Every day, a new diet and nutrition style is trending in healthy eating. US researchers, on the other hand, have published a new “food compass”, which they argue is the most comprehensive system ever devised for the nutritional content of what we eat. The research team in Boston, USA, studied 8,000 foods and beverages, from melon to fast-food, for three years, and ranked these foods according to 54 different characteristics using the latest scientific methods. Ranking each food and drink on a scale of 1 to 100 according to their level of health, the researchers reached surprising results that will change our healthy eating habits to date. Legumes, nuts and seeds on the compass performed well in terms of health with an average score of 78.6, fruits with a score of 73.9 and vegetables with a score of 69.1 and were included in the “recommended healthy food” category. Salty snacks and sweets were “must-eat” foods with an average score of 16.4. Foods with a score between 100 and 70 were encouraged to be eaten, while those between 69 and 31 were “Eat in moderation” and those below 30 were “Never touched”.
BULGUR SURPRISED
One of the surprising results of the study was that bulgur, which is considered to be one of the healthiest foods, with sweet potato chips, received 69 points. When comparing both foods for vitamins and minerals, the researchers noted that sweet potatoes contain more vitamin A and potassium, and are lower in sodium. On the other hand, bulgur wheat has more protein and fiber than sweet potatoes, but also has more starch and less healthy fats, which are not so good for our health. Another surprising result from the study was the results of breakfast cereal and eggs. With 95 points for breakfast oat flakes and 83 points for ground wheat, it not only became the champion of the cereal category, but also overtook the hard-boiled egg with 51 points. One of the researchers, Prof. Jeffrey Blumberg said that breakfast cereal would score highly if it had a high whole grain content as long as no added sugar. But the recommended product isn’t just cereal with a score of 19. Blumberg and his team recommend choosing celery for a healthy breakfast if you want a juice drink, or a cappuccino made with skim milk with a score of 73 if you’re addicted to coffee with a 55 score. l EXTERIOR NEWS
ONLY 1 FIELD OVER 100
carbonated drinks
Pita and confectionery
Sausage
Biscuit
Instant soups
HEALTHY SWEET: CHOCOLATE FROZEN YOGURT
The healthiest lunch option in the study was a pure sashimi with a score of 100. In Japanese cuisine, sashimi is made with raw meat, mostly seafood. A whole-grain spaghetti is in the healthy category with a score of 70 on the food ballot. Moreover, when seafood and tomato sauce were added to the spaghetti, its score increased to 78. Among the dinner options, it was no surprise that the McDonalds burger ranked at the bottom with 8 points, while vegetables with curry sauce got 90 points and meat with curry sauce got 51 points. Mussels in tomato sauce ranked at the top with 95 points, while light mayonnaise and tuna salad were among the healthy dinner options with 75 points. Food compass also offers options for dessert lovers. Ice cream with chocolate sauce and sweet syrup received 10 points, while chocolate frozen yogurt made with skim milk was shown as a healthy dessert option with 81 points.
100 OVER 100 AREAS
Raw or undercooked broccoli
Celery juice
raw salmon
Cress
Kidney bean
Cherry
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