Quality food is the key to excellent well-being and active longevity

When can food be called quality

After reading numerous forums on what quality food is, no single answer has been found. Some people equate it with food made from ecologically grown products, while others highlight national cuisines. For example, Japanese cuisine is considered seasonal, diverse, and quite fresh; Georgian cuisine is a treasure trove of proteins due to an abundance of meat dishes. However, there is still no single definition, as sometimes the benefits and quality do not coincide. In any case, quality food should be free of any “E-numbers,” colorants, sweeteners, and other synthetic additives, as well as free from pesticides and heavy metal salts.

Such food is represented on the pages of the Ukrainian online healthy food store “Djini” (Dnipro), which has established itself among lovers of healthy and beneficial products. To explore the assortment, one should click and follow the link.

Nutrition quality rating

Every year, the international community Oxfam International, which fights poverty and helps people realize their rights and opportunities, publishes a rating of food quality by country. The following criteria are assessed:

• naturalness of products;

• versatility of dishes;

• product prices and access to them;

• usefulness of food;

• health status of the country's residents;

• % of people with obesity and malnutrition.

According to the results of 2014, the top 5 countries with quality food were the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Austria. Ukraine ranked 33rd out of 125 countries. If we consider individual criteria, different countries lead the rankings. For example, Iceland has the highest quality food, while in the USA, it is economically accessible, but it also has a high number of people with obesity and diabetes; the most optimal gastronomic environment is in the Netherlands due to high-quality products, an abundance of fish, and reasonable prices.

Five years later, The Economist Intelligence Unit conducted a study based on identical criteria. The top list of “well-fed” countries includes Singapore, Ireland, USA, Switzerland, and Norway. Ukraine ranked 76th.

However, in any case, each of us initially determines what quality food is for ourselves, as long as it does not come at the expense of our health.

Where to buy healthy food

Today, it is not difficult to find natural products, the abundance of which reflects the trend towards a healthy lifestyle. Specialty eco-stores, farmer supermarkets, and healthy food shelves in shopping malls are available. There is also the option to purchase products at offline sites. For instance, “Djini” is a healthy food store that offers a wide range of products tailored for various customers-children, men, women, vegetarians, people following kosher diets, and the elderly. Among popular eco-products are:

• sugar substitutes, rebaudioside;

• natural sweeteners;

• syrups for baking, cocktails;

• sprouted grains;

• pectins;

• agar-agar;

• Chia seeds;

• quinoa;

• cereals;

• mixes for healthy sweets;

• cold-pressed oils (milk thistle, pumpkin, flaxseed, sesame).

The healthy food store's website features product listings with photos, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews that recommend incorporating various products into one's diet. Orders can be placed through the cart or with a “single click,” after which the products are sent even to the most remote corners of Ukraine. The delivery time is 1-3 days.

Assortment of food for excellent well-being and active longevity

To support the body, the Djini store website also offers other special food supplements: vitamins, vitamin-mineral complexes, supplements for athletes, and dietary supplements to normalize the functioning of organs and systems.

Well-being directly affects the quality of years lived, that is, longevity. For a good mood, productivity, endurance, and life tone, the following supplements are excellent options:

• vitamin C;

• vitamin D + K2;

• multivitamins with more than 75 active components;

• B vitamins;

• silymarin complex;

• probiotic supplements;

• enzymes and coenzymes;

• natural fiber.

Supplements that affect longevity, particularly the proper functioning of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems, include:

• omega-3 fatty acids (including vegetarian omega);

• protein supplements;

• fat burners;

• chondroprotectors;

• collagen;

• antioxidants;

• folic acid.

In combination with natural products, dietary supplements and physical activity can help the body become more resilient to age-related changes and transition through them unnoticed, in health and excellent well-being.