Somos FCC - Nº11

have the same calories regardless of when they are consumed. It is also an ideal snack that avoids snac- king other foods with higher calorie content. Although the fruit contains sugar naturally, they are small amounts compared to other foods that we do not perceive as excessively sweet; for example, a 330-ml can of soda has the same amount of sugar as 6 servings of strawberries, 6 slices of melon, or 10 figs. But even if they had the same amount of sugar the fruit also provides vitamins, minerals, fibre and bioactive substances. Eat only fruits or just a simple salad... Fruits and vegetables are staple foods in our diet, but do not contain all the nutrients we need, so eating just fruit or just a simple salad can unbalance our diet, as we stop eating other key foods such as fish, eggs or legumes. This practice is very common in “detox” programmes, but there is no scientific basis for this type of miracle diet in which detoxifying properties are attributed to specific foods and culinary practices. Dairy products are not foods that should be eaten on a regular basis. Dairy products are important throughout the life cy- cle, it is not an exclusive food for children, as adults and the elderly can also benefit from this food group as long as there are no properly diagnosed intoleran- ces or allergies. Although there are other foods such as legumes, nuts and some vegetables, which are sources of calcium, dairy products contain this mineral in an easily ab- sorbable state. The belief that dairy products are not suitable for healthy adults due to poor digestion or that they should be eliminated in childhood because they create mucus has no scientific basis. The ge- neral recommendation is to consume dairy products with little or no added sugar and preferably fermen- ted: good quality yoghurt or kephir without added su- gar or cheese. Cooked vegetables lose their properties It is true that some vitamins such as C and folic acid, are sensitive to heat and light and can oxidize and be lost in water, however these losses are minimal when vegetables are boiled in large pieces, with little water, steamed or cooked in the microwave at mode- rate temperatures and for just the right time, or when water is used for broths. Although it is recommended to take raw vegetables once a day, cooked vegetables can boost their nu- tritional value by making some substances such as vitamin A or tomato lycopene more available, for example in the typical fried onion, garlic and tomato of the Mediterranean diet. In addition, cooking vegetables increases their mi- crobiological safety, facilitates their digestibility and enhances their flavour. Drinking water during meals is fattening, that’s why you should drink it beforehand. Water, regardless of when it is consumed, does not provide calories. However, drinking before eating one or two glasses of water would provide a tran- sient feeling of satiety, which can lead to lower food intake. The calories in meals will depend on the food it con- tains, but not on the amount of water or when you drink it. W E L L N E S S W E L L N E S S 37