"Not taking fruits and vegetables affects our brain psychologically", Interview with Cristina Sánchez, nutritionist

Interview with Cristina S nnchez, nutritionist

Nutrition, today more than ever has become one of the fundamental concerns of much of the population. Eating healthily requires not only will but also nutritional knowledge. Cristina Sánchez, an expert nutritionist and collaborator in online media specialized in nutrition, warns of the myths that exist towards certain foods. In addition, it affects the importance that the diet that we perform in our brain functioning and routine performance can have. And, to what extent does what we eat influence our lifestyle?

The economic crisis, according to numerous experts in nutrition, is in many cases directly affecting our food because the mood is on the ground. Antidepressant or anti-stress diets have become fashionable. What is true about it? Can we combat the states of anxiety and sadness through food?

There really is no diet to raise our mood, we must be clear that of course, what we eat can influence us. But the fundamental thing is to have a balanced and varied diet without focusing on specific foods. It is very important to combine this with an active life. You have to eat everything and you have to always take into account the lifestyle of each person, a diet rich in carbohydrates to raise your mood can help one person but not serve anything to another. What is very clear is that if you do not eat fruits and vegetables, your psychological and physical state will be affected. In what way? Even if you don't believe it, your vision of things will be much more negative than they really are. .

Could you give any concrete example of some food that acts quickly as a channel of sadness?

Without a doubt if you talk about any express food that prevents us from being momentarily depressed is chocolate. The moment we eat chocolate, the secretion of serotonin immediately increases, the neurotransmitter that provides us with well-being and happiness. This increase in serotonin in the brain causes people to "hook" to chocolate and have the so-called "monkey." The high dose of sugar also causes them to wake up and get out of their lethargy, providing them with energy and activity. But, honestly, this does not help much if your state is not the best in the world. At that moment it is pleasant but it will be temporary. On the other hand, if vegetables and fruits are always present at our table, our self-esteem does not have to decay or be depleted.

Does this mean that nutritional habits can even affect the way we think?

Of course, our body is made of the same nutritional components that food contains.

What would be the ideal diet for our brain performance to be the best?

The brain feeds on glucose, foods rich in carbohydrates are always recommended. People who eat breakfast correctly have higher intellectual performance. In times of thrills, for example, you can eat something rich in sugar, and have breakfast properly.

And what would be smart people's breakfast?

The ideal breakfast would be a coffee with milk to be cleared through caffeine, without exceeding, of course, cereals with yogurt or toast with oil or jam, and a piece of fruit.

But ... that can make you fat, I say it because the "bikini operation" is here, Cristina.

Not at all, that's a myth, nothing we eat at breakfast makes you fat. Another very different thing is that we want to lose weight, in that case, replacing the jam with olive oil is the most convenient.

There are many food myths about weight loss, taking off bread, not eating potatoes, buying only light or whole grain products, how true is this?

Light products are a business, they are expensive and they play with consumers who feel satisfied buying them, but I do not recommend them at all. We are cheating the population. If it is light it has fewer calories but only 30% and that is why it is light ... that does not mean that it does not contain saturated fat and that it makes you fat.

People who make diets on their own or go to centers that look only for the health of their box, recommend an unbalanced diet with their products, these people are making a great effort to lose weight. It is not necessary to remove food such as bread, just take adequate doses of everything without passing us. We should not have a feeling of being satiated. That is the key to not gain weight and stay healthy and as a result happy .. There is no more.

"Not taking fruits and vegetables affects our brain psychologically." Interview with Cristina Sánchez, nutritionist