New habits for 2025: regular physical activity and a balanced diet for a better life

São Paulo, February 2025 – The start of a new year is the ideal time to set goals to improve your quality of life. Combining regular exercise with a balanced diet is essential to achieving these goals. According to Mariana Rosa, nutritionist and Scientific Communications Manager at Ajinomoto Brazil, adopting healthy habits can positively impact both physical and mental well-being.

“Choosing to adopt better habits should always be a priority when setting new goals at the turn of the year. Physical exercise not only contributes to cardiovascular health and muscle strengthening, but also helps regulate essential hormones, such as serotonin, which is known as one of the happiness hormones,” explains Mariana. “When combined with a balanced diet rich in essential amino acids, exercise improves physical and mental performance, strengthening the immune system, maintaining muscle health, and preventing disease.”

Regular physical exercise offers numerous benefits, such as weight control, lower blood pressure, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. It also helps reduce stress and improve mood, thanks to the release of endorphins, the hormone responsible for feelings of well-being.

Diet also plays a fundamental role in this process, particularly through amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, essential for health and proper functioning of the body. Proteins represent approximately 20% of body weight and 50% of dry weight, and are responsible for the formation of tissues such as muscles, viscera, hemoglobin, and collagen in the skin. They are constantly active in the body, playing crucial roles in vital functions.

Under the guidance of a nutritionist, supplementing with essential amino acids can bring significant benefits to those who want to enhance the positive effects on the body and mind. In food form—that is, as part of proteins—the body takes three to four hours to absorb amino acids. When taken pure via supplementation, absorption occurs in just 30 minutes. This means they can be consumed as needed, making them an ideal option for meeting individual nutritional needs.

Amino acid supplements such as glutamine and arginine, for example, are very important for strengthening the immune system. Glutamine is an essential nutrient for defense cells and helps maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier, preventing infections. Arginine, as a precursor to nitric oxide, supports the function of macrophages, the immune system cells that fight infections.

In addition to impacting physical well-being, the consumption of amino acids such as tryptophan and glycine plays a fundamental role in improving sleep quality, ensuring proper body function. Tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, is especially effective in increasing feelings of pleasure and well-being, helping regulate mood and promoting a good night’s sleep.

The well-known BCAA, a supplement composed of leucine, valine, and isoleucine, branched-chain amino acids, can offer several benefits to the body. “These nutrients are essential for muscle recovery after exercise, facilitating the growth and maintenance of lean muscle mass,” says Mariana Rosa.

Glutamate also offers a series of benefits to the digestive and gastrointestinal systems, such as aiding protein digestion, swallowing, oral hygiene, and, especially, improving food acceptance in patients undergoing chemotherapy, who often lose palliative sensitivity and the ability to salivate.

According to the specialist, by focusing on a diverse diet, rich in nutrients and amino acids, and combining it with an exercise routine, it is possible to achieve better health and increase a sense of well-being. “Through more assertive dietary choices, combined with supplementation and regular physical activity, we can transform not only the body but also the mind, improving our quality of life in the long term,” concludes the nutritionist.

Sustainable Development Goals

Ajinomoto do Brasil develops projects and initiatives aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), defined by the United Nations (UN), which aim to achieve a more equitable and sustainable world by 2030. Click here to learn more about these projects.

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About Ajinomoto do Brasil

Present in Brazil since 1956, Ajinomoto do Brasil is a leader in amino acids and widely known for its retail products, such as SAZÓN Seasoning®, MID® Refreshments, VONO® Soups, and AJI-NO-MOTO® itself, in addition to operating in the food service segment (eating out). The company offers high-quality products for both consumers and inputs for the food, cosmetics, sports, pharmaceutical, animal nutrition, and agribusiness industries. Its purpose is to contribute to the well-being of society, people, and the planet by utilizing its expertise in “AminoScience,” the science of amino acids, from production to application, through a sustainable food system. To this end, it works with products developed using Biociclo—a circular sustainable production process—with a lower environmental impact. With four factories in the interior of São Paulo and headquarters in the capital, it employs approximately 3,000 people and serves domestic and international markets. Globally, the Ajinomoto Group employs over 34,000 people, has 116 factories, and sells products in over 130 countries. In 2023, it had global revenue of US$9.9 billion and domestic revenue of R$3.3 billion. For more information, visit www.ajinomoto.com.br.

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