The president of the Community Nutrition Society sees veganism as “a fashion” with “chiaroscuros” because it requires supplements
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 30 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The president of the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition and specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Javier Aranceta, is not in favor of citizens following the recommendations and advice of ‘influencers’ who have made their way in the field of food and healthy life habits.
“Now what prevails in this society is precisely the criteria of the ‘influencers’, they set trends, propose zero alcohol and sugar, make yellow and scare,” he says in an interview with Europa Press on the occasion of his participation in the islands. in the conference ‘A shared challenge at home’ organized by Hecansa and Hiperdino.
Aranceta has no doubt that it is a form of intrusion in the medical field that is benefited because endocrinologists are confined to hospitals and are mainly dedicated to treating diseases and “serious cases”, not so much to address dietary issues.
Along these lines, he maintains that nutritionists must make “common cause” against the rise of ‘influencers’ and bloggers — a great national meeting was outlined but was paralyzed by the pandemic — because health and nutrition “is very serious, It’s not black or white.”
Thus, he points out that although there are some “general lines” that must be followed, any diet must be “qualified” by a professional and he wonders if a citizen “when he is screwed” goes to the ‘influencer’ to solve his problem.
Even Aranceta also criticizes chefs who “get involved in recommending” nutritional issues. “I get involved in how you cook the cod?”, She blurts out.
VEGANISM PROHIBITED IN CHILDREN
Regarding veganism, he points out that “it is a fashion linked to a way of seeing life” that is widely practiced by Buddhists, Mormons or Adventists, with a positive variable, which is its sustainability with the environment, although it also “has chiaroscuro” given that in many times practitioners are forced to be “experts” to configure a diet without nutritional deficiencies because they do not have meat, fish or eggs.
According to Aranceta, that requires “supplementation” because you have to look for vitamins, calcium or protein.
“Each one who does what they want except with children, in times of growth and development I disapprove because being vegan is not something that is not important, it is a healthy diet but with risks of deficiencies, you are playing it, you cannot ensure that from the plant world you have all the calcium, iron or vitamins”, he indicates, emphasizing that perhaps “vegetarian” is a more “intelligent” option.
Regarding intermittent fasting, he comments that “it may be of interest” for specific cases and linked to pathologies such as diabetes or obesity, but he opposes its practice as a “way of life” because it alters the internal cycles of nutrition.
For this reason, he indicates, “we eat five meals a day” because some “are metabolized better at one time than another” or that is why breakfast is usually “sweeter, more cereal, more bread” and when the pattern is changed, you get fat .
“I am in favor of eating more times but less quantity,” he says, indicating that you have to “eat everything” and what is “needed”, emphasizing reducing intake especially at dinner time.
MODERATE CONSUMPTION OF WINE BUT ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD
Questioned by the controversy surrounding the Cardiovascular Health Strategy of the Ministry of Health and alcohol consumption, he is in favor of a “balance point” and clearly differentiating wine and beer from other alcoholic beverages.
Aranceta is in favor of a “moderate consumption” and always associated with meals, “as has always been done”, since it is an element of the Mediterranean diet, for which he rules out prohibiting it because there are “Taliban” who defend that “alcohol or drop”.
For this reason, his recommendation is one or two glasses of wine with meals for men and one for women because they have less muscle mass and an enzyme that metabolizes the alcohol that they have in less quantity.
