Roskachestvo gave advice on maintaining a balanced diet during the holidays

During the May holidays, many people change their usual diet, including some unhealthy foods. Victoria Dolgikh, Chairman of the Roskachestvo Expert Council for the development of the functional nutrition market, Candidate of Biological Sciences, told Izvestia how to maintain a balanced diet and not limit yourself too much.

"During the holidays, it is especially important to choose dishes rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is during this period that many people increase their consumption of meat, sugar, simple carbohydrates and alcohol, which can negatively affect their health," she said.

According to her, in order for the body to receive enough nutrients, it is worth paying attention to functional products. They not only saturate, but also provide the body with essential nutrients.

To make a balanced diet, instead of traditional mayonnaise salads, you can prepare light but nutritious options: sliced vegetables with hummus or light yogurt, baked fish or poultry with herbs, salads with quinoa, avocado and fresh vegetables. These dishes contain healthy fats, proteins and slow carbohydrates, which provide long-lasting satiety and do not overload digestion, the specialist explained.

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The expert added that special attention should be paid to fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, natural yogurt, and whole-grain sourdough bread. They are rich in probiotics, prebiotics that support the intestinal microflora and strengthen the immune system.

In her opinion, if you want kebabs, you should choose low-fat varieties. Fatty pork or beef contains a lot of saturated fats, and you can eat two daily rations at a time.

However, Dolgikh advised replacing the usual sweets with functional ones. They are distinguished by an increased amount of protein, dietary fiber, a small amount of carbohydrates, the absence of added sugar in the composition and refined flour of the highest grade.

The specialist stressed that it is important to control not only the quality, but also the quantity of food and its components. Each gram of fat, for example, provides 9 calories. If you do not take into account the amount of oil added to salads or when frying, you can imperceptibly gain an additional 300-500 kcal.

At the same time, Dolgikh explained that the principle of a balanced plate will help to avoid overeating: half of the serving should be vegetables and herbs, a quarter protein, and the rest complex carbohydrates in the form of brown rice or buckwheat, lentils, whole—grain pasta, whole—grain bread, which does not contain refined flour of the highest grade. The oil should be strictly dosed: no more than 5 g at a time.

In addition, it is necessary to drink enough water. Alcohol and sugary carbonated drinks negatively affect the body, so the expert recommended giving them up, replacing them with mineral water with lemon, mint or ginger for freshness. At the same time, herbal teas — ginger, chamomile, mint — will not only quench thirst, but also improve digestion.

Earlier, on April 8, Ekaterina Kashukh, a gastroenterologist and expert at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia that nuts promote heart health and improve memory, help to get sick less and recover faster after infection. However, according to her, they should be included in the diet with caution.