What does the expert advise us about fasting during Lent?

The period leading up to Easter is an ideal opportunity to detox by taking advantage of the popular dishes of Lent. Interview with Alexia Svolou by Yiannis Chrysos, clinical dietitian & nutritionist

Can we use the Lenten fast to detox from junk food and too much meat?

Of course, fasting is a means of detoxification. From a religious point of view, fasting is a means of cleansing the soul and body. Traditionally, it referred to the exclusion of animal products that were consumed more intensely during the carnival period. But nowadays, meat is no longer our biggest problem. Ultra-processed and ready-made foods are the main cause of the health problems that afflict us. Indeed, fasting can help us detoxify from animal products, but to these I would also add all those highly processed and ready-made foods. Let's try to detoxify ourselves by choosing primary and less processed foods, so that we can enjoy the most benefits.

What's the secret to not gaining weight from the common mistakes we make?

Many people fast, consuming only French fries, breads, cookies, crackers, pasta and bagels. With such a diet, weight gain is inevitable. To avoid this, try to organize your meals for the day. For snacks, focus on fruits and nuts, and for main meals, include legumes and seafood several times a week. Eat a light dinner with vegetables and rice, quinoa or boiled and baked potatoes. This way you will have meals that can be easily preserved so that they do not require daily preparation, while at the same time they will keep you full and healthy.

Can some superfoods be included in this fast? Talk a little about them.

The fasting diet consists mainly of SuperFoods. We start with legumes. All legumes are legumes that can be complete meals on their own. They contain carbohydrates, proteins, and significant amounts of fiber. They cause an intense and prolonged feeling of satiety and their regular consumption serves good health and normal functioning of the digestive system.

Next comes tahini, which is 100% ground sesame. It is added to all meals, either as a bread spread, as a fruit accompaniment or as an ingredient for vegetable soups, salad dressings, etc. Note that its systematic use has been associated with the reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure levels, skin protection and general nutrition of the body, since it contains vegetable proteins, essential fatty acids, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and other trace elements.

Seafood is the only animal food of the fast, but it contains proteins of high biological value and polyunsaturated fats, which are essential for the protection of health. Their intake in the modern diet is not enough, while their adequacy has been associated with the treatment of inflammation, good brain function and a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The basic ingredients of a fasting diet are raw foods, rich in nutrients and without additives. These are the superfoods we need to promote health and longevity.

At festive tables, food takes center stage and we share it. What are the secrets to eating as much as we need and not snacking and eating much more?

Start by creating your plate. Don't snack from the middle. Decide which foods you want to eat and put them on your plate. The goal is to know the total amount you ate, not to limit yourself. You can "inflate" the plate a little more, as well as add what you liked best after you empty it. Focus on the choices of the day, which you don't eat regularly. At the same time, remember that you will find them again soon.

Give us a few tips for lagana, because we know that too much bread makes you fat, and some tips for making use of leftover lagana.

Laganas is the bread of the day. The peculiarity in terms of preparation is found in the non-use of yeast, as a result of which it does not rise and has this flat shape, which also gives it a crispy texture. However, the reason why it is loved by everyone is because it automatically refers us to a spring table, family, friendly with special flavors and a very good mood. To avoid excessive consumption, cut off the piece that you consider to be your portion and that satisfies you and accompany your most beautiful flavors. Ideally, I recommend it in the morning with tahini and at lunch with taramo salad.

Give us some tips about tahini and halva so that we can include them in our daily diet in quantities that do not threaten body weight and in a smart way so that children can enjoy them too.

One point that I would like you to focus your attention and effort on is the adoption of all these dietary habits of Clean Monday and the fasting period, throughout the year. Of course, I do not mean abstinence from animal foods. Ideally, however, I would like to limit the consumption of meat, increase the consumption of vegetables, fruits and legumes. At the same time, maintain a high level of enjoyment, as happens on Clean Monday. Continue to have a piece of halva in your snacks, either plain at work, or small pieces of halva on top of yogurt mousse for even more enjoyment and nutrition. For the tahini, all you have to do is choose the flavor you like and the enjoyment will be at its peak!

(the article was first published on medly.gr )