What should a meal consist of. Optimal Meal Composition: A Comprehensive Guide to Balanced Nutrition

What constitutes a well-balanced meal. How does the Healthy Eating Plate differ from USDA’s MyPlate. Why are whole grains preferable to refined grains. Which protein sources are recommended for optimal health. How many servings of fruits and vegetables should be included in a meal. What role do healthy fats play in nutrition. Why is water the best beverage choice for most meals.

The Healthy Eating Plate: A Science-Based Approach to Nutrition

The Healthy Eating Plate, developed by experts at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, offers a comprehensive guide to making nutritious food choices. Unlike the USDA’s MyPlate, which has been subject to political and commercial pressures, the Healthy Eating Plate is based solely on the best available scientific evidence. This approach ensures that consumers receive unbiased advice on how to create balanced, healthy meals.

Whole Grains: The Foundation of a Healthy Diet

One of the key differences between the Healthy Eating Plate and MyPlate lies in their approach to grains. The Healthy Eating Plate strongly advocates for whole grains while advising consumers to limit refined grains. But why are whole grains so important?

• Whole grains contain all parts of the grain kernel, including the bran, germ, and endosperm.
• They are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Whole grains have a lower glycemic index, meaning they cause a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar levels.

In contrast, refined grains like white bread and white rice act similarly to sugar in the body. Consuming too many refined grains over time can make weight management more challenging and increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The Healthy Eating Plate’s emphasis on whole grains aligns with current scientific understanding of their health benefits.

Incorporating Whole Grains into Your Diet

How can you increase your whole grain intake? Consider these practical tips:

1. Replace white rice with brown rice or quinoa.
2. Choose whole grain bread instead of white bread.
3. Experiment with ancient grains like farro, amaranth, or bulgur in salads and side dishes.
4. Opt for whole grain pasta over regular pasta.
5. Start your day with oatmeal or whole grain cereals.

Protein: Choosing Healthful Sources for Optimal Nutrition

The protein section of the Healthy Eating Plate provides more specific guidance compared to MyPlate. It encourages consumers to choose fish, poultry, beans, or nuts as protein sources. These options not only provide essential amino acids but also offer additional health benefits.

Why does the Healthy Eating Plate recommend limiting red meat and avoiding processed meat? Research has shown that regular consumption of these foods, even in small quantities, can increase the risk of:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Colon cancer
• Weight gain

By contrast, MyPlate does not distinguish between different protein sources, potentially leading consumers to make less healthy choices. The Healthy Eating Plate’s recommendations align with current nutritional science, which emphasizes the importance of plant-based proteins and lean animal proteins for overall health.

Healthy Protein Sources to Include in Your Meals

To improve your protein intake, consider incorporating these healthy options:

1. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines
2. Lean poultry such as chicken or turkey breast
3. Legumes including lentils, chickpeas, and various beans
4. Nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
5. Plant-based protein sources such as tofu, tempeh, and seitan

Vegetables: The Colorful Cornerstone of a Healthy Diet

Both the Healthy Eating Plate and MyPlate emphasize the importance of vegetables in a balanced diet. However, the Healthy Eating Plate provides more nuanced guidance, encouraging an abundant variety of vegetables while cautioning against overconsumption of potatoes.

Why does the Healthy Eating Plate single out potatoes? While potatoes do contain some beneficial nutrients, they are high in rapidly digested starch. This means they can have a similar effect on blood sugar as refined grains and sweets. Therefore, the Healthy Eating Plate recommends limiting potato consumption and focusing on a diverse array of other vegetables.

Maximizing Vegetable Intake for Optimal Health

How can you increase your vegetable consumption and variety? Try these strategies:

• Aim for at least one serving of vegetables at each meal.
• Experiment with different cooking methods: roasting, grilling, steaming, or eating raw.
• Include a variety of colors in your vegetable choices to ensure a wide range of nutrients.
• Try unfamiliar vegetables to expand your palate and nutrient intake.
• Use vegetables as snacks, paired with hummus or other healthy dips.

