in the best way. Contrary to popular belief, such a system is not traditional for all Mediterranean countries. For example, in Italy, the use of this type of flour was established by law, and today its use in recipes is already inseparable from the Italians.
Output: carefully read the packaging. It is also possible to "calculate" products from durum wheat visually: pasta is noticeably darker, and whole—grain bread contains grains and bran that fall into the dough during manufacture.
Today, it's no secret that milk fat in the diet needs to be reduced: the World Health Organization calls it one of the key provocateurs of heart and vascular diseases in Europe, as well as a serious activator of diabetes and the development of oncology. The reason for this is the high content of saturated fatty acids and growth hormones.
But the complete exclusion of fat from dairy products is not an option, since most of the vitamins contained in milk are fat—soluble. In addition, low-fat products are not so tasty: the usual taste of milk is provided by fat. In order not to lose it, manufacturers add sugar to low-fat products, as a result, we consume it several times more than is permissible per day.
Output: buy low-fat dairy products (up to 2.5 percent fat content). And if, according to health indications, you can't have milk fat at all — functional, where it is specially replaced with vegetable polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Products with such labeling are often chosen not only by people with diabetes — they are very popular among consumers who just want to buy lightweight versions of the usual food. Indeed, sugar in such products is replaced with fructose, which at first glance is a light version of sugar.
But in terms of calories, they are often not inferior, and even surpass their prototypes. In addition, there is another important point. Sweet foods for diabetics may contain trans fats in abundance. It is these components of nutrition, according to the World Health Organization, that block insulin susceptibility.
The way out: so that the purchase of products from the dietary department does not turn into health problems, look carefully at the packaging and look for food labeled "without trans fats" or "does not contain trans—isomers of fatty acids" - this is the same thing.
We consider juices to be the most useful alternative to carbonated drinks. In fact, this conviction is the result of the competent work of marketers, which has been conducted for years. Contrary to popular belief, the main trouble with sodas is not preservatives and dyes, but a high sugar content. Its content in packaged juices is almost the same.
Even if the juice is 100 percent (for example, apple or orange), the content of natural sugars (fructose or sucrose) in it is also high. In addition, packaged juices often lack useful fiber, which makes up the lion's share of the benefits of natural fruits. As a result, the problem does not disappear anywhere. Fresh juices, of course, are more useful, but they can not be abused, especially on an empty stomach.
Output: WHO recommends drinking no more than 200 ml of juice per day. That is, only a glass a day will not harm the figure. And nutritionists recommend diluting the juices by half with water, so we also reduce the sugar content. In addition, juices, especially sweet ones, are better to drink in the first half of the day — then all the sugars will go into business, that is, they will be spent on mental or physical activity, without being postponed where it is not necessary.
Today, unfortunately, this is an almost impossible undertaking. Modern products often contain hidden salt or sugar, the content of which we may not even suspect. It is not always put on the packaging, this spring our Ministry of Health just started talking about the need to introduce such measures with respect to salt.
The way out: avoiding salt and sugar will be effective only if you know the list of popular products where these components are contained in large quantities in a "hidden" form.
Salt: bread, cheeses, fast food, instant soups, chips, sausages, semi-finished products, vegetable juices, canned vegetables.
Sugar: instant cereals, breakfast cereals, fruit juices, pastries, many caffeinated drinks, fruits and dried fruits.
But do not forget that salt is necessary for us for the full functioning of the body, and sugar gives energy. Maybe it's not worth giving them up altogether? And just reduce the amount.
important!
Consult a doctor
These simple facts can be taken into account, but you need to understand that there cannot be one truth for everyone in matters of nutrition. Before you decide to refuse any product, talk about it with your doctor, do not consider it a formality. Do not rush to extremes — if you follow this principle, then the transition to a healthy lifestyle will be painless.