8 Strategies for Nutritious Eating
The following 8 tips are essential for healthy eating and will help you make healthier choices.
To maintain a healthy diet, it is essential to ensure that the amount of calories consumed is balanced with the amount of physical activity performed, creating an energy balance.
If you consume more than what the body needs, weight will increase, because the energy that is not used is stored in the form of fat. Conversely, too little food and drink causes weight loss.
Make sure your body gets the right nutrition. It is important to include a variety of foods in your meals.
It is suggested that the daily calorie intake for men is 2,500 (10,500 kilojoules), while women should consume about 2,000 calories (8,400 kj).
The majority of adults in the Netherlands are slowly consuming more calories than their bodies need and should therefore reduce the amount of calories they consume.
1 – Make starchy, high-fiber carbohydrates the base of your meals.
About a third of your diet should consist of starchy carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals. Choose higher-fiber or whole-grain varieties, such as whole-wheat pasta, brown rice or potatoes with the skins on.
Fiber content is higher in whole wheat starches compared to refined versions, and they can help maintain satiety.
It is recommended to consume starchy foods with every main meal. Although it is believed that these types of foods are fattening gram by gram, the carbohydrates they contain provide less than half the calories of fat.
Be aware of the amount of fats you use when cooking and serving calorie-rich meals, such as oily fries, butter on toast, and creamy sauces on noodles.
2 – Add plenty of fruits and vegetables to your diet
Consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables of various types is recommended daily. Such servings can be in any form, such as fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. What to do with frozen fruit.
It's not as hard as it seems to reach the goal of eating well five times a week. What you can do with frozen fruit.
The recommended serving size for fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables is 80 grams. It is suggested to limit dried fruits to meals and the amount should be 30 grams.
A daily maximum of 150 ml of fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie is considered one portion. However, it is advisable to limit the amount, as these drinks contain sugar, which can damage the teeth.
3 – Add fish to your meals, including a portion of oily fish
Fish is an excellent source of protein and is packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals, providing great nutritional benefits.
It is recommended to consume at least two portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily fish.
Fish that are high in oil contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may be helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Types of oily fish include:
- A variety of fish such as salmon, trout, herring, pilchards, sardines and mackerel are popular.
There are fish that do not contain oil, such as:
- Haddock, a type of fish
- Plaice, another type of fish
- Coley, another kind of fish
- Cod, also a type of fish
- Tuna, a popular fish
- Skate, a type of fish
- Hake, a fish from the cod family
You have a variety of options when selecting fish to consume, including fresh, frozen, and canned varieties; however, it's important to remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in sodium.
It is suggested that individuals should increase their fish consumption, but there are certain restrictions for certain species.
4 – Reduce your intake of saturated fats and saturated fat sugar consumption
A diet too high in saturated fat has been linked to a variety of health risks.
It is essential to include some amount of fat in your diet plan, although it is crucial to be aware of the amount and type of fat you are consuming. It is essential to be aware of the two different types of fat, saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can lead to an increase in blood cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease.
The daily recommendation for saturated fat intake for men is 30 grams, while women should aim for no more than 20 grams.
Children under 11 should consume less saturated fat than adults, although a low-fat diet is not suitable for children under 5.
Many different types of foods contain saturated fat, including:
- slices of fatty meat
- left of sausage
- buttery spreads
- hard cheeses
- creams
- pastries
- cookies
- lardy products
- cakes
It is recommended to minimize your intake of saturated fat; consider replacing it with unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils, spreads, oily fish and avocados.
Making a healthier choice can be as simple as opting for a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, or a lower-fat spread instead of butter, lard, or ghee.
Choose lean cuts of meat and remove all visible fat. It is important to limit fat consumption, as all types of fat are high in calories.
Sweetness
Sugar is a type of sweetener, but the term can also be used to refer to the sweetness of something in general.
Regular consumption of products containing a lot of sugar can lead to an increased risk of obesity and tooth decay. Foods and drinks with a high sugar content can lead to an increase in energy intake (measured in kilojoules or calories) and, if consumed too often, can cause weight gain. In addition, these products can also cause tooth decay if eaten between meals.
Any sugars found in foods or drinks, either as an additive or naturally, such as honey, syrups and juices and smoothies without added sugars, are called free sugars.
Instead of the sugar found in natural sources like fruit and milk, it is important to reduce the amount of other types of sugar consumed. In all sorts of pre-packaged items, like drinks and snacks, you can find an unexpected amount of free sugars.
Certain foods contain free sugars, including:
- carbonated drinks containing sugar
- sugary breakfast cereals
- baked goods such as cakes and cookies
- pastries and desserts
- sweets and candy
- alcoholic beverages
By consulting food labels, it is possible to determine the sugar content of foods.
When a food contains 22.5g or more of sugar per 100g, it is considered high in sugar. Conversely, if the amount of sugar per 100g is 5g or less, the food is classified as low in sugar.
5 – Start exercising and maintain a healthy weight
Making sure you eat healthy and exercise regularly can help reduce your chances of developing serious health conditions. It is also beneficial for maintaining your overall health and well-being. Carrying too much weight on your body can lead to diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancers, heart problems and strokes. Conversely, being too thin can also have a negative effect on your overall health.
Adults should reduce their calorie intake if they want to lose some pounds.
If the goal is to lose weight, it is important to consume fewer calories and exercise more. Consuming a balanced and nutritious diet can support efforts to maintain a healthy weight.
The National Health Service has developed a 12-week plan to help people lose weight by changing their eating habits and doing more physical activity.
6 – Prevent dehydration
Maintaining good hydration is essential and the government encourages individuals to consume 6 to 8 glasses of fluid daily, in addition to the fluid from the food they eat.
Healthier beverage options include water, low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, and coffee. All other nonalcoholic beverages are also allowed. It is best to avoid sweetened and carbonated beverages, as they are loaded with calories. They can also damage your teeth.
Fruit juices and smoothies without added sugar still contain a significant amount of free sugar. It is advisable to limit the amount of fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies you drink per day to a maximum of 150 ml, which is the equivalent of a small glass.
It is important to consume extra fluids when temperatures rise or when you are physically active.
7 – It is recommended that adults limit salt intake to 6g per day
Consuming too much sodium can cause your blood pressure to rise. People with high blood pressure are at a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. You may be consuming too much sodium even if you don’t add salt to your meals.
You will probably find that three quarters of the salt you consume is already present in the food you buy, including products such as cereals, soups, breads and sauces. You can reduce your salt consumption by using food labels. If the product contains more than 1.5g of salt per 100g, it is considered to be high in salt.
Adults and people aged 11 and over should not consume more than 6g of salt (approximately one teaspoon) per day. For those under 11, the amount should be even smaller.
8 – Never skip breakfast
Some people believe that skipping breakfast will help you lose weight.
For a balanced diet and obtaining the necessary nutrients for good health, a nutritious breakfast with a healthy mix of fiber and low in fat, sugar and salt is beneficial.
For a more nutritious morning meal, try an acai bowl full of whole grain cereal with low-fat milk, topped with some sliced fruit. It’s a tasty alternative to your typical sugary breakfast.
