8 useless foods with proper nutrition

1. Instant oatmeal

Instant oatmeal is not the best breakfast option. Sachet porridge, like muesli, contains a large amount of sugar. And he, in addition to the fact that in itself is not good for health, also provokes hunger: an hour and a half after eating, you will already want How Sugar and Fat Trick the Brain into Wanting More Food / Scientific American to have a snack.

Anna Ivashkevich Nutritionist, clinical psychologist - nutritionist, member of the National Association of Clinical Nutrition.

The oatmeal that really benefits is cooked for at least 15 minutes. Porridge should be coarsely ground, and it should not be cooked in milk or cream, but in water, trying to exclude sugar. This option is ideal, for example, before a workout and will help you to cheer up.

In addition, any oatmeal contains not enough protein that the body needs in the morning. This porridge is best chosen as a brunch and combined with cottage cheese, cheese or omelet, boiled eggs.

2. Juices in packages

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 tetrapacks, nutritionist Anna Ivashkevich 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. These are easily digestible carbohydrates that can cause the body to store fat in Carbohydrates / Cleveland Clinic. In addition, after such a dinner, the feeling of hunger quickly returns.

It is better to give preference to group A pasta: they are made from durum wheat, contain more fiber and less starch, have a lower Glycemic index of two varieties of pasta and two varieties of rice / Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición glycemic index, which means that they are absorbed more slowly and do not cause sharp spikes in blood sugar.

Anna Ivashkevich

When buying, pay attention to the cooking time: the longer it is, the healthier the pasta. Try not to overcook the product, cook to the degree of al dente.

4. Yoghurts with fruit and other additives

In addition to the undoubtedly beneficial lactobacilli, store-bought yoghurts often contain artificial additives, flavors and all the same sugar.

Anna Ivashkevich

It is better to buy yoghurts up to 5–6% fat, without adding jam. If you want to satisfy your hunger for a long time, choose a product with cereals, but not with jam, sweet toppings and muesli.

But in general, nutritionists recommend preferring cottage cheese with fresh or frozen berries and fruits to 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 is not all. Unfortunately, semolina contains insufficient amounts of beneficial vitamins, minerals and fiber. This does not allow us to call it a truly healthy product.

6. White rice

To increase the shelf life, white rice is first peeled, then grinded, some varieties are steamed. After such complex manipulations, not many useful substances remain in cereals: for example, there is very little Rice, white, long-grain, regular, cooked / Nutrition Data of fiber and protein.

Anna Ivashkevich

This product is best left for the growing body, as it provides quick satiety. Polished, parboiled rice, which practically does not contain vitamins and minerals, is comparable in quality to semolina.

If you cannot live without rice, look for red, brown, brown or black varieties. They have more of What Is the Healthiest Type of Rice? / Healthline Nutrients and Overall Health Benefits.

7. Semi-finished products

They look very attractive: it's better to eat a meat cutlet than, for example, make yourself a sandwich or buy a slice of pizza. But this is only at first glance.

In store-bought meat and fish semi-finished products, there are many artificial flavors, colors, flavor enhancers, sugar, and trans fats. If there are such dishes, then it is better to cook dumplings, nuggets, pancakes and cutlets yourself, and then freeze: 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.

Anna Ivashkevich

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 is that you cannot track what foods the salad is made from. Perhaps they are of poor quality or expired. But that's not all.

The sauce is of great importance. If it is mayonnaise or a dressing based on it, be prepared for the fact that the calorie content of the salad increases sharply, even if the dish is based on cabbage leaves and dietary carrots.

Anna Ivashkevich

If it is possible to take a salad without sauce at all, choose this option. And it's not just about calories. Due to the addition of dressing, the fermentation processes are accelerated and, as a result, the product spoils much faster.

This material was first released in June 2019. In November 2020, we replaced the expert and clarified some of the recommendations.