Question. What are the problems with young people's diet?
Answer. Pathologies are emerging in adolescents that we used to see in adults. It is one of the most complicated stages because when you have young children, you control what they eat a lot, but suddenly as teenagers, they start to have a bit of money to buy things, and the choice is never broccoli, for example. They go to the supermarket and buy ultra-processed foods and energy drinks. It's incredible, such young children drinking beverages rich in caffeine and taurine that are not suitable for them. We need to educate young people about nutrition because we are seeing pathologies like type 2 diabetes in adolescents, which was not seen before. This is where overweight, altered blood tests, and vitamin deficiencies occur.
Q. Why do ultra-processed foods taste so good?
A. Because they are very palatable, meaning when you put them in your mouth, you have sensations that you don't get with other types of food. They are rich in fats, sugars, salt, in an appealing aroma that makes you want to eat them... And we associate them with festive moments, celebrations. They are highly addictive and easy to consume, strategically placed in supermarkets for children to see.
Q. You mentioned the 'festive moment.' People tend to opt for easy food at parties, right?
A. Cooking is done very little because we have little time. Before, my mother spent the whole morning at home and knew what we would eat for lunch and dinner, now mothers have joined the workforce, we don't have as much time, and sometimes it's rushed, tasks are divided, but sometimes we forget about these things. More ultra-processed foods are consumed, not just snacks, but pizzas, lasagnas... Things that are easy to make. But of course, if there is no good planning at home for the week, you resort to that type of food.
Q. Is this addictive food like an invisible drug?
A. We are completely hooked on sugar because when you consume something high in sugar, your pancreas secretes insulin, giving you a rush. And what goes up, must come down. Two hours later, you feel the need for something to give you a quick boost again. Some people are constantly on that rollercoaster. Let's talk about breakfast. If you only have carbohydrates for breakfast, bread, jam, fruit, orange juice... Two hours later, you're starving and looking for something to boost you quickly. If you add protein, you'll feel more satisfied. I always advocate for a diet that controls insulin. When you control that and blood glucose levels, you feel good throughout the day. No post-meal drowsiness or yawning...
Q. Should some foods have warnings, like tobacco, about their health effects?
A. We have the NutriScore, but it doesn't work the same way. People should know better about what they eat, something as crucial as reading labels. People don't know how to read them. They are super small, almost unreadable, but with some basic information, it would be helpful. Like knowing that the more ingredients a food has on the label, the worse it is. If you buy bread and the second ingredient on the label is the percentage of 'sugar,' it's bad. I believe it should be taught in schools; food is our fuel.
Q. What are the most dangerous diseases caused by poor diet currently?
A. Especially type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure... We are seeing it in very young people. We can't turn a blind eye to it.
Q. Is healthy food expensive?
A. It doesn't have to be, but we have forgotten about traditional stews. We have wonderful pressure cookers, great inventions like the air fryer... We just need to plan ahead, know what we will eat tomorrow, but it requires more attention, of course.
Q. What would be the ideal meal?
A. For a teenager, for example, vegetables, carbohydrates or legumes, and a portion of protein.
Q. You're not a big fan of having salad for dinner, right?
A. I see it a lot, people thinking that to lose weight, they have to eat fruit, vegetables, and reduce calories. That's not true. If you do that, you won't lose any weight at all. They are basing their diet on carbohydrates, which when consumed in large quantities, the body converts into fat. It's lipogenesis. When you combine carbohydrates and proteins, everything changes. It's pure chemistry.
Q. Do our schedules in Spain harm us?
A. I think they do. It would be better to have dinner at seven in the evening. If we could come home and cook, it would be wonderful.
Q. What has been the biggest change in diet in recent decades?
A. I think it's the shift from shopping in markets to buying everything in supermarkets. In the market, you had meat, fish, eggs... You didn't have to read labels. If it was a local market, the greengrocer, fishmonger, or butcher would give you recommendations. Suddenly, we buy packaged products in large stores, we don't control the quantity, and everything is different. I advocate for returning to markets.
Q. Was food better 50 years ago?
A. There are things that were better. My mother used to make lentils, a small portion for each of us, and then a second course. Now we make lentils and that's it, without protein. But it's also true that the work back then was more physical, now we sit all day. The way of eating has changed.
Q. What do you think is the worst addition to our diet?
A. What scares me the most is things filled with hidden sugars. The issue is not the sugar I add to my coffee, but the one hidden in bread, for example, or in some frozen foods where they add sugar as a preservative. That's dangerous to me.
Q. Fry, boil, or roast?
A. Frying is the worst, yes. It's better to roast, grill, steam...
Q. What should we definitely ban?
A. Industrial pastries, everything that comes in packages... That should be banned. I've been in a hospital with my father, gone to the vending machine, and thought, 'What can I get?' There's nothing healthy to choose.
Q. In the latest campaign from the 'Casa del libro', 'A unos libros de distancia,' they gave advice to a young student. With the poor eating habits, could the life expectancy of the next generation decrease?
A. I'm convinced. Today's adolescents are not eating like I did when I was young, let alone my parents, who lived through post-war times, experienced hunger, had restrictions, and didn't consume all the necessary protein. We need to be vigilant because the overweight issues we saw in the United States before are starting to appear here.
Q. Are there too many 'miracle' diets?
A. There have always been, people want quick solutions, and that doesn't work. What you need to do is learn how to eat. Now they ask me about Ozempic and these new medications that reduce the urge to eat, and that's when they learn to eat. This is a long-term commitment, and there are educated people explaining things well, but there are also uneducated individuals with a platform on social media...
Q. What do you think of the 'Operation Bikini'?
A. Why not 'Operation Swimsuit'? Crash diets don't make sense because they lead to a decrease in muscle mass. You need to reduce fat, which is associated with pathologies and where a clear benefit will be seen in blood tests.
Q. Counting calories, yes or no?
A. No way. Two people can consume the same 1,800 calories in a day, one from fruits and vegetables and the other from alcohol. They supposedly meet their caloric needs, but one is nourishing while the other is not. We should never count calories.
Q. Is alcohol the worst?
A. Yes, but if you have a glass of wine one day, it's not the end of the world. However, we shouldn't convey the message that a daily glass is fine and harmless. That's not true. My father used to add a spoonful of sugar to his coffee, yes, but he didn't have any ultra-processed foods around.