Lunchtime Nutrition
Six secrets to eating right at lunch time:
1) Step away from your desk – although it can be very tempting to think you can use your lunch hour to multi-task by eating lunch and doing stuff like checking your emails while you are eating. If you're not focused on what you are eating you're much more likely to miss the 'I'm full' signal that your stomach sends your brain, so you'll end up overeating. Eating at your desk also prevents you from getting up and out of your office. After sitting down all morning you need to get your heart pumping and the blood flowing again; lunch is an important time to do that so if you're sitting at your desk eating, you lose that opportunity.
2) Eat slowly and enjoy your food - eating too quickly and not chewing your food properly will increase the risk of indigestion and bloating.
3) Skipping leads to snacking - tempting as it is to skip meals when you're busy, if you do you're more likely to end up snacking on chocolate or biscuits later in the afternoon.
4) Harness the power of protein – to help you stay awake and alert in the afternoon choose a lunch which provides good amounts of lean protein combined with modest amounts of low-to medium GI carbs like lentils, brown rice, or wholemeal bread. Protein encourages the brain to produce chemicals which keep you alert, while carbs encourage production of serotonin which makes you feel relaxed and sleepy – just the thing at the end of long day but not when you've got a pile of paper work the size of a small mountain on your desk.
5) Don't forget to drink - Drink a large glass of water before you start eating. One reason people often feel tired and lethargic in the afternoon is because they haven't drunk enough during the morning. Water is the healthiest thing to drink, but if you struggle to reach the five-a-day target for fruit and veg, why not try a fruit based smoothie which will count as two of your five servings. A cup of coffee after lunch can help keep you alert, particularly after a heavy lunch, but remember you shouldn't really be drinking more than four cups of coffee a day.
6) Get the balance right - Ideally a balanced lunch should provide around 30% of the Guideline Daily Amount for energy, fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar. For a typical woman this equates to 600cals; no more than 27g sugar; no more than 21g fat; no more than 6g saturated fat; no more than 1.8g salt. To help you reach your five-a-day target, your lunch should include at least one serving of vegetables and one of fruit.
