It is better to exclude fruit yogurts, ready-made salads, and even semolina from the diet. If you want meals that are actually healthy but are still accessible and convenient, be sure to check out the incredible meals at Mangia.
1. Instant Oatmeal
Instant oatmeal is not the best breakfast option. Sachet porridge, like muesli, contains a large amount of sugar. In addition to the fact that oatmeal by itself does nothing for your health, it also provokes hunger. An hour and a half after eating, you will already want to have a snack.
Oatmeal that’s truly beneficial is cooked for at least 15 minutes. Porridge should be coarsely ground, and it should be cooked not in milk or cream but water, trying to exclude sugar. This option is ideal, for example, before a workout and will give you that extra boost of energy.
Also, oatmeal has barely any protein, which the body needs in the morning. This porridge is best chosen as a brunch and combined with cottage cheese, cheese, an omelet, or boiled eggs.
2. Packaged Juice
Juices in stores are divided into directly squeezed juice, reconstituted, nectar, and juice product. These categories are related to composition and preparation technology. But there is one unpleasant fact that practically all packaged juices have in common: they have a lot of sugar.
As a healthier alternative to juice packs, nutritionist recommends making fruit drinks from natural or frozen berries or homemade lemonade based on plain water, lemon, and mint.
3. Pasta
Regular wheat flour pasta is a poor choice for a healthy diet. It contains easily digestible carbohydrates, which can cause the body to store fat. In addition, after such a dinner, the feeling of hunger quickly returns.
Instead, we suggest you stick to Group A pasta; they are made from durum wheat, contain more fiber and less starch, have a lower glycemic index, which means that they are absorbed more slowly and do not cause sharp jumps in blood sugar.
4. Yoghurts With Fruit and Other Additives
In addition to the undoubtedly beneficial lactobacilli, store-bought yogurts often contain artificial additives, flavors, and all the same sugar.
It is better to buy yogurts up to 5–6% fat without adding jam. If you want to satisfy your hunger for a long time, make a yogurt dish without cereals, jam, sweet toppings, or muesli.
Additionally, nutritionists recommend choosing cottage cheese with fresh or frozen berries and fruits over store-bought yogurt. Such a dish will be more satisfying and healthier – both as breakfast and as a light snack during the day.
5. Semolina Porridge
Semolina, beloved since childhood, is made from wheat groats. This is an ideal product for children: it contains a lot of simple carbohydrates that are easily absorbed by the body and give quick energy – just what is needed for active development and running.
But in the diet of adults, according to nutritionist Anna Ivashkevich, semolina is not entirely appropriate. There is little activity in adults, and there are a lot of calories in porridge. And that’s not all. Unfortunately, semolina does not contain enough beneficial vitamins, minerals, and fiber, prohibiting it from being categorized as a healthy product.
6. White Rice
White rice is often peeled and ground up to increase shelf life. Some varieties are even steamed before being packaged. After so many complex manipulations, there’s barely any fiber and protein left in the rice. If you cannot live without rice, look for red, brown, brown, or black varieties. They are more nutritious and have better health benefits.
7. Semi-Finished Food Products
Store-bought meat and semi-finished fish products have an abundance of artificial flavors, colors, flavor enhancers, sugar, and trans fats. Rather than buying things processed and packaged, it’s better to cook your dumplings, nuggets, pancakes, and cutlets yourself and then freeze them. This way, you will know their composition for sure.
However, semi-finished vegetable products can be a salvation for residents of cities where vegetables are not grown. When properly frozen, they retain much more vitamins than imported fresh versions.
Just carefully study the composition and appearance of the package since such products can be defrosted and frozen several times. The number of such cycles will change both the appearance and the benefits.
8. Salads From Supermarkets or Fast Food Restaurants
The main problem with restaurant salads is that you cannot track what state food is in. Perhaps they are of poor quality or expired. Additionally, the sauce is of great importance. If it is mayonnaise or a dressing drizzled on it, beware that the calorie content of the salad rises sharply, even if the dish is based on simple cabbage leaves and carrots.
