Amal Allam wrote Saturday, September 16, 2023 02:38 PM
A study indicates that a quarter of Britons who eat healthy meals are at risk of heart disease and strokes as a result of snacking on biscuits, cakes and potato chips.
snacks
According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, researchers from King’s College London tracked the snacking habits of 854 people.
A recent study indicated that a quarter of people lose the benefits of healthy meals by eating unhealthy snacks.
Researchers from London, who monitored the eating habits of more than 850 people, found that one in 4 reported eating unhealthy snacks – such as chocolate, crisps and cakes – alongside ‘healthy meals’.
The results indicated that this group was “neutralizing the benefits” of eating nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as intake was associated with snacks Undesirable high body mass index and blood sugar – which increases the risk of strokes, heart disease and obesity.
However, the analysis showed that snacking itself is not healthy, as long as people choose healthy foods, such as fruit, nuts and seeds.
Scientists tracked the snacking habits of 854 people through the ZOE PREDICT study, a set of in-depth nutritional research studies that aim to reveal how and why people respond differently to the same foods.
Participants consumed “standardized test meals” over a period of 9 to 11 days, and recorded the amount and types of snacks consumed using an online food diary. About 95% of participants admitted to snacking, while average daily consumption was recorded at 2.28 snacks per day. today.
The researchers said that about 29% of people ate more than two snacks, but scientists from King’s College London said in the European Journal of Nutrition that 26% of participants reported eating healthy meals but chose “poor quality snacks,” which made them “feel hungry.” “.
This group had “poor health scores,” however, snacking frequency had no effect on blood fats and blood pressure.
Dr Sarah Berry from King’s College London and chief scientist at ZOE said: Given that 95% of us snack, and that nearly a quarter of our calories come from snacks, we are replacing unhealthy snacks such as biscuits, chips and cakes with healthy snacks such as Fruits and nuts are a really simple way to improve your health.
The scientists said the most popular snacks were crackers, fruits, nuts, seeds, cheese, butter, cookies, pancakes, granola or cereal.
Studies have found that high blood sugar and fat can lead to diabetes and heart disease, and people with diabetes are more likely to have other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure.
The researchers also found that those who ate “high-quality snacks” – such as nuts, fresh fruit and granola bars – had “better metabolic health” and did not feel as hungry. Ultra-processed foods such as cakes, potato chips and cakes are generally higher in sugar, salt and fat. Saturated compared to less processed foods.
The newspaper said, this term covers foods that contain ingredients that a person does not add when cooking at home, such as chemicals, colorings, and preservatives. These include: ready-made meals, ice cream, fried chicken, and ketchup, and they differ from processed foods, which are processed to make them last. For longer or to enhance their flavour, such as processed meats and cheese, but the researchers also found that the timing of snacking was also important for health, with eating late at night carrying “significantly more negative health effects”.
They said that people who ate most of their evening snacks after 9 p.m. saw a greater rise in blood sugar than those who ate snacks earlier in the day. Those who ate late snacks also had higher concentrations of fat in their blood compared to those who ate their snacks later in the evening. For those who ate snacks during the day.
Dr Kate Birmingham, from King’s College London and chief scientist, said: This study contributes to existing literature that says food quality is the driving factor in positive health outcomes from food, adding: Ensuring you eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, protein and legumes is best. A way to improve your health.
She added that it is possible to eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables are counted. Basic meals depend on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates. Whole grains are preferred and care must be taken to eat 30. grams of fiber per day.
A model for healthy eating daily
– 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole-grain crackers, 2 thick slices of whole-wheat bread, and 1 large baked potato without the skin.
– Eat some dairy products or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), and choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options.
Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins including two servings of fish each week, one of which should be oily.
-Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities
-Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.
-Adults should eat less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men daily.
2023-09-16 11:38:00
#eat #healthy #meals #daily #avoid #heart #disease #stroke
