Fully stocked supermarket shelves: but what do I pick?
... that is the question! Maybe not all the time and certainly, taking a look at the history of mankind, most times the problem was the other way round: created by a lack of food rather than by an abundance of it. It has (up till now) usually been a case of beggars not being choosers, like those people in Haiti who, last year, ended up eating clay cakes because food was too expensive for them to buy.
Of course this is not usually the case with those reading this article (or at least the author hopes so…). The intention of this article is not to dictate to people what to eat and what not to, but rather to raise more awareness about the topic. At a time when questions are being raised about the sustainability of our Health System, which deals mainly with the curing of already existing disease, maybe it’s time that we should focus more on prevention.
Wikipedia describes "food" as any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, that can be eaten or imbibed by an animal, including humans, for nutrition or pleasure. The word “diet” is closely linked to "food", though not all the time in the right manner. For example some Maltese people wrongly relegate the word “id-dieta” (diet) to strict diets, or with being deprived of food, or fasting. One’s “dieta” is simply what one eats.
Another important thing is that most of the foods are made up of different components. Hence, bread - although is mostly associated with carbohydrates (carbs) - is not made up exclusively of carbs, but also of protein and fats amongst others. White Bread contains around 51 grams of carb, 3 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein. This can vary with breads made from less refined wheat (wholemeal), which are generally higher in protein content.
However one can still note the predominance of carbs in bread. Other foods where the predominance of carbohydrates is high are pasta, rice, potatoes, beans and bran. The most extreme case is sugar (sucrose) which in itself is a simple carbohydrate. Sugar is 100% carb - no vitamins, no fats, no proteins.
The following list gives an indication of the carbohydrate content in some common foods:
http://web.mit.edu/athletics/sportsmedicine/wcrhighcarbs.html
Containing no fat, sugar, may give the wrong impression that it will not contribute to undesired increase in weight (this may be also the reason why many of the so-called food pyramids that were devised in the early 90s advised people to focus on foods with high carbohydrate content, such as bread and pasta). If this were true, in Malta we should not have problems with obesity, considering that our diet is heavily based on these type of foods, i.e. it is high in carbs. The ħobża tal-Malti is practically omni-present, - you ll find it everywhere: at home, take-aways, bars and, even when you go out to eat, most restaurants will offer white Maltese, bread while you wait for your pasta or pizza!
The results, of course, is there for all of us to see.
The intake of refined wheat leads to a higher amount of sugar in our blood stream, for some time until it falls dramatically. This, in turn, triggers appetite even though the stomach is full and we have enough energy to run a marathon. This new urge in appetite can lead to eating more food which our body then turns into fats, which are then “stored”. Another piece of advice given by those promoting carbohydrate-rich foods in the 90s was that we should eat meat in moderation because of it contains fats, especially saturated fats.
The “failure” of the “carb-rich” diet led to the emergence of low-carb diets, popularized by Dr Robert Atkins. Although many claimed that they lost weight on a low-carb regime diet, various studies claimed that there were health problems related to this diet like increased chances of getting a heart disease.
The controversy is still going on and, in the meantime, new diets have emerged based on modifications to the original Atkins diet. These diets suggest that people choose protein-rich foods with low amount of fats, like poultry and fish, increase the intake of non-refined cereals, like wholemeal bread, and also avoid processed foods. Recent studies also highlighted the importance of oils, like Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils, which are commonly found in fish, amongst others.
Then there are of course vegetarian diets, some of them stricter than others, and those who advocate the consumption of organic foods. Results from studies conducted on potential health benefits acquired by those consuming organic foods are mixed. One thing is sure though: going organic will probably means higher bills at the supermarket! On the other hand, people on an organic food diet usually have more awareness about what they are eating and also tend to eat foods which contain certain minerals and vitamins which are not easily found in “common” diets.
Health gurus have also been stressing the importance of Anti-oxidants. This is from the National Institute of Health (US):
Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
Antioxidants are found in many foods. These include fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish.
The following link gives a list of foods rich in anti-oxidants:
http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/antioxidant-foods.html
Best Sources of Foods High in Ati-oxidenats:
1. Fruits
Berries (Cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, crowberry, blueberry, bilberry/wild blueberry, black currant), pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapefruit.
2. Vegetables
Kale, chili pepper, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, red beets.
3. Dry Fruits high in antioxidants
Apricots, prunes, dates.
4. Legumes
Broad beans, pinto beans, soybeans.
5. Nuts and seeds
Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, ground nut, sunflower seeds.
6. Cereals
Barley, millet, oats, corn.
7. Spices
cloves, cinnamon, oregano
As you may notice, many of these foods are easily found on our supermarket shelves and most of these foods are raw and not processed. The list mentioned is not exhaustive, that is, there are other foods and drinks which contains antioxidants like green and white tea, dark chocolate and tumeric amongst others.
The Mediterranean Diet is considered to be one rich in antioxidants, but unfortunately we've dumped most of these foods for processed foods. The benefits cited for those consuming antioxidant-rich foods include lower cancer risks, amongst others – for example high consumption of tomatos was linked to a reduction in the risk of prostate cancer.
Maltese peopleshould not find that it costs them too much in order to eat healthily. Fruit and vegetables are not hard to find here – perhaps all we need to do is reduce the intake of refined cereals such as il-hobża tal-Malti, pastizzi and other junk food and eat more fruit, vegetables and fish and (why not?) unprocessed meat.
The aim of this article has been to raise awareness about benefits acquired from eating the right foods. Choosing the right foods for oneself depends also on the individual needs and genetic - one man's food maybe another man's poison - but it seems clearly that some kind of foods are beneficial to most of the population whilst some others are not so. Some time ago, Italian TV aired the results of an experiment carried out in a home for elderly people. When the diet of these group was modified, most of the group showed overall improvement in their medical condition, be it diabetes, high level of cholesterol and so on. So a proper food intake does help us in avoiding certain diseases, or maybe delaying them to a later date … and, as we all know, prevention is better than cure!
References:
Antioxidants
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html
Antioxidant-foods
http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/antioxidant-foods.html
Benefits of Antioxidants
http://www.thedietchannel.com/The-Benefits-of-Antioxidants
Atkins diet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkins_diet
Food
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food
Haiti: Mud cakes become staple diet as cost of food soars beyond a family's reach
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/29/food.internationalaidanddevelopment
For Three Years, Every Bite Organic
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/health/02well.html
Low-Carb diets
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-carbohydrate_diet
No comments:
Post a Comment