In the job balanced diet instead of functional food

Balanced nutrition keeps you fit in the job

09/29/2014

Canteen food has become obsolete - the latest trend is "functional food", which includes wellness water, detox menus and much more. These frequently calorie-restricted foods promise not only to be healthy, but also slim and fit at the same time. Often hidden behind the appealing packaging but a microwave ready meal or other light product, which has not much to do with balanced nutrition. The nutrition experts of health insurance DAK health in the current issue of the magazine "practice + law" take various trend foods under the microscope.

Functional Food can not replace a balanced meal
So-called wellness water with a fine fruit note or enriched with vitamins has become an integral part of supermarket shelves. Certainly, these drinks are generally healthier than high-sugar lemonade or cola, but with "wellness" or "feeling good" the water has little to do. "Often overpriced water with fruits, herbs, ginger - usually in minimal proportions, but often sugar plus flavoring. Something lemon or ginger slices in the water achieve similar effects ", so the comment of the DAK nutrition expert Silke Willms in the magazine of the health insurance.

Also detox menus sees the expert critical. "The word 'detox' means to detoxify. Who detoxt, strives for purification - about with ready meals. But the body does not accumulate any slags, "explains Willms. The so-called functional food, which also includes those spa waters and detox menus, according to the expert can not replace balanced meals. "Functional food is a clever invention of the food industry - it barely brings benefits to consumers, but more so for advertisers and manufacturers."

In order to perform well on the job, the body needs a well-balanced diet that includes wholegrain cereals, vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy, lean meat and fish. According to the magazine, a sitting office worker needs around 1,900 kilocalories (kcal) per day, and a shop assistant about 500 kcal more as she moves more. In addition, a healthy adult should drink at least 1.5 liters of water daily. (Ag)