Ventajas y desventajas de la "comida rápida"

Hamburguesas con patatas fritas

• Ventaja: poseen alto contenido de calorías que dan energía al cuerpo. Además provee hidratos de carbono, proteínas, grasas, vitaminas y minerales.
• Desventaja: la energía proviene de grasas saturadas y azúcares que, en exceso, son perjudiciales para la salud y carecen de otros nutrientes esenciales.

Pizzas

• Ventaja: importante fuente de hidratos de carbono. Una comida muy completa.
• Desventaja: alto contenido en grasas en comparación con otros alimentos grasos, sobre todo por el queso o la muzzarella.

Nuggets de pollo

• Ventaja: fáciles de preparar y las variedades con verduras (como espinaca) son ricas en nutrientes.
• Desventaja: no reemplazan las comidas grilladas y naturales, además aportan una importante cantidad de grasas por tratarse de una comida frita.

Hot Dogs o Panchos

• Ventaja: no posee ninguna en comparación con otras comidas rápidas.
• Desventaja: es un alimento con un nivel alto en grasas y peligroso para personas con trastornos gastrointestinales.

Emparedados de Pollo

• Ventaja: si no poseen aderezos son una buena fuente de hidratos de carbono, proteínas y energía.
• Desventaja: si el pollo es sin piel pero rostizado contiene mayor cantidad de grasa que el pollo frito.

Bebidas carbonatadas (tipo cola)

• Ventaja: no posee.
• Desventaja: contenido alto de azúcares nocivas para el estómago, sumado al gas que producen flatulencia. Suelen ser adictivas, sobre todo las bebidas cola.

Preparados instantáneos
(purés, sopas, fideos, postres)

• Ventaja: resuelven un problema de tiempo. Suelen estar enriquecidos con vitaminas y minerales.
• Desventaja: alto contenido de aditivos no favorables para la salud. Lo instantáneo no es sinónimo de saludable.

Snacks (tipo cheetos y chips)

• Ventaja: no poseen.
• Desventaja: alto contenido en grasas y aditivos químicos. Suelen generar cierta adicción. No son recomendados ni como colación o tentempié. Encabezan la lista de alimentos artificiales.

"Las comidas rápidas conocidas como fast foods resuelven un problema de tiempo, pero a largo plazo producen un problema mucho más serio: la falta de salud."

Bad-Mood Foods

How many times have you started out your workweek dreary and run down? You schlep to the coffee machine and start chugging java to make you feel better – sound familiar? Well, you might not have a case of the Mondays. It may have to do more with the foods that you consumed during the weekend.
That’s right, there are very common foods that we consume every day that can drastically decrease our mood. In fact, some of them can actually make you downright depressed. I’ll tell you about some foods that will boost your mood, but, first, the bad news: One of your favorite morning staples could be totally bringing you down – the bagel. Unhealthy white grains, especially when ingested without protein, can cause a spike in blood sugar. Your body reacts by pulling your blood sugar down, causing you to feel lethargic. While that morning bagel may fill you up and make you feel better for a little while, you’ll regret it 45 minutes later when you’re run down and crankier than you were before you ate it.

Next, we have a little monster – the cupcake. Everywhere you go, you see a new cupcake bakery and aren’t they always so cute! Well, they’re not so cute. Carbohydrate-laden foods make it easier for tryptophan to enter the brain, which produces serotonin, which makes us feel great. But the surge of energy caused by the combo of white flours and white sugars is followed by a major crash, as well as mood swings. Avoid the office birthday party if you have to eat the cake.
One of my all-time favorite guilty pleasures is on this “bad” list as well – the hot dog. Or any manufactured processed meat like bologna for that matter.  They are chock full of nitrates, a preservative used to keep food fresh. Nitrates can cause both tension and migraine headaches, so stay away from these meats. If you must have them, look for the nitrate-free versions.
And then there’s the matter of French Fries. I’m probably going to get hate mail for that one. I don’t know one person who doesn’t love their golden fried salty goodness. But with whopping amount of bad fats, high sodium, and refined carbs, these little wonders take hours to digest and can put you in to a fast food coma.

