Alexandra Gudimova in 2008 had to leave professional ballet due to an injury, and she radically changed her field of activity: she entered MIRBIS to study management of an organization, and already in 2013, as part of an internship at her father's company, NovaProduct AG, she presented her own project on production of healthy food - Bionova. Today, its sugar-free granola is sold in the main wellness stores of the capital and large chains, and instant soups and cereals are called not fast food, but a healthy snack.
BeautyHack editor Kristina Semina talked with Alexandra about the healthy lifestyle trend and the discoveries that await us in the nutrition sector in the future.
About generation awareness
In the past two to three years, more and more people are turning to the topic of healthy eating. Even those who were never interested in healthy lifestyle began to drink coffee with almond or rice milk, replace sugar with natural ingredients, and read the composition of products on the labels. Why did this happen? I think there are several factors. First, our generation of millennials grew up and started making money on their own. And now we want to spend this money not on entertainment and nightclubs, which became boring in the late 90s and early 2000s, but on our health, which primarily depends on the diet.
People are tired of low-quality and unhealthy food and are ready to pay extra for our breakfasts, lunches and dinners to be not only tasty, but also healthy.
The second factor is associated with the accelerated pace of life. We are constantly in a hurry somewhere and do not have time for anything. In this regard, there is a desire to be in awareness, cherish every minute and not waste time on something that cannot be useful. And this, of course, also applies to what we eat. If we have a choice: to order a piece of cake in a cafe or a light dessert without sugar, in which there are many healthy ingredients, there is no doubt that we will opt for the second option. In addition, now food products without added sugar or any harmful additives can be very tasty and please even those who cannot imagine their life without sweets.
About sugar and its substitutes
We have more than 60 products in our assortment: granola, bars, chicory, soups and instant cereals. And none of them have added white refined sugar. This is a deliberate step. There are so many articles and studies that sugar is bad for you. But, in my opinion, it is not even sugar itself that is harmful as a product, but the process of its refining, in which chemical processing takes place. Inadequate consumption of this white refined sugar is harmful, since it is a lot added to finished products and it is very difficult for the consumer to calculate how much sugar he consumes, in addition to the traditional addition to tea or coffee.
We studied the market for a long time, talked with experts. As a result, we decided to replace sugar with completely safe ingredients - natural syrups (for example, my favorite organic agave syrup), stevia.
Also in our products you can find such an ingredient as inulin- dietary fiber obtained from chicory roots. It is quite expensive, and it is not produced in Russia, we buy it in Belgium. The main advantage of inulin is that it has prebiotic properties, that is, it affects the activity of beneficial bifidobacteria in the intestine and improves digestion. Besides, inulin helps to smooth out the sharp rise in blood sugar that occurs when a person consumes sugary foods. For example, the basis of fruit and nut bars is dates, which have a high glycemic index (that is, they raise blood sugar levels). A bar like this will cause a sharp spike in sugar, which then goes into a sharp decline, and you will feel intense hunger and fatigue. After snacking on our bars (thanks to inulin), this will not happen.
To make our products tasty, we add nuts, coconut, freeze-dried berries and fruits. But not dried fruits and candied fruits, like many other fast food manufacturers.
Food trends for 2030
Already, we can identify some nutritional trends that await us in 10 years.
First, our diet will evolve towards fast food. According to statistics, people in our country consume 1-2 snacks ("snacks" - light meals for a snack, - approx. BeautyHack) per day, while in the United States this figure rose to 4-5 snacks. And in 10 years we may come to the same result, that is, we will eat healthy junk food. Moreover, in recent years, more and more people take food with them to their offices, and food companies, including us, are developing two types of packaging - large for the home and small, which are convenient to put in a bag.
Secondly, the trend will be turned towards caring for our planet - recyclable packaging. For the first time they started talking about it a few years ago, and lately we have been receiving messages on direct Instagram more and more for our company to pay attention to it. But we do not manufacture our own packaging and so far, unfortunately, we cannot find an alternative to them. Our packages are combined, and at the moment it is not possible to switch to fully recyclable ones, because Bionova products are natural and do not have a very long shelf life. In order for them to retain their usefulness without adding preservatives for as long as possible, we have to use multilayer packaging - that's the whole problem. But we are looking for a way out of this situation, we communicate with companies and experts. I hope this will be resolved soon. I also hope that in the future all food producers will be able to afford eco-friendly packaging. Especially in Sweden,In Finland and many other European countries, this issue has long been resolved at the state level, and Russia, unfortunately, is still lagging behind in this. But many are moving from plastic to glass bottles - this is already a good thing.
Third, there will be free prefixes on the products. Every year people choose food more and more consciously, so soon there will be even more dishes free from sugar, gluten, ingredients of animal origin, etc. Gradually, we will switch to completely healthy and wholesome food.
Fourthly, there will be public interest in small food companies. Already now, people increasingly trust small family brands that have their own philosophy and history, in which production is transparent. And corporations, in turn, are actively buying up various startups in this area.
Fifth, the trend will be associated with the rejection of meat and replacing it with other alternatives. According to statistics, about 7-8% of people become vegetarians a year. Moreover, at the recent Anuga exhibition, which takes place annually in Germany, the topic of the popularity of insects as a source of protein in the near future was discussed.
By 2040, the consumption of meat products is expected to decline by 33%. It is very difficult to imagine this yet, but time will tell!
Top 3 Nutrition Tips from Alexandra Gudimova
I am lucky, I eat right from an early age. Ever since childhood, when I was doing ballet, my mother was very careful about my diet. At the same time, I cannot say that they limited me in something, and the teachers at the ballet school never forced me to go on diets. We had a very high intensity workout, so it was definitely not time to keep track of calories. Although since that time I have formed the right habits that have remained with me to this day.
1. Drink plenty of water
And it is water, not tea, juices, and even more so soda. I start my morning with water and drink it constantly throughout the day, it helps not only to feel great, but also affects our skin and hair. I also advise you to drink water in a glass bottle, not a plastic one.
2. Don't eat sugar
Sugar is harmful not only for our body, but also for the skin. Any nutritionist and cosmetologist will tell you about this. Of course, if you eat a chocolate bar with sugar every one or two months, perhaps nothing will happen, but in the usual diet, you should give it up. For example, I even cook dishes for my little daughter only with natural sweeteners: cheese cakes with agave syrup or my favorite inulin syrup for breakfast are very tasty!
3. Do not overeat at night
It is better to postpone the main meal in the first half of the day. And this is useful not only for the figure, but also for the body as a whole. If you want to lose weight and stay awake during the day, try not to overeat before bed!
Interview: Kristina Semina
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