Fruits: Nature’s Sweet Treat with Health Benefits

Both the Healthy Eating Plate and MyPlate recommend including fruits in a balanced diet. Fruits are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and they come with the added benefit of natural sweetness. The Healthy Eating Plate specifically encourages consuming a colorful variety of fruits to ensure a diverse nutrient intake.

How many servings of fruit should you aim for daily? While individual needs may vary, most health organizations recommend 2-4 servings of fruit per day for adults. One serving is typically equivalent to:

• 1 medium-sized fruit (e.g., an apple, orange, or banana)
• 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
• 1/4 cup of dried fruit
• 1/2 cup of 100% fruit juice (though whole fruits are preferable due to their fiber content)

Incorporating More Fruits into Your Diet

Looking for ways to increase your fruit intake? Consider these ideas:

1. Add berries to your morning cereal or yogurt.
2. Keep a bowl of whole fruits on your kitchen counter for easy snacking.
3. Include sliced fruits in your salads for added sweetness and nutrition.
4. Freeze grapes or banana slices for a refreshing treat.
5. Use fruits as natural sweeteners in smoothies or baked goods.

Healthy Oils: The Often-Overlooked Nutritional Component

One significant difference between the Healthy Eating Plate and MyPlate is the inclusion of healthy oils in the former. The Healthy Eating Plate recommends using olive, canola, and other plant oils in cooking, on salads, and at the table. But why are these oils important?

• They are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help reduce harmful cholesterol levels.
• They provide essential fatty acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own.
• Some plant oils, like olive oil, contain beneficial compounds such as polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory properties.

The Healthy Eating Plate also advises limiting butter and avoiding trans fats, which are known to increase the risk of heart disease. By contrast, MyPlate is silent on the topic of fats, which could potentially lead consumers towards a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that may negatively impact weight control and blood cholesterol profiles.

Incorporating Healthy Oils into Your Diet

How can you ensure you’re getting enough healthy fats in your diet? Try these suggestions:

1. Use olive oil for cooking and in salad dressings.
2. Snack on a handful of nuts or seeds daily.
3. Add avocado to your sandwiches or salads.
4. Use canola oil for baking.
5. Incorporate fatty fish like salmon into your meal plan twice a week.

Hydration: The Importance of Water and Healthy Beverages

The Healthy Eating Plate places a strong emphasis on hydration, specifically recommending water as the best beverage choice. It also suggests coffee and tea (with little or no added sugar) as calorie-free alternatives. But why is proper hydration so crucial?

• Water is essential for numerous bodily functions, including temperature regulation, nutrient transport, and waste removal.
• Proper hydration can help maintain cognitive function and physical performance.
• Drinking water instead of sugary beverages can aid in weight management and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The Healthy Eating Plate advises limiting milk and dairy to one to two servings per day, citing potential risks associated with high intakes. It also recommends limiting juice, even 100% fruit juice, to a small glass a day due to its high sugar and calorie content.

In contrast, MyPlate recommends dairy at every meal and counts 100% fruit juice as part of the Fruit Group. This approach may lead to overconsumption of calories and sugars from beverages.

Strategies for Staying Hydrated

How can you ensure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day? Consider these tips:

1. Carry a reusable water bottle with you and refill it regularly.
2. Set reminders on your phone to drink water at regular intervals.
3. Flavor your water with slices of lemon, cucumber, or berries for variety.
4. Eat water-rich foods like cucumbers, watermelon, and zucchini.
5. Replace sugary drinks with unsweetened tea or sparkling water.

Physical Activity: The Other Half of the Health Equation

Unlike MyPlate, the Healthy Eating Plate includes a reminder about the importance of staying active. The figure shown running across the bottom of the plate emphasizes that physical activity is crucial for overall health and weight management. But why is exercise so important?

• Regular physical activity can help control weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
• Exercise improves cardiovascular health and strengthens bones and muscles.
• Physical activity can boost mood, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
• Regular exercise can enhance cognitive function and reduce the risk of cognitive decline with age.

The Healthy Eating Plate’s inclusion of this element provides a more holistic approach to health, recognizing that diet and physical activity are both crucial components of a healthy lifestyle.