Lastly, stay away from sugar-free drinks. This means the sodas and those little powders or liquids that you add to water. These fool your mind into thinking that you are actually consuming sugar, and then send you on a frenzy to actually find real sugar later. People that drink these diet drinks actually tend to gain more weight than people who drink the real thing. Some recent studies show that the sugar-free sweetener combined with the caffeine can actually turn into formaldehyde in the bodies of some folks – so its best just to stay away all together.
Also, remember that anytime that you have a nutritional deficiency, such as a lack of magnesium, vitamin C or some B vitamins, it could make a person have a shorter fuse that usual.

Good-Mood Foods

Make it your business to try to eat two or more of these good-mood foods every day.
Start with spinach. Try putting in your morning smoothie. Trust me, you wont taste it. It’s rich in iron, and it’s a great energy-booster and wards off fatigue and aids concentration. It is also a good source of vitamin B6 and folate, which provide essential support for the brain’s ability to produce mood-boosting neurotransmitters.

Make sure to include the oily fish in your diet, such as sardines and mackerel. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help the brain to interpret moods and boost concentration levels.
Believe it or not, peanuts are also awesome. They are one of the best sources of the mood-boosting mineral selenium, which wards off anxiety.

Finally, try some yogurt. You can put this in your morning smoothie as well. It’s rich in calcium and protein; it’s also great to ease mood swings, depression and anxiety. Armed with this new information, you can get your happiness back on track (and start mending a few relationships that you lost when you were angry all the time!).

 Text: © blog.doctoroz.com

Smart tips to eat a well-balanced diet all the time

As much as I wish we could eat a well-balanced diet all the time, I understand that sticking to healthy food choices on a daily basis can be a challenge. You have to attend the office happy hour, the block BBQ, a birthday dinner or a retirement party. Bottom line: There will always be temptation, and it’s okay to give in once in a while.

Part of rebooting your body is learning to eat in moderation. For example, go ahead and have a slice of birthday cake, but then make the conscious and healthy choice to follow it up with more nutritious foods the next day. Remember that what you eat will support and fuel your body. If you are eating foods rich in sugar, like birthday cake, chances are you will experience a severe crash in energy. Maybe eat just half a slice of cake or take just a bite. Another alternative: Fill your plate with low-fat cheeses and crackers or veggies and hummus to sustain energy for a longer amount of time.

Eating healthy means enjoying a broad variety of foods with a mix of carbs, protein and fat. As you continue your journey to a healthier, happier you, here are some wellness tips to keep in your back pocket.


Stay hydrated. Always drink before, during and after physical activity.
Water helps you feel satisfied, flushes your system and keeps you hydrated, but it’s not the only source you can use for hydration. Fruits have liquid which support hydration. Try oranges, watermelon and apples. In addition to hydration, they can help keep you full longer.

Fill your plate with all foods. 
In order to ensure your nutrients are coming from food sources, at every meal, fill your plate with fruits and/or vegetables, a protein source (preferably a lean protein), and complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and legumes. For example, lunch can be a chicken quinoa salad with the dressing on the side. An option for dinner can be steamed fish with kale and a side of bulgur.

Eat your colors.
Vegetables and fruits are packed with the essential nutrients we need on a daily basis. Filling your plate with colorful choices within your caloric count will help you get the most out of your reboot. From fiber to antioxidants, a plate full of colors – red, orange, green, yellow, blue and purple – is truly the easiest way to get the healthy nourishment you need. 

Pack portable snacks.
You never know when in-between-meal hunger will strike. So keep portable non-perishable protein-rich and carbohydrate-containing foods in places like your purse, gym bag, glove compartment of your car, office drawer or briefcase. By doing this, you will avoid the temptation to select chips from the vending machine or other unhealthy snacks. Dried plums, nuts and turkey jerky are all great options.

Hats off to you for rebooting your body and dedicating yourself to happier, healthier you!

Text: © blog.doctoroz.com