Everything you need to know about sugar consumption

We are going to try to explain why added sugar is the big problem of current nutrition and not fats as people usually think.

At this point no one is surprised when sugar is said to be bad, it is terrible in some cases and guilty of many diseases.

Until recently, nobody thought about sugar in this way, since fats and cholesterol were the great enemy.

Currently we know that neither fats nor carbohydrates are so bad, but that refined sugar and more specifically white is the biggest problem in today’s diets. We have the habit of adding sugar to many foods to sweeten us (coffee, strawberries, etc.) and this habit is terrible. Foods already contain sweeteners by themselves, it is not necessary to add more, it is more, it is quite harmful.

We have always heard the phrase “we have to eat everything” because well, eating sugar, like alcohol and other refined products is not at all necessary. It is the shield that many of the manufacturers of these types of food have used to avoid seeing themselves as “plagued”.

Some quite dubious studies have even been done on the benefits of sugar intake, but they are completely unsubstantiated and rather respond to the fact that these conclusions have been paid for.

The dangers of excessive sugar intake are many, the most common and known to all, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes … Some studies that showed the relationship between sugar consumption and these diseases date back to the 1950s.

Really when we consume a refined product like this, it is that we do not even know what we eat. Labels are worthless, what’s more, the labeling system is quite outdated and lacks a lot of information.

According to the World Health Organization, the recommended amount of sugar should not be more than 5% of the total calories we consume. In Europe they are somewhat less strict and put the figure at 11%. This would be about 25 grams according to the WHO and about 50 in Europe. It should be said that the average consumption of sugar per person in Europe is about 90 grams, almost double what is recommended.

Chocolates, soft drinks, jelly beans, industrial sweets … On their own, they exceed the recommended average just by taking one per day. It is outrageous and special care must be taken with this type of product. They can be consumed sporadically, but as a habit they are a danger.

The consumption of dairy products is another issue that generates great controversy, even among nutritionists themselves there are discrepancies, with staunch defenders as well as detractors.

From a very young age we have been told that it is very important to drink a lot of milk to grow strong and healthy, but is this true?

What scientific organizations think about dairy products

Most health organizations do recommend taking 2 to 3 servings of some type of dairy product, as this will provide us with the calcium that our body needs and will improve our growth, our bones and reduce the possibility of suffering osteoporosis in one older age.

Myths about consuming dairy products

Today’s milk is no longer good, it is not like before.

It is logical that the higher the quality of the milk, the better will be the things that it will provide us, but currently all the dairy products that are on the market comply with European quality and health measures. The cows that live in freedom and eat grass have in their milk more omega3 fatty acids and a higher concentration of linoleic acid, but as we say, all the milk that can be bought is of quality and is good for health.

 

Why is man the only “mammalian animal” that drinks milk after weaning?

It is true, the human being is the only mammal that consumes milk after weaning, but this does not imply that it is bad. Animals are not capable of producing and consuming milk, only when their biological mother can offer it, but humans are able to obtain this milk and continue enjoying its benefits.

 

Proteins from animals are bad for health

It is true that it has been shown that the intake of animal proteins is related to cancer, but not only for milk, we would be talking about any type of food that has animal protein, meat, eggs, milk … And it would be in very high concentrations. high, any excess can be bad.

Plant-based and antioxidant diets have been shown to be very good for health and reduce the risk of cancer.

 

So is it good or not to drink dairy?

Yes it is, but like everything with a certain order and respecting the quantities. As health organizations point out, 2 or 3 servings of milk are beneficial for your health. From there any excess has some risk like everything in life.

 

 

We are going to try to clarify a little the truths and lies of food supplements, something that generates a lot of controversy on the subject of food. We will do it trying to solve the most typical questions that a person usually asks when considering taking these supplements.

 

Only athletes can take these supplements?

No, there are food supplements of many types, depending on the individual goals of each person will be indicated to take one or the other.

 

If you are an athlete, is any supplement that gives you an extra protein useful?

Although it is true that athletes need a great contribution of proteins, since they are the “gasoline” of the muscle, but it is not worth any. An expert nutritionist should be the one to indicate which is the right supplement for each particular case, again the personal objective of each one is very important.

 

Food supplements are used to lose weight or tone?

This is incorrect in both cases, as its name indicates are food supplements, its objective is to supply nutrients that complement what the body needs, but by themselves they cannot tone or lose weight.

If you do sports and give the muscle better nutrients, you will strengthen more. If you do cardiovascular sports to lose weight and provide fat burning supplements you will burn more fat than if you did not. But in almost no supplement is it capable of replacing sports or good nutrition.

They are non-substitute supplements, so to speak.

 

Food supplements make you fat?

Here we are as in the previous myth, by themselves not, but it is obvious that if you take food supplements with high caloric value and do not do sports that burn it, you can become fat. These types of supplements are designed for people who burn a lot of value in their training.

We hope we have helped answer some questions and remember that it is always wise to speak to a nutrition expert before taking any type of food supplement.

Child nutrition is a real problem that many parents face and they don’t always find the best solutions. The little ones are often reluctant to try new foods, and above all, eat vegetables, legumes, fish … They do not always do as much as they should.

About 1 in 3 minors in the United States is somewhat overweight or obese. And even with these alarming figures, parents do not always pay attention to their children’s nutrition.

Diet is very important for physical and mental development in young children and adolescents. Next we will try to inform a little of what a child’s feeding needs in all its growth stages.

Babies

This stage could be the easiest of all the development of the minor, since it is practically based on milk, either breast or formula, and the milk provides everything necessary until the baby begins to eat some solid food (a from 6 months).

The pediatrician will be the one who will mark the introduction of solid foods from 6 months of age. They usually start with cereals, fruits, crushed vegetables or strained purees with some added meat.

Preschool kids

Intake of foods rich in calcium is very important at this stage. Calcium is necessary for the development of bones and teeth. Apart from a varied diet, milk is one of the most recommended foods at this stage. Milk with cereals for breakfast, fruits, fish …

In children allergic to lactose, it will be necessary to look for some type of variety or supplement that will replace the lack of calcium.

Primary

With 6 or 7 years of age a healthy child should eat practically everything, leaving aside everyone’s tastes, he should be able to eat meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, legumes, rice, milk …

Protein intake is very important at this stage of development. Proteins are important for building healthy muscles and since this stage of development is large and the body has many changes, it is very important that protein reserves are good.

Preteens and teens

At this stage, as we have said before, the minor should already eat everything, but at this time when the children already go out alone and can provide their own food, it is important that they do not fall into an abuse of “fast food” such as pizzas, hamburgers, hot dogs …

Eating properly, a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water is the secret to having a strong and healthy body and developing as it should.