follow one healthy nutrition This has become one of the biggest concerns of our era (hence methods like the Harvard Plate triumph). But society doesn’t always make it easy for us as it fills the supermarket shelves. ultra processed An addictive taste and a marketing campaign behind it that makes us obsessed with them healthy meal,
To get it right, the first thing is to be clear about the difference between Natural, processed and ultra-processed food, According to the World Health Organization, natural food They are those in which no ingredients have been added nor have they been industrially treated (fruits, vegetables, legumes, meat, fish, eggs…). For their part, well processed They are those that, despite receiving some treatment (heating, freezing, dicing…), do not contain artificial ingredients. And finally, ultra processed They are products that have been altered by industrial process and by the addition of artificial ingredients. Basically, it’s whatever costs the least to make, tastes the most, satisfies us the least, keeps us the most engaged and is the least healthy.
How to differentiate between a healthy process and one that is not?
And now we come to the crux of the matter. We already know that natural foods are healthier and ultra-processed foods are not, there is no debate on this. but the market processed It is very broad, and you have to be very careful to differentiate between what is healthy and what is not healthy. that’s why we talked sandra monino, dietitian and nutritionist specializing in anti-inflammatory diets. He gives us basic tips to know how to choose among the hundreds of processed foods in the supermarket.
“To choose a good process you have to take into account what Material We will use it to prepare this product, which does not contain vegetable oils such as sunflower, palm or rapeseed, and which does not contain sugar, sweeteners or refined flour. is the most important read labels carefully Before buying it,” he advises us. Usually more attention is paid to the nutritional table, which tells us the amounts of calories and fat in which the product is included, and less in ingredients listwhich actually tells us whether a product is Healthy Or not.
«We usually look at the calories in the product and the fat in it, but this is not the most important thing. Ultimately this does not involve looking at the amount of calories and fat present in the product, but rather quality of that product And the ingredients in it,” he says.
sandra monino He is an expert in anti-inflammatory foods, so he not only advises on the quality of processed products, but also provides additional knowledge about their potency. anti inflammatory, Inflammation is a signal that the body sends when something is wrong, it is a sign that we are not as healthy as we should be and immune system He defends himself.
According to a study led by Dr. Joanna KaluzaFrom the Department of Environmental Medicine Karolinska Institute of SwedenFollowing an anti-inflammatory diet means a reduced risk of early death from any cause (including cancer and heart disease) and an increased lifespan, especially in smokers.
Given the importance of adhering to anti inflammatory dietMonino points out which processed foods are healthy and can keep your body from getting inflamed, which indicates you’re doing it right:
1. Canned Fish
“An example of good processing.” anti inflammatories Canned fish can be, especially if it is oily fish, such as mackerelThe Sardines Or salmon“Sandra starts explaining to us. “To see if canned fish is healthy, you have to make sure that the ingredients only contain fish with water, salt and, if it contains oil, it is made from extra virgin olive oil,” he adds. .
Something that usually fails in diets Appetizer Which we love to drink while enjoying the sunshine on the terrace on weekends. But we can also do this well if we read labels and choose, for example, some Pickled Anchovies, «Since anchovies remain raw and are not exposed to heat, the Omega 3 present in them does not oxidize. To choose good quality pickled anchovies, You have to make sure that the ingredients only include anchovies, vinegar, salt and extra virgin olive oil.«Monino advises.
“There are other types of good processes Cockles, mussels or razor clams. And all that, naturally, with its juice. Its ingredients should mainly consist of mollusks and a little salt. Additionally, they are rich in iron and zinc and help the immune system,” the nutritionist adds.
Of course, in these cases, packaging This is also important, «We must keep in mind that it is not advisable to abuse canned foods too much. It’s interesting to try to buy all these foods glass jars Because Cans contain more toxins And hence, misusing them will not be beneficial,” experts advise.
2. Vegetables
One of the basic recommendations of any healthy diet is to consume large amounts of vegetables. and fresh fruits, but the pace of our lives often does not give us enough time to prepare them. In this case we can also pull processedBut you have to check its contents carefully.
«Another good processed option is vegetable cream, salmorejo or gazpacho as long as it has good ingredients. That means we have to see that they only take Vegetables, extra virgin olive oilone of two With a little vinegar, salt and water“Expert Recommends.”
you may even get a good one salad Without wasting time in chopping and preparing the ingredients: “There are also healthy salad options in which the mix is ready and contains only vegetables.” This will be enough to wash them and season them Before consuming them. Then you can add a can of mackerel and an anti-inflammatory product like goat cheese,” he advises.
And while you may also venture into the processed foods aisle with your food, it doesn’t mean your plate is going to become a time bomb. “There are other good procedures Potato which comes already cooked in a glass jarWhich is an option when we don’t have much time, and we have to make sure it only has potatoes, water and salt,” says Sandra Monino.
3. Paneer and Curd
“To choose a good cheese, you have to make sure that it contains only Milk, Lactic Fermenter and Rennet And it may also contain salt, although ideally it should be among the last ingredients,” he advises. “And finally, we can’t end without mentioning Curd goat sheep, or kefir, which contains probiotics and helps our microbiota stay in good condition. Of the ingredients you should only have Milk and Lactic Fermenters,
Sorry, Yogurt flavors Food that is happily offered to children as a good alternative to finishing a meal does not fall within these parameters. These yogurts include large amounts of sugar, Preservatives and Flavors, They’re very tasty, yes, but they’re not healthy.
4. Meat
«We also have meat alternatives that can be very good, like, for example, serrano ham, And it is better that it be Iberian, and contain only ham and salt. On the other hand, there is the option of natural chicken That he has been roasted and cut into pieces. “It’s great to add some grated tomato, some roasted vegetables, and some baked or boiled potatoes to top a vegetable salad, to a salad, and even to an entire dish with shredded chicken,” advises the dietitian. “
5. Beans
“The beans We can also easily find them in a jar and we must ensure that the ingredients include only main legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas or beans. water and salt and however much it may take citric acidWhat is a preservative and is it Vitamin C”, the expert concluded.
Yes, it is possible to carry it healthy nutrition Even with processing in your daily life. Of course, you have to pay close attention to this label Be sure to inspect food items before adding them to your shopping cart so you don’t be fooled by appearances.