Incorporating More Activity into Your Daily Routine

How can you increase your physical activity levels? Here are some practical suggestions:

1. Take a brisk walk during your lunch break.
2. Use stairs instead of elevators when possible.
3. Try standing or walking meetings at work.
4. Join a sports team or fitness class for social motivation.
5. Set aside time for active hobbies like gardening, dancing, or hiking.

By following the guidelines of the Healthy Eating Plate and incorporating regular physical activity into your routine, you can create a balanced approach to nutrition and overall health. Remember, small changes can lead to significant improvements over time. Always consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice on your diet and exercise regimen.

Healthy Eating Plate vs. USDA’s MyPlate | The Nutrition Source

The Healthy Eating Plate, created by experts at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, points consumers to the healthiest choices in the major food groups. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate, though it has been revised to reflect some key findings, still doesn’t offer the most complete picture when it comes to basic nutrition advice.

The Healthy Eating Plate is based exclusively on the best available science and was not subjected to political or commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists. Here’s a table showing how the Healthy Eating Plate compares to the USDA’s MyPlate, section by section.

Whole Grains	Grains
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages consumers to choose whole grains and limit refined grains, since whole grains are much better for health. In the body, refined grains like white bread and white rice act just like sugar. Over time, eating too much of these refined-grain foods can make it harder to control weight and can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Read more about the health benefits of whole grains.	Although initially MyPlate did not tell consumers that whole grains are better for health, it has since been revised to suggest that consumers make at least half of their grains whole grains – an important update!
Healthy Protein	Protein
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages consumers to choose fish, poultry, beans or nuts, protein sources that contain other healthful nutrients. It encourages them to limit red meat and avoid processed meat, since eating even small quantities of these foods on a regular basis raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and weight gain. Read more about the benefits of choosing healthy protein.	MyPlate’s protein section could be filled by a variety of sources, including a hamburger or hot dog. Though the plate has been revised to suggest that adult consumers eat at least 8 ounces of cooked seafood per week, it still offers no indication that red and processed meat are especially harmful to health.
Vegetables	Vegetables
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages an abundant variety of vegetables, since Americans are particularly deficient in their vegetable consumption—except for potatoes and French fries. Potatoes are chock full of rapidly digested starch, and they have the same effect on blood sugar as refined grains and sweets, so limited consumption is recommended. Read more about the benefits of vegetables.	MyPlate does not distinguish between potatoes and other vegetables.
Fruits	Fruits
The Healthy Eating Plate recommends eating a colorful variety of fruits. Read more about the benefits of fruits.	MyPlate also recommends eating fruits.
Healthy Oils	(Not included in MyPlate)
The Healthy Eating Plate depicts a bottle of healthy oil, and it encourages consumers to use olive, canola, and other plant oils in cooking, on salads, and at the table. These healthy fats reduce harmful cholesterol and are good for the heart, and Americans don’t consume enough of them each day. It also recommends limiting butter and avoiding trans fat. Read more about the benefits of healthy fats and oils.	MyPlate is silent on fat, which could steer consumers toward the type of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that makes it harder to control weight and worsens blood cholesterol profiles.
Water	Dairy
The Healthy Eating Plate encourages consumers to drink water, since it’s naturally calorie free, or to try coffee and tea (with little or no sugar), which are also great calorie-free alternatives. It advises consumers to avoid sugary drinks, since these are major contributors to the obesity and diabetes epidemics. It recommends limiting milk and dairy to one to two servings per day, since high intakes are associated with increased risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer; it recommends limiting juice, even 100% fruit juice, to just a small glass a day, because juice contains as much sugar and as many calories as sugary soda. Read more about water and other healthy drinks, and learn about calcium, milk and health.	MyPlate recommends dairy at every meal, even though there is little if any evidence that high dairy intakes protect against osteoporosis, and there is considerable evidence that too-high intakes can be harmful. As for sugary drinks, MyPlate says 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group.
Stay Active	(Not included in MyPlate)
The figure scampering across the bottom of the Healthy Eating Plate’s placemat is a reminder that staying active is half of the secret to weight control. The other half is eating a healthy diet with modest portions that meet your calorie needs. Read more about the benefits of staying active.	There is no activity message on MyPlate.

