As the World Cup approaches, many people are starting to organize meetings with friends and family to watch the games and cheer together. On these occasions, food usually takes center stage, as snacks, snacks and meals are part of the experience. However, it is also common to turn to ultra-processed foods, which, when consumed in excess, can be harmful to your health.

The consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as snacks, cookies and ready-to-eat meals, is linked to 57,000 premature deaths per year, according to research “Premature Deaths Attributable to the Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods in Brazil”, carried out by the University of São Paulo (USP).

“The more food is based on ultra-processed foods, the greater the risk of problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease over the years”, warns Luciana Carvalho, nutrition professional at AmorSaúde.

Healthy snacks to eat during games

Ultra-processed foods have high levels of sodium, fat, sugar and additives, ingredients that can cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and diseases linked to obesity. According to Luciana Carvalho, avoiding them does not necessarily mean not consuming pleasant dishes.

“We don’t need to take away the pleasure of festive moments, like the World Cup games. With small changes, we can keep the table colorful and tasty, but with ingredients that are much more friendly to the health“he explains.

According to the nutritionist, some healthy foods that can replace ultra-processed foods are:

1. Mix of oilseeds

A mixture of Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, almonds and walnuts, preferably unsalted, can replace the snacks and maintain crunchiness on the table.

2. Crispy Chickpeas and Soybeans

Roasting these legumes with seasonings such as paprika, herbs and olive oil guarantees a tasty and crunchy snack to eat while watching the games;

3. Vegetable sticks

Cutting carrots, cucumbers, peppers and radishes into sticks can make a good snack, especially if accompanied by sauces like hummus or seasoned yogurt.

4. Popcorn

The snack is healthy, especially when made in a pan or air fryer, with little oil and little salt. Luciana Carvalho emphasizes that the ideal is to avoid the microwave version, which is considered ultra-processed.

5. Cubed cheese

A board with cheese minas, mozzarella and coalho cheese, accompanied by grapes or cherry tomatoes, can bring sophistication and flavor to the moment of the fans. However, it is ideal to avoid salami, sausage and sausages, which have a high sodium content.

6. Guacamole

The paste made from avocado, lemon, olive oil and seasonings replaces industrialized sauces, such as mayonnaise and barbecue. It can be eaten with whole grain bread toast, corn tortillas or vegetables cut into sticks.

7. Boiled quail eggs

When seasoned with herbs, olive oil and a little lemon, quail eggs become a tasty, healthy and practical snack.

8. Wholemeal toast

The toasted bread can be accompanied by spreads, such as hummus, tuna pâté with yogurt and shredded chicken pâté. THE preparation It’s simple and replaces industrialized sauces.

9. Fruit in pieces

Grapes, strawberries, melon and pineapple in the form of a skewer or on a board with nuts and cheese can replace processed sweets and maintain the flavor.

10. Natural sandwiches

When made with whole grain bread and filled with shredded chicken, tuna, seasoned ricotta, leaves and tomatoes, the snacks are healthier.

“These snacks can bring crunchiness, flavor and practicality, but with much less additives, fat and sodium than traditional ultra-processed ones”, explains Luciana Carvalho.

Benefits of healthy snacks

The nutritionist highlights that exchanging ultra-processed foods for more natural foods has effects on the entire organism. “When we improve the quality of our snacks, it’s not just the weight on the scale that we’re grateful for: our heart, intestines, blood pressure control and even our mood the next day also feel the difference”, he details.

Among the benefits of consuming healthy snacks during World Cup games, she mentions:

• Better nutritional quality: snacks have more vitamins, minerals, fiber and good fats;
• More satiety: as fibers They are present in fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads, and the protein can be found in eggs, cheese, yogurt, chickpeas, chicken and tuna, for example. These nutrients help control hunger and avoid overeating;
• Lower consumption of sodium, bad fats and additives: healthy snacks have fewer harmful substances and help prevent hypertension, cardiovascular problems and chronic inflammation;
• Better blood sugar and energy control: snacks with fiber and protein prevent large spikes in blood sugar, which reduces drowsiness and excessive hunger afterwards;
• Gut health: fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads feed the intestinal microbiota, important for immunity, mood and metabolism.

Despite the benefits, Luciana Carvalho says that the consumption of snacks should be moderate. “Chestnutscheeses and pâtés, for example, are nutritious, but also caloric. If consumption is very large and frequent, it can promote weight gain”, he concludes.

By Fellipe Gualberto