Eating on the Go

Do you ever find yourself eating while you are working, reading, driving, cleaning up, or simply standing over the kitchen counter right before you leave for work? We tend to think that helps us save time, right? Yet, there are so many benefits to dedicating a few extra minutes to your meals and snacks! Well-designed meals will provide you with energy, and if properly flavoured, they will take you on a journey to another world. Don’t you deserve this break from the frantic race of daily life? Western culture idealizes performance and speed; but when it comes to nutrition, taking your time pays off! Here’s why:

Improved nutrient absorption[1]

Digestion begins in the mouth through the enzymes found in saliva. Skipping this step will put additional load on the organs involved in digestion, i.e. the stomach, pancreas, and intestines. Chewing ensures better digestion and promotes smooth bowel movement through the intestines, which absorb the vital nutrients that are thereafter carried throughout the body, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, etc. Clearly, proper chewing is conducive to getting the body to use nutrients!

Improved weight control

Your nutritionist recommends that you eat more vegetables? Rightly so! The rationale is that consuming such crunchy food forces you to take your time to eat, therefore allowing more time for the satiety signal to settle in. A minimum of 20 minutes is necessary to feel satiety[2].

One of the reasons why vegetables are so effective to trigger the satiety signal is that they are so high in fibre, which is also found in legumes, whole grains, fruits, and nuts. Try these tips:

• sprinkle roasted nuts on your oatmeal;
• add a spoonful of chia seeds to your yogurt;
• add navy beans to your cream soups;
• substitute white pasta with whole-wheat pasta;
• integrate lentils in your meatballs.

I just happen to have a high-fibre recipe I am sure you will enjoy! (https://www.nautilusplus.com/vegetarian-enchiladas/?f=1?forceEnglish=true#force)

With junk food, it’s easy to wolf down way too many calories, precisely because of the lack of fibre. Think about it; how long do you need to eat two hot-dogs? And how long for a Greek salad with quinoa? Make smarter choices: for snacks, grab a handful of carrots with some dip; you’ll get more out of it than you would get in a huge store-bought muffin.

In summary, take the time to sit down and enjoy your meals and a well-deserved break from activity. You’ll feel invigorated! Prepare meals with crunchy, delicious food, and take the time to savour them!

Dominique Longpré, P. Dt., nutritionist for Zero Diet

The Zero Diet brand is first and foremost the conviction that healthy eating is a primary factor to attaining a healthy weight and a balanced lifestyle. Thus, we offer nutrition counselling with nutritionists who are members of the OPDQ with our Zero Diet nutrition program in our centers and in companies. We have also developed a healthy frozen food product line that fulfills rigorous nutritional criteria as well as two healthy Zero Diet cookbooks.

[1] Marie Marquis, Professor at Université de Montréal, television report in a grocery store.
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/niveau2_11966.shtml
[1] Hélène Laurendeau, P. Dt. Mastiquer pour moins manger, Ricardo Cuisine, 2011.  https://www.ricardocuisine.com/univers-ricardo/bien-se-nourrir/363-mastiquer-pour-moins-manger
[2] Marie Marquis, Professor at Université de Montréal, television report in a grocery store.
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/niveau2_11966.shtml

Eating on the Go is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
Copyright © Nautilus Plus 2016