Read more about the Healthy Eating Plate and the Healthy Eating Pyramid.
Read the press release about the Healthy Eating Plate from September 14, 2011.

Terms of Use

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products.

Whole Grains | The Nutrition Source

Choose whole grains instead of refined grains.

Whole grains offer a “complete package” of health benefits, unlike refined grains, which are stripped of valuable nutrients in the refining process.

All whole grain kernels contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Each section houses health-promoting nutrients. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer that supplies B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are natural chemical compounds in plants that have been researched for their role in disease prevention. The germ is the core of the seed where growth occurs; it is rich in healthy fats, vitamin E, B vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The endosperm is the interior layer that holds carbohydrates, protein, and small amounts of some B vitamins and minerals.

These components have various effects on our bodies:

• Bran and fiber slow the breakdown of starch into glucose—thus maintaining a steady blood sugar rather than causing sharp spikes.
• Fiber helps lower cholesterol as well as move waste through the digestive tract.
• Fiber may also help prevent the formation of small blood clots that can trigger heart attacks or strokes.
• Phytochemicals and essential minerals such as magnesium, selenium and copper found in whole grains may protect against some cancers.

The invention of industrialized roller mills in the late 19th century changed the way we process grains. Milling strips away the bran and germ and leaves only the soft, easy-to-digest endosperm. Without the fibrous bran, the grain is easier to chew. The germ is removed because of its fat content, which can limit the shelf life of processed wheat products. The resulting highly processed grains are much lower in nutritional quality. Refining wheat creates fluffy flour that makes light, airy breads and pastries, but the process strips away more than half of wheat’s B vitamins, 90 percent of the vitamin E, and virtually all of the fiber. Although some nutrients may be added back by fortification, other health-promoting components of whole grains such as phytochemicals cannot be replaced.

A growing body of research shows that choosing whole grains and other less-processed, higher-quality sources of carbohydrates, and cutting back on refined grains, improves health in many ways. For a closer look at carbohydrates, check out our Carbohydrate Guide.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 6 ounces of grain foods daily (based on a 2000-calorie diet) and getting at least half or 3 ounces of that grain intake from 100% whole grains. [1] However, due to an increasing amount of research showing the various health benefits derived from whole grains, and even a possible detrimental effect when eating mostly refined grains, it is recommended to choose mostly whole grains instead of refined grains. An easy way to tell if a food product is high in 100% whole grains is to make sure it is listed first or second in the ingredient list. Or better yet, choose unprocessed whole grains:

Be careful when choosing foods labeled as whole grains: “Whole grain” doesn’t always mean healthy.

One study revealed that inconsistent food labeling means that foods identified as “whole grain” are not always healthy. [2]

• The study assessed five USDA criteria that identify whole grains in a food product: 1) any whole grain as the first ingredient, 2) any whole grain as the first ingredient, and added sugars not being one of the first three ingredients in the ingredient list, 3) the word “whole” before any grain ingredient, 4) a carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio of less than 10:1, and 5) the industry-sponsored Whole Grain Stamp.
  • The Whole Grain Stamp is a widely used marker on food products. The stamp, while designed to steer consumers towards healthy whole grains, identified products with more fiber and less sodium and trans fat but that were higher in sugar and calories than whole grain foods without the stamp.
  • The other three USDA criteria had mixed results in identifying healthier whole grain products, but (criterion 4) the carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio of less than 10:1 proved to be the most effective measure of healthfulness. However, it is unclear whether this ratio is more predictive of chronic disease risk than other measures of carbohydrate quality—such as the amount/type of fiber or overall dietary glycemic index/load. Foods that met this criterion were higher in fiber and less likely to contain trans fats, sodium, and sugar.
• Because calculating the carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio may be difficult and not readily available for a consumer reading a label, the study suggests that labeling guidelines appearing on whole-grain foods should be improved.

