Diet and Metabolic Syndrome

Minor lifestyle changes can prevent or significantly slow the progress of the metabolic syndrome.

To do this, it is sufficient to combine a little exercise with a correct diet that favors weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight.

What is the metabolic syndrome?

In many cases, a person with metabolic syndrome is not really sick but has a high probability of becoming one if he does not adopt a healthier lifestyle.

The metabolic syndrome is therefore a warning that invites us to regularize our habits (stress, nutrition and physical activity) before it is too late.

Precisely because those who suffer from metabolic syndrome are not yet sick most of the time, the dietary recommendations that are given reflect exactly those proposed to the general population, but their application must be more careful and rigorous.

What to eat

If you think you are at risk of metabolic syndrome, it is still a good rule to contact a doctor, both to evaluate this hypothesis and to receive personalized advice on diet and exercise.

In all likelihood, the specialist will recommend paying particular attention to the consumption of simple carbohydrates (primarily those contained in soft drinks, fruit juices and sweet snacks), the sodium intake and the intake of animal and vegetable fats (margarine ). Caloric moderation is also very important, since being overweight is the common thread that binds most cases of metabolic syndrome; consequently, reaching the ideal weight allows (in most cases) to rebalance the glycemic, blood pressure and lipidemic values.

At the same time the patient will be encouraged not to salt the dishes, to avoid foods rich in sodium and to eat more fruits and vegetables, controlling the consumption of alcohol.

Other useful tips for people with metabolic syndrome:

• distribute the nutrients evenly in the various meals, avoiding those based on carbohydrates only (for example 100 grams of white pasta increase the blood sugar level more and more quickly than 100 grams of tuna and tomato pasta and are also less satiating)
• Do not eat too large meals but divide the caloric intake into at least four / five meals a day; in fact, remember that to keep blood sugar under control, not only the quality but also the quantity of nutrients taken with the diet is very important (as it is logical to think a teaspoon of sugar, despite having a high glycemic index, causes an increase in blood glucose less than 100 g of wholemeal pasta)
• Never combine two foods rich in carbohydrates in the same meal (lunch or dinner), so, for example, do not eat bread and pasta, bread and potatoes or rice and dessert at the same time. Instead, it is recommended to combine these foods with others rich in fiber such as vegetables.
• Learn to cook while saving fats and oils as much as possible, possibly adding them raw at the end of cooking.
• Reduce the consumption of salt (without completely excluding it from the diet), still prefer the iodized one and enhance the flavor of foods with spices, lemon or traditional / balsamic vinegar

Foods to Avoid or Moderate

RED LIGHT: abstention or sporadic consumption

• Margarine with hydrogenated fats
• spirits
• Lard - bacon - sausages - fatty pork - fatty meats
• Fatty cheeses
• Fatty sausages (salami - mortadella - coppa - offal)
• Fries
• Sweets, snacks
• Egg red
• Sweetened drinks
• Butter
• Tropical oils

ORANGE TRAFFIC LIGHT: moderate consumption

• Non-hydrogenated vegetable fats
• Semi-fat cheeses
• Semi-fat red meats
• Whole milk and yogurt
• Wine and beer
• Fresh pasta
• Cooked ham, speck
• Ceilings
• Dried Fruit
• Crustaceans, eel, capitone
• Sugary fruit (figs, grapes and bananas) especially if ripe
• Fruit juices

TRAFFIC LIGHT YELLOW - do not abuse it

• Raw vegetable oils
• Lean meats
• Semi-skimmed milk and / or yogurt
• Lean cheeses
• Whole egg
• Lean raw ham, bresaola
• Lean pork
• Pasta or rice
• Potatoes
• Bread
• Egg white
• Fully skimmed milk and / or yogurt
• Fish (at least 3-4 times a week, shellfish and molluscs only once a week)
• Legumes with or without pasta (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, broad beans)

Recommended Foods

GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHT: TO BE CONSUMED FREELY

• Seasonal vegetable soups (preferable: asparagus, chard, broccoli, artichokes, mushrooms, endive, spinach, cabbage, pumpkin, zucchini)
• Fresh unsweetened fruit
• Vegetables in general

Example Diet for Metabolic Syndrome "

Other articles on 'Diet and Metabolic Syndrome'

1. Metabolic Syndrome - Drugs for the treatment of the Metabolic Syndrome
2. Metabolic syndrome
3. Metabolic syndrome and lifestyle
4. Metabolic syndrome and nutrition
5. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance
6. Metabolic syndrome: whose fault is it?