Cathal Barry
This columnist was feeling particularly run down this week. Perhaps it was the cumulative effect of the ‘January blues’ or the shock of my body having finally readjusted to a regular diet after all the Christmas excess. Having ascertained that it was probably a combination of both, I decided to take action. Let me explain.
In an effort to stay on track with my goal to eat healthily 80-90% of the time, I tend to eat more or less the same foods during the week.
This saves a lot of time as it means I can prepare my foods in advance, safe in the knowledge that I am hitting my overall macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate and fat) needs.
However, the problem is that while my macronutrient needs are generally always catered for, the fact that I eat more or less the same types of protein, carbohydrate and fat means I might lack certain micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, phytochemicals and antioxidants) available in a variety of other foods.
I may well be eating healthily but the lack of variety in my diet could lead to a deficiency in some key vitamins and minerals. I make a conscious effort to always take a high quality multivitamin supplement, but there is never a replacement for the real thing. The nutrients and vitamins in food are always absorbed better than those in supplemental form.
Delving deeper into my diet, I felt I had a sufficient amount of variety in terms of protein – a combination of different meats, poultry and fish.
Healthy and beneficial fats didn’t seem to be an issue either – I was regularly eating whole eggs, a variety of nuts and even frying with extra virgin coconut oil.
Food groups
Deeming carbohydrates such as potatoes and rice to be less nutritionally dense than the other major food groups, I realised a lack of vegetables was most likely my problem.
I regularly eat spinach and tomatoes, but there are so many other types of delicious vegetables and leafy greens out there to try also. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, peppers, rocket, kale and lots more!
In an effort to combat any deficiencies I might have quickly, I decided to pop down to the local health store and buy a greens supplement. These come in powdered or capsule forms and are a great way to ensure your body gets enough of the required variety of nutrients and vitamins from vegetables.
I mixed the powder in with some water, drank the concoction, and felt far better within an hour. Perhaps there is an unavoidable placebo effect, but the benefits can’t be denied either.
The product, which is a blend of some of the most nourishing green, organic whole foods – spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass – really did make a difference.
Most of these products can taste a bit grassy, but just add them into a smoothie and you won’t taste a thing!
A green supplement was a quick fix in this case. As I said, there is no replacement for the real thing. I’ll be cooking up a vegetable storm this weekend!