Question to the expert: Can sandwiches be useful
Text: Masha Budrita
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A combination of a slice of bread or loaf with another food (such as cheese) can be found in kitchens around the world. Even athletes who carefully follow the food, occasionally dine sandwiches. Nevertheless, in Russia, the reputation of the sandwiches is still dubious, they are credited with almost magical harm, as opposed to a “full-fledged” dinner from soup, hot and garnish. We asked a specialist if sandwiches are really harmful and whether they can be a complete, balanced meal.
Masha Budrita
nutritionist, graduate of King's College London
A sausage sandwich, Four Cheese pizza, a vegan burger - all these dishes are brothers, they are made from dough or bread and some kind of filler. In Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space, this is a sandwich, in the USA and Great Britain - a sandwich and a burger, the French prefer croc-monsieur, shaurma and burrito loom somewhere nearby. The popularity of such food is clear: the sandwich is easy and quick to prepare, it is convenient to carry around and eat on the go, with a minimum of dirty hands. There is no exact information as to who first thought of putting food between two slices of bread - but, for example, the British attribute this invention to Count IV Sandwich John Montague. Allegedly, the count liked to spend time at the card games and did not have time to have dinner, so he asked to bring himself meat between two pieces of bread.
In Russia, the reputation of the sandwiches gloomy. It is believed that "dry" food, which is consumed cold and without liquids, is incredibly harmful, leading to gastritis and other diseases of the stomach. Interestingly, in the English-speaking environment there is the opposite myth that during the meal you can not take any fluids. Both of these statements are erroneous in terms of physiology. For normal passage of food through the esophagus and further along the gastrointestinal tract, its grinding and wetting is necessary. Both of these processes occur in the oral cavity and are achieved by thorough chewing, which stimulates the secretion of saliva. Normally functioning salivary glands allow food to get enough wet and move on along the digestive system.
Another reason people consider sandwiches to be harmful is directly related to bread. Bread causes two fears: they allegedly get fat and it contains “scary”, “unnatural” and “harmful” yeast. Bread is commonly referred to as “empty calories” - a product that has energy but no nutritional value. In fact, this is not entirely fair: bread is a source of B vitamins, as well as minerals, such as phosphorus and magnesium. Wholemeal flour bread contains more nutrients as well as fiber, which is essential for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Despite such a widespread opinion, bread in itself does not lead to weight gain - and the refusal of bread will not help to lose weight guaranteed. As usual, the whole point is that maintaining a healthy weight does not depend on individual products, but on the balance of energy from food in the diet and physical activity. If the daily amount of energy consumed exceeds the energy used (both for processes to support the body’s vital activity and for others - movement, concentration, and sports), then the person will recover. The daily ration should include a reasonable amount of carbohydrates - not too much and not too little to meet the needs of the body. In small quantities, bread is an excellent source of carbohydrates, and in one slice it is usually less than one hundred kilocalories.
They are afraid of bread because of two other components: yeast and gluten. Yeast is a single-celled fungus that, interacting with sugar, produces carbon dioxide. Gluten, or gluten, is a protein found in the seeds of cereals, which gives the dough its elasticity and resilience. When the dough rises under the influence of carbon dioxide produced by yeast, it is gluten that will allow it to stretch and retain its shape.
In the Russian-language Internet walks the legend that the yeast used in baking bakery products, have terrible consequences for the body. Among them are called "acidification" (as we have recently understood, it does not exist) and the effect on the intestinal microflora (in fact, the positive effect of yeast on the digestive system and even on the immune system is described in scientific literature). It is said that due to the small size of the yeast is able to infect the body - but all these and other explanations are not related to science. For some reason, these articles do not take into account the fact that yeasts are living organisms that die at high temperatures and are no longer able to reproduce. Gluten is also not harmful to most people - except for those who have intolerance.
At the same time, bread is quickly absorbed, providing the body with energy and allowing us to function normally - this is an absolute plus for those who live in a fast rhythm. Moreover, using bread made from whole-grain flour or with the addition of seeds, nuts or dried fruits, you can add fiber to your diet, which is necessary for normal digestion. Those who do not really like bread can try other baked goods: pita bread, pita bread, bagels, or something else. In terms of composition and digestibility, they correspond to ordinary bread.
If you want to make a healthy sandwich, then when choosing a filling, think about what is missing in your diet and how it can be improved. Recall that the World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 grams, or five servings, of fruits and vegetables daily - and a sandwich can partially help in achieving this norm. If there is not enough plant food in your diet, add salad, other vegetables or even fruits, and do not be afraid to experiment.
Picking a sandwich do not forget about high protein foods. These include meat and meat products, eggs, cheese, nut paste, cereals, seafood. Remember that increased consumption of red meat, and especially meat products, is associated with the development of malignant tumors - if possible, choose white meat, such as chicken, or at least meat cooked at home.
If it seems to you that there is a lot of saturated fat in your diet, try using low-fat cheese. However, be careful: some products that are advertised as "fat-free" may contain sugar and salt instead of fat, being, in fact, a less useful alternative. The same goes for sauces - it’s better to choose foods that are low in sugar and salt.
In general, of course, sandwiches can be part of a healthy diet, like any other product. The most important thing is to make them diverse and balanced, not to eat exclusively on them, to monitor physical activity and the diet as a whole. Scientists believe that neither eating dry meal, nor yeast, nor gluten cause harm to a healthy person, but we have no choice but to agree with them.
Photo: Evgeny - stock.adobe.com, indigolotos - stock.adobe.com