Consumers should steer towards whole grain foods that are high in fiber and that have few ingredients in addition to whole grain. Moreover, eating whole grains in their whole forms—such as brown rice, barley, oats, corn, and rye—are healthy choices because they pack in the nutritional benefits of whole grains without any additional ingredients.

Whole Grains and Disease

As researchers have begun to look more closely at carbohydrates and health, they are learning that the quality of the carbohydrates you eat is at least as important as the quantity. Most studies, including some from several different Harvard teams, show a connection between whole grains and better health. [3]

• A report from the Iowa Women’s Health Study linked whole grain consumption with fewer deaths from inflammatory and infectious causes, excluding cardiac and cancer causes. Examples are rheumatoid arthritis, gout, asthma, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. Compared with women who rarely or never ate whole-grain foods, those who had at least two or more servings a day were 30% less likely to have died from an inflammation-related condition over a 17-year period. [4]
• A meta-analysis combining results from studies conducted in the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Scandinavian countries (which included health information from over 786,000 individuals), found that people who ate 70 grams/day of whole grains—compared with those who ate little or no whole grains—had a 22% lower risk of total mortality, a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, and a 20% lower risk of cancer mortality.  [5]

Cardiovascular Disease

Eating whole instead of refined grains substantially lowers total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels.

• In the Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study, women who ate 2 to 3 servings of whole-grain products each day were 30% less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease over a 10-year period than women who ate less than 1 serving per week. [6]
• A meta-analysis of seven major studies showed that cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, or the need for a procedure to bypass or open a clogged artery) was 21% less likely in people who ate 2.5 or more servings of whole-grain foods a day compared with those who ate less than 2 servings a week. [7]

Type 2 Diabetes

Replacing refined grains with whole grains and eating at least 2 servings of whole grains daily may help to reduce type 2 diabetes risk. The fiber, nutrients, and phytochemicals in whole grains may improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism and slow the absorption of food, preventing blood sugar spikes. [8] In contrast, refined grains tend to have a high glycemic index and glycemic load with less fiber and nutrients.

• In a study of more than 160,000 women whose health and dietary habits were followed for up to 18 years, those who averaged 2 to 3 servings of whole grains a day were 30% less likely to have developed type 2 diabetes than those who rarely ate whole grains. [9] When the researchers combined these results with those of several other large studies, they found that eating an extra 2 servings of whole grains a day decreased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%.
• A follow-up to that study including men and women from the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study found that swapping white rice for whole grains could help lower diabetes risk. Those who ate the most white rice—five or more servings a week—had a 17% higher risk of diabetes than those who ate white rice less than one time a month. Those who ate the most brown rice—two or more servings a week—had an 11% lower risk of diabetes than those who rarely ate brown rice. Researchers estimate that swapping whole grains in place of even some white rice could lower diabetes risk by 36%. [10]
• A large study of more than 72,000 postmenopausal women without diabetes at the start of the study found that the higher the intake of whole grains, the greater the risk reduction of type 2 diabetes. A 43% reduced risk was found in women eating the highest amount of whole grains (2 or more servings daily) as compared with those who ate no whole grains. [11]

Cancer

The data on cancer are mixed, with some studies showing a protective effect of whole grains and others showing none. [12,13]

• A large five-year study among nearly 500,000 men and women suggests that eating whole grains, but not dietary fiber, offers modest protection against colorectal cancer. [14,15] A review of four large population studies also showed a protective effect of whole grains from colorectal cancer, with a cumulative risk reduction of 21%.  [16]

Digestive Health

By keeping the stool soft and bulky, the fiber in whole grains helps prevent constipation, a common, costly, and aggravating problem. It also helps prevent diverticular disease (diverticulosis) by decreasing pressure in the intestines. [17]

• A study of 170,776 women followed for more than 26 years looked at the effect of different dietary fibers, including that from whole grains, on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Though a reduced risk of Crohn’s disease was found in those eating high intakes of fruit fiber, there was no reduced risk of either disease found from eating whole grains. [18]

Some grains contain the naturally-occurring protein, gluten. While gluten can cause side effects in certain individuals, such as those with celiac disease, most people can and have eaten gluten most of their lives—without any adverse reaction. However, negative media attention on wheat and gluten has caused some people to doubt its place in a healthful diet, though there is little published research to support such claims. For further information on gluten and health, see: Gluten: A Benefit or Harm to the Body?

