Health Alert: Why A Healthy Lunch Is So Important

TORRANCE, Calif. - Sept. 9, 2014 - PRLog -- Too often lunch is whatever fast food people in the office are ordering in. Even worse, it may devolve into a series of unsatisfying snacks scarfed down at the desk because there’s “no time for lunch.”

Ironically, this overlooked and unglamorous meal may be the most important meal of the day.

In fact, only a few generations ago lunch was not lunch, but dinner. The big meal of the day was eaten at noon.  The noonday meal was a full spread with multiple dishes and everyone sitting together at the table. Supper, the evening meal now called “dinner”, was the afterthought – a few light leftovers or some soup “supped” down to tide people over until morning.

“Years ago, when more people farmed, meals were scheduled like this as a midday refueling stop for the physically demanding work on the farm,” explains health expert and Vice President of Sun Chlorella USA, Rose Straub.  “And it still makes sense for you to eat on this schedule. Most of your heavy eating should be done when you’re more active. Eat more when you use more fuel. Hefty dinners come at the wrong time. At 6 in the evening, you’re decreasing physical activity. Your metabolism is slowing and your body needs to relax and get ready for sleep.”

Research supports this:

·         A recent Swedish study found that when people with diabeteswaited until lunch to eat a big meal – sometimes with just a cup of coffee for breakfast – they lost weight and had better blood sugar levels. And this was true even when the midday meal was a calorie extravaganza.

·         A Czech study found similarly positive results when diabetics ate only two large meals early in the day – breakfast and lunch – instead of six small meals.

Many Europeans –particularly southern European countries - have kept this tradition. And some of the researchers theorize this schedule may be part of the Mediterranean diet’s healthy power. Essentially, it may not be only about what people eat – but when people eat it!

While many European businesses accommodate a leisurely lunch with 2-hour midday breaks, most American workplaces don’t. But that doesn’t mean Americans should give up on giving lunch the attention it deserves.

“Even if you only have a forty-minute break,” notes Straub, “Make it count with some good eating. If you cook a good meal for dinner, dine lightly that evening and save the leftovers for some serious noshing at lunch the next day. And don’t be overly cautious with the calories. Of course, don’t go nuts . . . but if you like a little dessert or want to indulge in a little extra carbohydrates, lunch is the best time of day to do this – not dinner. Instead, save that calorie-counting for dinner. Eat heartily during the day when you need the calories to keep going. And save the forbearance for your evening meal when you’re about to go to sleep.”

Straub has a few unique lunch ideas to put in the lunchbox. In addition to being supremely nutritious, these meals are simple to make and take.  They can be made in a big batch over the weekend to last for several days. And most of them are easily portable, needing only an ice pack for refrigeration. For an added boost, Straub suggests sprinkling some chlorella granules on them.

“If you’re particularly tired at work, a fresh salad with some good protein and fats can be one of the best pick-me-ups. And when it comes to super greens, kale is pretty pumped! With vitamins A, C and K, kale also helps your body detox and keeps inflammation down thanks to its isothiocyanates and kaempferol.”

To make a nice salad, simply chop up some kale and then build on it. To balance kale’s slight sharpness, add some creamy cashews, sunflower seeds or mozzarella cheese. Toss in some shredded carrots or chopped apples to sweeten things up. Boost the protein with some chopped eggs, leftover chicken or chickpeas. Finally, top it off with a favorite dressing. Slightly sweet dressings – like a balsamic vinaigrette or a Caesar dressing with honey – bring out the best in kale.

Another power-packed lunch idea is a sardine sandwich. Sardines make an outstanding replacement for tuna. Sardines are second only to chlorella in nucleic-acid concentration. Nucleic acids are a powerful anti-aging nutrient, essential for cellular reproduction and tissue repair. In addition, sardines also offer a nice dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

How to prep them? Simply open a can and then mix with chopped red onion, herbs, a little pepper and a dash of mayo. Combine the mixture together with a fork and spread on whole grain bread. For a slightly different taste, try smoked sardines. With some tomato slices and mozzarella cheese, this sandwich is fit for a king.

For other healthy lunch ideas, insights about lunch or to read the whole article, please go to https://www.sunchlorellausa.com/blog/3-simple-and-healthy....


About Rose Straub

Rose Straub is Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Sun Chlorella USA. In addition to working to further Sun Chlorella USA’s mission of supporting excellent health, she lives this mission in her personal life. Rose takes full advantage of enjoying California’s beautiful outdoors and learning from its rich community of holistic health practitioners to build a vibrant and healthy life for herself and her family. Rose lives with her husband, Pat, and is both a proud mom and grandmother.

About Sun Chlorella USA

Sun Chlorella USA offers the finest quality chlorella products for anti-aging, weight maintenance, energy, heart, brain & digestive system, as well as overall health and wellness for both people and pets.  Want to learn more health secrets? Get a free copy of our report, "Why Didn't My Doctor Tell Me About This?!" This eye-opening report, created by 5 pioneering natural health experts, reveal nutritional secrets that can change your life. Go to https://sunchlorellausa.com/download-free-report to get a copy. Also, for special offers, news and updates, follow us on Twitter at @sunchlorellausa or ‘Like’ us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SunChlorella.