The days of social and preventive isolation continue, a good reason to plan and organize food at home.

In order to protect public health, and to reduce the chances of Covid-19 infection, compulsory social isolation continues in our country until mid-April. Without the possibility of physical activity outdoors or in gyms, and being all day in our homes, it is necessary to take precautions in relation to our diet.

"Although it is always important to carry out a good diet, in these circumstances it becomes essential to pay attention to what we eat", recommends Vanina Scavuzzo, Bachelor of Nutrition graduated from the Faculty of Food Science at UNER and professor of Nutritional Epidemiology .
The professional says that all people who somehow eat an unbalanced diet are always more prone to infections and diseases. “To function, the body needs a nutritional balance that is achieved with adequate nutrition. A person with a monotonous diet is likely to be lacking in some essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, which with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory function help to support the immune system, thus maintaining optimal cell turnover and generating and regenerating mucosa. , which are our first barriers against viruses and bacteria ”, he specified.

A balanced diet

To ensure a good nutritional contribution, you must make the four main meals of the day, if possible using all the recommended food groups, ranging from fruits and vegetables, whole grains and essential oils, without forgetting water, since "As regards respiratory infections, it maintains the fluidity of the mucus and helps the faster elimination of viruses and bacteria," explains Vanina. The professional also recommends paying special attention to the practice called 'snacking': “When we are at home for a long time and without activities to do, we are tempted to open the refrigerator, get out of line and make the situation worse, even having bought healthy food” .

"We must prioritize the foods that provide us vitamins A, C and E. Citrus, kiwi and tomato are natural sources of vitamin C. Although vitamin A is naturally found in animal fat or egg yolk, orange and yellow vegetables provide us with this vitamin, so it is time to start thinking better about buying including these foods. Vitamin E, which we find in nuts and olive oil, essential oils that we also need to incorporate into our diet, "he explained.

Conscious purchase

An important point is the organization of purchases in quarantine. For this, a list of weekly meals is essential, including breakfasts and snacks. "You can build it as a family, and based on that build the super list," Scavuzzo harangues, recommending "buy foods with high nutritional value, which are the most natural and have a shorter expiration time."

Some tips:
  • Leafy vegetables do not last more than 24 hours in the refrigerator, so in that time you have to consume or cook them to be able to freeze and use the rest of the week.
  • Legumes, if purchased dry, will be in a perfect state of preservation until hydrated, so they are good foods to have in the pantry.
  • The meats cannot stay more than two days in the refrigerator, so that purchase must respond to the previously planned family menus, in order to cook, portion and fry to consume during the week.
  • Sauces with tomato, grated carrot and other vegetables are ideal to accompany rice or noodles. It is a good option to prepare homemade pasta to reserve in the freezer.
  • Vegetable soups can be prepared and then fried portioned. Another option is to sauté vegetables and, once cooked and cooled, store them in tuppers or bags in the freezer.

"From the chair of nutritional epidemiology we hope that this situation is resolved as soon as possible, and for that we need the collaboration of the entire community so that the infection is gradual and thus avoid the collapse of our health systems, so that we can soon enjoy the outdoors, friends and family. So we ask you, please stay home, "he concludes.