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We know how difficult it is follow a strict diet: strict calorie counting, endless sacrifices and never an exception to the rule. Never as in the summer this can get frustrating, but is there a way to lose weight and stay healthy without all these sacrifices?
What is really important to be able to lose weight is act on the metabolism. Adopting a low-calorie diet can in fact turn out to be a mistake, because we risk depriving our body of important substances. We talked about it with the prof. Marcello Mandatori, professor of nutrition at the Master of the Tor Vergata University of Rome and author of the book The metabolic diet, which advised us which foods to introduce into our diet and which ones to avoid.
The slow metabolism diet, which can help us lose 4 to 10 kg, does not include what we can consider the traditional approach: we should not pay too much attention to the calorie content of the foods we eat, but to the quality of the food. It is good to limit the consumption of foods that contain the purines, protein substances that are metabolized with difficulty. White meats, defatted raw ham, eggs and lean fish are excellent dishes to bring to the table. Go ahead also a fruits and vegetables, legumes, dairy products, fresh cheeses and cereals.
About cereals, their nutritional properties are particularly interesting. We are talking about a food rich in essential substances for our health, at the base of the Mediterranean diet because they provide large quantities of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fibers. Whole grains, which keep their bran intact during processing, are those with the highest fiber content: they act on bowel function and help deflate the belly.
Grains are also an excellent source of beta-glucans, which improve the body’s insulin response and reduce blood cholesterol levels. Antioxidant substances such as lignans and polyphenols, on the other hand, help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. Also well known are the pseudocereals (buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa), so called for their nutritional characteristics. Being gluten-free, they are also a great alternative for celiacs.
Another food that we should introduce to our diet is yogurt. There Dr. Giusy June, biologist nutritionist in Florence, explained to us what its nutritional properties are: in addition to a medium-low caloric intake, it has good quantities of proteins, vitamins, calcium, potassium and phosphorus. It also has a reduced lactose content, so it can be a good choice even for those suffering from intolerance to this substance.
Many scientific studies have highlighted the benefits of a diet with yogurt: the lactic ferments contained in it keep the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, protect the intestine and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. A search for the Boston University School of Medicine instead found a correlation between yogurt intake and a decreased risk of having high blood pressure.