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/
2. Mozaffarian RS, Lee RM, Kennedy MA, Ludwig DS, Mozaffarian D, Gortmaker SL. Identifying whole grain foods: a comparison of different approaches for selecting more healthful whole grain products. Public Health Nutr. 2013;16:2255-64.
3. Wu H, Flint AJ, Qi Q, et al. Association between dietary whole grain intake and risk of mortality: two large prospective studies in US men and women. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175:373-84.
4. Jacobs DR, Jr., Andersen LF, Blomhoff R. Whole-grain consumption is associated with a reduced risk of noncardiovascular, noncancer death attributed to inflammatory diseases in the Iowa Women’s Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:1606-14.
5. Zong G, Gao A, Hu FB, Sun Q. Whole Grain Intake and Mortality From All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Circulation. 2016;133:2370-80.
6. Liu S, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB, et al. Whole-grain consumption and risk of coronary heart disease: results from the Nurses’ Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;70:412-9.
7. Mellen PB, Walsh TF, Herrington DM. Whole grain intake and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008;18:283-90.
8. Aune D, Norat T, Romundstad P, Vatten LJ. Whole grain and refined grain consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies. Eur J Epidemiol. 2013;28:845-58.
9. de Munter JS, Hu FB, Spiegelman D, Franz M, van Dam RM. Whole grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study and systematic review. PLoS Med. 2007;4:e261.
10. Sun Q, Spiegelman D, van Dam RM, et al. White rice, brown rice, and risk of type 2 diabetes in US men and women. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170:961-9.
11. Parker ED, Liu S, Van Horn L, et al. The association of whole grain consumption with incident type 2 diabetes: the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. Ann Epidemiol. 2013;23:321-7.
12. Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, et al. Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ. 2016;353:i2716.
13. Jacobs DR, Jr., Marquart L, Slavin J, Kushi LH. Whole-grain intake and cancer: an expanded review and meta-analysis. Nutr Cancer. 1998;30:85-96.
14. Schatzkin A, Mouw T, Park Y, et al. Dietary fiber and whole-grain consumption in relation to colorectal cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:1353-60.
15. Strayer L, Jacobs DR, Jr., Schairer C, Schatzkin A, Flood A. Dietary carbohydrate, glycemic index, and glycemic load and the risk of colorectal cancer in the BCDDP cohort. Cancer Causes Control. 2007;18:853-63.
16. Aune D, Chan DS, Lau R, et al. Dietary fibre, whole grains, and risk of colorectal cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ. 2011;343:d6617.
17. Strate LL, Keeley BR, Cao Y, Wu K, Giovannucci EL, Chan AT. Western Dietary Pattern Increases, and Prudent Dietary Pattern Decreases, Risk of Incident Diverticulitis in a Prospective Cohort Study. Gastroenterology. 2017;152:1023-30 e2.
18. Ananthakrishnan AN, Khalili H, Konijeti GG, et al. A prospective study of long-term intake of dietary fiber and risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology. 2013;145:970-7.

Terms of Use

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products.

Healthy Drinks | The Nutrition Source

In the beginning, there was water—abundant, refreshing, providing everything the body needs to replenish the fluids it loses. Humans relied on it as the only beverage for millions of years. Milk was introduced with the advent of agriculture and the domestication of animals. Then came beer and wine and coffee and tea, all consumed for taste and pleasure as much as for the fluids they provide. The newcomers—sugary beverages including soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks—offer hydration but with a hefty dose of unnecessary calories that the body may have a hard time regulating. Alternatively, “diet” drinks offer sweetness without the calories, but does that make them a healthy choice?

