Catalans enjoy a bar culture, whether after work, at lunch, at breakfast, at wine time or at any time in the afternoon, we find an excuse to have a drink or a soft drink and accompany it with an aperitif. Although we know very well that these meals between the hours are not healthy, It is practically impossible to eliminate them from our diet, as well as from the shopping cart.
“We ask for something to eat“is the phrase most heard when we occupy the terrace of a bar, and also inside our homes while we prepare food and eat an aperitif in order to 'open the tummy'.” In Spain, potato chips and other salty snacks are used It represents 55.1% of everything we consume outside our homeThat is about 0.93 kilograms on average per Spaniard per year, according to consumption report data.
At home, we don't skip snacks either, we eat them 1.42 kilograms of processed potatoes As an annual average. Dr. Elizabeth Claudasthe cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods, who trained at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, analyzed this unwanted consumption in one of her latest articles.
Throughout his career, his work has focused on the effects of cholesterol on the body and how to reduce it. This time, Claudas is focusing on packaged potato chips, although it also includes nachos and processed corn snacks, which are very popular in the United States. In an article for CNBC, Elizabeth asserted, “You will never see me eat French fries again.” As a cardiologist, she knows that this type of food “is one of the biggest enemies of heart health,” and French fries rank first on the list of banned foods.
“They are high in additives and low in fiber and other essential nutrients,” says Elizabeth, who points out that “in a year, eating just one package of potato chips weighing less than 30 grams per day can add up to 6.8 kilograms of salt.” In our bodies.” “.
The cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods made clear her stance on the accusers. Here are the reasons why we should avoid the potato chips we love so much.
Affects blood circulation
Eating processed snacks worsens our health. “Too much sodium can raise blood pressure and cause significant weight gain, which negatively affects cholesterol and blood sugar.” You don't need to eat these snacks long-term to see their effects: “Studies show that eating poor-quality foods worsens blood vessel function within a few hours of consumption.”
To replace this pica pica, Claudas recommends, for example, hummus with vegetables. Half a cup equals the same calories as a small bag of potato chips. If you don't like hummus with vegetables, Elizabeth recommends raw walnuts in particular and nuts without added salt.
Hummus, nuts and fruits as snacks
“Two small bananas or three oranges are equivalent in calories to a bag of potato chips, but they contain vitamins, antioxidants and fibre,” so they fill us up just as much, but in a healthier way. “We often turn to these snacks not because we are hungry, but because we are bored and looking for a boost, but these are not good reasons to consume something that effectively sabotages a person's efforts to improve their condition,” Dr. Klaudas points out. Heart health.”
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