They seem out of the question if you want to eat healthy:the ready-made packages and bags. The sachets of fried rice, the packets of macaroni mix and the boxes of world dishes are a huge solution for some and really not done for others. But, is food from packages and bags really so unhealthy? Camella Bot, known for the Instagram account @bijt.wijs, explains it to you.
If you look at the back of the packaging of the ready-made packages and bags, you probably notice one thing. There are a lot of ingredients in it. It is very edited and contains many additives that you would not use if you were fresh to work yourself. Think, for example, of salt, saturated fats (bad fats), sweeteners, food improvers and sugar. I don't think many of the ingredients on the list are even familiar to you. You probably don't have it in your kitchen cupboard. Of course there are also exceptions, because if you look at the back of a package of whole-wheat pasta, you won't discover much. Even if you take a bag of broccoli from the freezer, you won't see much else than broccoli. But is all those different (unknown) ingredients in a bag an unhealthy choice?
Yes. I can be clear about it. A bag with all the seasonings is less healthy compared to using fresh herbs, spices and vegetables. You can imagine that consuming too much salt, sugar and saturated fats does increase the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. Making fresh and using fresh products simply remains the healthiest option.
No, not that. The packages and bags can sometimes also be a very nice outcome. They give you the opportunity to vary. How often do you make a Surinamese Roti yourself? Or are you going to collect herbs until you can make tasty noodles? Sometimes it's nice and easy to grab a bag and try out new things. Flavoring your meals also increases the chance that you eat more vegetables and build a more varied diet. And that's not unhealthy at all.
Labeling products with 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' is not that simple. It always depends on your entire lifestyle. It's always about balance. That is why the occasional use of a pack or bag fits perfectly within a healthy diet. Don't make a drama out of it. Do what makes you feel good and what works for you.
Hi! I'm Camella. I am always concerned with nutrition. All the time. I graduated in Nutrition and Dietetics and completed a master's degree in healthy nutrition. After my studies I really thought I knew how important healthy food is for you. I started working at various companies to use my knowledge about healthy food and to make the range of products in the supermarket healthier. But then something happened that really taught me how important healthy food is.
In March 2019 I came home from work with severe panic attacks and an anxiety disorder. I didn't dare go into the store or into the street. When I slowly got going again after many therapy sessions, I realized how important healthy food was to me. Healthy eating took me further and further in my recovery physically and mentally. The theory I learned during my studies turned out to be true in practice. Knowing that, I decided I wanted to help others too. Everyone deserves to be comfortable in their own skin.
That's why I founded Camella Bot Nutrition Advice and came up with a new concept to eat healthier in an easy way:The personal nutrition plan. Diet plans that are different from what you might be used to. You always decide for yourself what you eat. I believe this works best. So, no standard schedule or an example daily menu. No, you eat what you feel like. My vision is that it is only then possible to persevere and benefit from it for the rest of your life.
To give people more insight into their diet and to share knowledge, I also started the instagram account @bijt.wijs where I share different foods for 100 kcal. It is very funny to see the difference in volume between different products!
Love Camella