With so many options, it’s easy to be confused about which beverages are best for our health. Follow the links below for an in-depth look at each, but if you’re short on time, here’s the takeaway:

• Water is the best choice for quenching your thirst. Coffee and tea, without added sweeteners, are healthy choices, too.
• Some beverages should be limited or consumed in moderation, including fruit juice, milk, and those made with low-calorie sweeteners, like diet drinks. Alcohol in moderation can be healthy for some people, but not everyone.
• It’s generally best to avoid sugary drinks like soda, sports beverages, and energy drinks.

Terms of Use

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products.

The Smart Way to Fill Your Plate | Guide to Essential Nutrients

Eating your daily requirement of essential nutrients doesn’t just ward off disease — it also boosts your energy and mood, helping you feel your best every day. But what food groups and how much should you eat to be sure you’re getting the nutrients you need? It all starts with your plate.

Plate at the Ready

In 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) introduced a new tool called MyPlate to help Americans eat a healthier diet. The compartmentalized plate icon that’s part of the initiative makes it easy to determine how much of each food group you should be eating.

Per the USDA guidelines, you should create a healthy foundation for every meal by filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables. Divide the remaining half between a serving of grains — preferably whole grains — and a serving of lean protein. A serving of low-fat or fat-free dairy rounds out each meal.

You don’t need a special plate to use the MyPlate method, says Karyn Duggan, CNC, a certified nutrition consultant with One Medical Group in San Francisco. A regular dinner plate is about 10 inches in diameter, which means your food should fill about 8 inches or so. Using a smaller plate may be helpful if you are trying to eat smaller portions. Of course, serving sizes vary based on gender, age, level of physical activity, and body type.

Fuel up With Healthy Choices

Here, Duggan suggests how to vary the foods you choose within each food group to get a wide range of essential nutrients in your diet:

• Vegetables. When choosing veggies, think of it as sampling the rainbow — different colors indicate different nutrients. Try leafy greens such as spinach and kale, vibrant reds like tomatoes and peppers, and every shade in between. Crunchy options such as carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, celery, and zucchini are great eaten raw. Fulfill a craving for starches with high-fiber options such as butternut squash and sweet potatoes.
• Fruits. If possible, pick a rainbow when choosing fruits too. Select yellow pineapple and bananas to the reds and blues of various types of berries to green apples and kiwi. Fruit also makes a great snack when you’re craving something sweet.
• Protein. When it comes to picking protein for your plate, options abound. Lean meat, seafood, skinless poultry, beans and peas, eggs, nuts, and soy products are all nutrient-rich protein sources. The USDA guidelines recommend eating at least two servings of seafood, a high-quality protein choice, each week.
• Grains. Bread, cereal, pasta, oats, rice, barley, and other grains fall into this category. Duggan recommends whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain basmati rice, bulgur, and millet. Refined grains — white bread and pasta, as opposed to whole-wheat varieties — are processed to have a finer texture and longer shelf life, but a lot of the nutritional value is removed. The USDA recommends that at least half of your grains be whole grains.
• Dairy. Opt for low-fat or fat-free dairy selections (milk, cheese, yogurt) to get your dairy requirement. Choose lactose-free or soy options if you have sensitivities.
• Fats. Not technically a food group, healthy fats do provide essential nutrients and can come in lots of shapes and sizes, Duggan says. “They could be part of your protein — for example, wild salmon or mackerel — or part of your vegetable intake in the form of avocados, nuts, seeds, or olive oil (or another healthy, delicious oil, such as that of hazelnut or walnut).” On average, when it comes to oil, stick to no more than 6 teaspoons a day from all sources to limit fat intake, suggests the USDA.

Schedule Snack Time

Snacking is a good way to maintain your energy level throughout the day, plus healthy snacks help curb hunger and prevent overeating at mealtimes. Duggan encourages her clients to eat something every four to five hours.

You can also use snacks as a way to fill the gap when food groups are missing from your meals. Just avoid those filled with empty calories, which come from sugar and unhealthy fats.

