CATERING
GIVE FOOD FOR THOUGHT NOT MINDLESS EATING
Gabriella Roberts is Nutritionist at BaxterStorey, the UK’s largest independent food service provider, catering for in excess of 600 client organisations across
the UK and Ireland. Gabriella works alongside BaxterStorey’s food development team to produce tools for managers and healthy recipes for customers to enjoy, here she explains the importance of healthy eating in the workplace.
Obesity levels in the UK have trebled in the last 30 years and we now have the highest level in Western Europe. The cause of this rapid rise
has been blamed on
our modern lifestyles, including our reliance on cars, technology, high calorie food and, crucially, desk-bound jobs. Poor diet costs countries around the world up to 20% in lost productivity whereas organisations that implement wellbeing programmes enjoy benefits including reduced sickness absence, improved productivity and a reduction in staff turnover.
At BaxterStorey we have introduced the ‘Healthy Me’ campaign for just this reason; aimed at educating both employees and employers about the importance of wellness at work, ‘Healthy Me’ offers guidance on exciting healthy food swaps, recipes and nutritional advice, the programme challenges common workplace nutritional mistakes such as missing breakfast. It is reported that over half of UK workers skip breakfast leading to reduced productivity. Eating breakfast wakes up the metabolism to start burning calories. Breakfast skippers are also more likely to be overweight and over-eat later in the day.
Giving employees the option of a balanced breakfast at work could improve brain function, concentration, memory and mood. Some of the popular breakfast options we have created include
36 | TOMORROW’S FM
nutritious bircher and fresh 50/50 fruit and vegetable juices.
Sitting at a desk for most of the day can also encourage mindless eating – foods chosen for ease rather than their nutritional content. Dips in energy throughout the day can lead to a vicious circle of snacking with the aim of improving energy levels. Many customers turn to caffeinated
“POOR DIET
COSTS COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD UP TO 20% IN LOST
PRODUCTIVITY.”
drinks or high sugar snacks to help them through the slumps. This caffeine and sugar hit only gives a momentary burst of energy before levels once again dip lower than they were originally. This cycle can cause knock-on side-effects such as insomnia and dehydration, ultimately impacting on a worker’s productivity and general wellbeing.
Rather than relying on highly processed foods or energy drinks, at BaxterStorey we encourage employees and customers to think more carefully about their choices. The key to a healthy diet is moderations and balance. No one food contains all the essential nutrients our body needs, so we have created a
programme of recipes using nutrient- rich ingredients, proven to increase productivity and energy levels.
To combat energy slumps, it is crucial to maintain a constant source of glucose as this can directly affect productivity. Our bodies break down carbohydrate in the foods we eat and convert it into glucose. However, when it comes to selecting carbohydrates, it is important to choose wholegrain sources, so the ‘Healthy Me’ campaign offers recipes using ingredients such as brown bread and pasta, quinoa and brown rice as opposed to refined white carbohydrates. Unrefined options are not only more nutritious but enable our bodies to maintain a steadier release of glucose without the peaks and dips.
Substituting traditionally popular workplace snacks with healthier options is also a good way to combat those peaks and dips and maintain a healthier workplace lifestyle. Popular healthy versions of workplace treats we have developed include beetroot brownies – a more nutritionally balanced sweet treat, beetroot provides an excellent source of folic acid and fibre.
Food is essential to a productive workplace and not only will productivity increase in the long term, but taking a lunch break will also help to alleviate health problems and improve wellbeing. Healthy eating is about education and choice. The offering should be fresh, seasonal, of good provenance and interesting to keep customers engaged.
www.baxterstorey.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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