Students in the kitchen at the time of SARS-CoV-2

Immobility is an opportunity to reduce the day’s energy intake, favoring the consumption of low-calories foods, as are all fresh vegetables, and fruit.

The forced stop can also be a wonderful opportunity to return to the home kitchen and get back into the habit of preparing food, starting with fresh and seasonal ingredients.

To be limited throughout the year, and even more so during this period, are refined industrial foods, with a high energy density, as well as excess animal proteins.

Let’s try to sit at the table at regular times, having dinner not too late, and having meals in a quiet environment, away from the distraction of television or cell phones.

Three meals a day are indicated (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and, if we wish, an afternoon snack based on fresh fruit. It is important to have dinner early and allow at least 2 hours to pass between dinner and bedtime. A good sleep is also an important ally of our immune defenses.

At breakfast

• Let’s not miss a nice cup of green tea, rich in powerful antioxidant polyphenols of the catechin family and ally of a careful and concentrated brain.

• Let’s immediately help our friendly intestinal bacteria with half a cup (125 ml) of fermented milk (yogurt or, better, kefir), obviously without sugar; if we really want to feel a bit of a sweet taste, put some fresh fruit in pieces in the yogurt.

• Give the body and brain the right energy charge with a slice of wholemeal bread, a veil of sugar-free almond cream and a veil of jam (excellent the blueberry jam or other berries, all rich in antioxidant anthocyanins).

• Speaking of almonds, in the morning, but also for a snack, a handful (15 grams) of nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pistachios) or oil seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame) is also fine.

For lunch and dinner

• Let’s start with a rich appetizer of seasonal vegetables, eg a cream of broccoli, a plate of sautéed artichokes and a mixed salad.

• Let us load ourselves with low glycemic impact carbohydrates, therefore of the integral type, and with the precious fibers of legumes. A few examples? All those of the long-lived and healthy Mediterranean tradition: pasta and beans, spelt and lentils, rice and peas, polenta and mushrooms, and any other combination of whole grains and vegetable proteins.

Have a good study and take care of yourself!