EVER wondered what nutritional experts actually eat in a day to stay healthy?
Lucky for you, a leading nutritionist granted us access into his kitchen and shared some of his go-to meals.
ZOEZOE co-founder Tim Spector went through what he eats in a day[/caption]
ZOEHe starts his day with a black coffee that’s full of polyphenols[/caption]
ZOEFor lunch he had avocado on break with plenty of extra virgin olive oil[/caption]
In a video uploaded to YouTube, Dr Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology, gut health specialist and co-founder of ZOE, walked viewers through what he tends to eat on an average day.
If you’re looking for some extra-healthy inspiration for breakfast, lunch and dinner, look no further!
Breakfast
Tim kicks the morning off with the ‘most important drink’ of his day, a black coffee.
His is “made from good, dry roasted beans, packed with polyphenols”.
“It’s a great start regardless of whether you’re going to have breakfast or not,” Tim said.
The expert said he sometimes chooses to skip this meal entirely.
But on days where he has a full brekkie, Tim follows his coffee with some full fat yoghurt.
“It can be Greek-style, it doesn’t really matter, as long it’s good quality and there’s no other ingredients in it – so no sugars, fruits, it’s not low-fat,” he said.
Tim went on to say that for him, the fat content of the yoghurt was ‘important’.
He shared that the ‘healthy’ breakfast cereal and muesli he used to reach for would make his blood sugar spike massively.
“So for me, starting off with a fatty breakfast means I have a better metabolism and I’m less hungry later in the day,” Tim explained.
The gut health expert adds kefir – fermented milk that is rich in live microbes – to his yoghurt. Tim said he often makes his own, which can help with saving money.
Next up: more fat and protein, with some mixed nuts and seeds. “You don’t need super-brands that cost a fortune, or fancy ones like chia seeds,” he says. Simple mixed nuts and seeds will work fine and they’re rich in polyphenols and fibre.
Finally, he tops that all off with some plenty of blueberries and raspberries.
“Things like raspberries have the highest fibre content of any plant,” Tim noted.
But he said you can opt for any fruit you choose: “The greater the diversity, the better.”
Lunch
Tim’s lunch involves nothing other than an avocado.
“Full of fat and calories, but they are actually really good for you,” he said.
He places it on sourdough rye bread along with a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil – “that’s the only one that has really high polyphenol score,” according to Tim.
Polyphenols are a category of plant compounds that are thought to boost digestion and brain health, as well as protect against heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Tim said not to worry about the calories of olive oil – “if it’s high quality, it’s going to be really good for you.”
The doctor then dusts paprika over the top and adds a few tomatoes, as he finds they’re gut health boosters for him.
Sometimes, Tim will add some sauerkraut – fermented cabbage – to his open sandwich. But he noted that you should never buy sauerkraut in vinegar, as all the microbes in it will be dead.
Finally, he sprinkles some beans on, for the polyphenols and fibre.
When he worked as a doctor in a hospital for at least 10 years, Tim said his go to lunch was a tuna sweetcorn sandwich with ‘factory bread’, a bottle of orange juice and a packet of crisps.
He later discovered this fare ‘was really dreadful’ for his blood sugar levels.
Dinner
“My general theory for dinner is: plant-based, diversity, spicy, and simple. Something that doesn’t take too long,” Tim said.
The nutritionist said he generally looks in the fridge to see what he has in terms of veggies.
He also sung the praises of spices, as eating a variety of them like turmeric, garam masala and mustard seeds can benefit your health and feed your gut microbiome.
Tim baked up some cauliflower, stirred in some kefir, and added some coriander for fibre, probiotics and lovely spices.