No fewer than 8 out of 10 products in the supermarket are ultra-processed, and that is not good news for our health. With the holidays approaching, the question arises: how can we enjoy that delicious festive table in a healthy way?
Food processing is important to make food edible, digestible, nutritious, sustainable, tasty and safe. Consider freezing, cooking or fermenting food. But when the balance tips towards too much highly processed food, it can be detrimental to health. Inge Coene, nutritionist at the nutritional information center NICE, says: “The general nutritional recommendations advise choosing little or non-processed foods as much as possible, and limiting highly processed foods. This usually refers to foods with many unrecognizable ingredients, or foods that are nutrient-poor and/or energy-dense. The latter contains a lot of fat, salt or added sugars and provides little or no protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals or other bioactive substances. These are also called ’empty calories’ because they contribute little or no to a healthy diet.”
Another striking characteristic of ultra-processed foods is that they have a low feeling of satiety. This increases the risk of quickly eating too much of it, says Coene. “Research shows that high consumption of highly processed foods is associated with an increased risk of obesity and other non-communicable diseases.”
High consumption of highly processed foods is associated with an increased risk of obesity and other non-communicable diseases.
– Inge Coene, NICE
Have a nice long life
But how can you avoid those ultra-processed foods as much as possible when the supermarket is full of them? Chef and head dietician Michael Sels at the UZA this is called the ‘obesogenic environment’. That is why he proposes a positive approach, which he calls ‘living long’. “Make healthy eating easier by adjusting your environment. Increase the availability of healthy snacks and adjust your portion distribution. You do not do this by denying yourself everything, but by adding twice as many vegetables to your meal, for example. This way you no longer have room to eat a lot of your ultra-processed meat substitute.”
For the holidays, Sels shares some valuable tips for preparing healthy, festive meals without sacrificing taste and eating pleasure. “Conjure up a platter of oysters instead of the usual puff pastry snacks. Experiment with healthy festive soups, such as Jerusalem artichoke or chicory soup, to add variety to your menu. Instead of starting from a main ingredient such as pheasant or wild boar, you can also start with vegetables and build a festive meal around them.”
There may be unhealthy snacks on your festive table, but a diverse offering is important, he explains. “I remember a study where one group received only yellow M&Ms, while the other group received M&Ms of all colors. The taste is no different, but people ate more when all the colors were in their bowl.” Sels recommends applying this principle to your festive table, where, in addition to grilled pointed cabbage, you also offer beans and stewed chicory, for example. This ensures that guests want to taste everything.
Healthy festive recipes
Sels shares his ultimate tip for a festive snack that is not only delicious, but also healthy. “Cauliflower kibbeling with spicy mayo is the perfect crunchy treat for the holidays, and you can prepare it with the air fryer. This vegetarian variant proves that vegetables don’t have to be boring.”
Also chef Sophie Dumont recommends a recipe for a healthy festive meal: salmon tataki with ginger soy sauce. “Salmon prepared in an Asian way looks beautiful and tastes very good,” says Dumont. Although she regularly serves this dish as a daily indulgence, she emphasizes that it also fits seamlessly into a festive menu for those who want a less classic approach. Success assured!
2023-12-20 00:14:53
#Healthy #enjoyment #Oysters #oven #snacks