Duggan’s go-to snacks include:

• Almond butter with an apple
• Peanut butter with celery
• Sunflower seeds with blueberries
• Greek yogurt with berries
• Hard-boiled egg

Step up to Supplements

More than half of the adults in the United States take dietary supplements to achieve better health, according to a report published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

While eating a healthy diet can help you get the essential nutrients you need, you may at times have nutritional gaps that may need to be filled by supplements. Also, if you have certain health conditions, such as food allergies or a weakened immune system, a supplement can help ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need, Duggan says. Just remember to talk to your doctor before taking any supplements on your own because some may negatively interact with medications you may be taking.

What Does a Healthy Meal Consist Of? | Healthy Eating

By Jessica Bruso Updated December 17, 2018

With all the nutrition advice that exists, it can be hard to focus on the basics of what you should eat if you want to be healthy. However, by following a few basic guidelines, you can get the nutrition you need without having to make a lot of calculations. Soon you will be easily planning nutritious meals for your family without having to put a lot of thought into which foods you should include.

Proportions

One of the easiest ways to plan a nutritious meal is to use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Choose My Plate. Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables — with vegetables taking up slightly more space than fruits and equal parts grains and proteins taking up the other half. Serve a glass of milk or a small portion of dairy on the side for a complete meal.

Foods to Include

Within each food group, some foods are more nutritious than others. Try to include more nutrient-dense foods on your plate. This means choosing whole grains instead of refined grains and low-fat protein and dairy instead of full-fat. Choose seafood or vegetarian-protein sources such as legumes for some meals, as these contain high levels of vitamins and minerals but very little fat. Vary the colors of fruits and vegetables you serve, as different colors indicate the presence of different nutrients. Eat more foods containing vitamins A and C, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, niacin, riboflavin and thiamine.

Foods to Limit

Foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar are less nutritious, so limit these foods when planning your meals. Processed foods tend to contain more of these unhealthy ingredients, so planning your meals around more whole foods and fewer processed foods will make it easier to keep your meals healthy. Refined grains should make up no more than half of your grain servings for the day. Total fat should provide less than 30 percent of your total daily calories, saturated fat less than 10 percent and trans fat less than 1 percent. Limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams per day if you are otherwise healthy and are under the age of 51; limit cholesterol to 300 milligrams; and limit added sugar to 6 teaspoons if you are a woman and 9 teaspoons if you are a man.

Portion Size

No matter how healthy a meal you plan, if you eat too much you will gain weight and increase your risk for obesity and related health problems such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Check nutrition labels to see what a serving is and how many calories a serving contains before eating foods, and become familiar with standard serving sizes. For example, one serving of meat equals 3 ounces, and a half cup equals one serving of grains, fruits or vegetables, except for raw green leafy vegetables, for which the serving size equals a cup. A cup of milk or yogurt is one serving of dairy, as is 1.5 ounces of hard cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese.

Healthy Eating Plan

What You Should Be Eating for Dinner, According to Dietitians

• Overeating or eating the wrong foods can lead to trouble sleeping.
• Three registered dietitians shared their specific dinner recommendations.
• A balanced meal consisting of foods you actually enjoy will keep you satiated and less likely to reach for a late-night snack.

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When it comes to dinner, overeating or eating too much of the wrong kinds of food can lead to trouble sleeping. On the flip side, a meal that is less than satiating can leave you wanting more and result in reaching for an unhealthy late-night snack even closer to bedtime.

INSIDER consulted with three registered dietitians to get their input on their favorite dinner choices.

An ideal dinner features a balance of vegetables, protein, grains, and healthy fat

Grilled salmon provides omega-3s and protein.

Jeremy Keith/Flickr

Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, and author of “The No-Brainer Nutrition Guide For Every Runner,” told INSIDER that these components “help you stay full and avoid late-night snacking.”

“The ideal plate is one-half vegetables, a quarter protein, and a quarter starches, such as grains or starchy vegetables,” said Rizzo.

She listed grilled salmon with quinoa and roasted vegetables, and a vegetable bowl with brown rice and tofu as prime examples. Healthy fats can be incorporated by cooking vegetables in extra-virgin olive oil or adding avocado.

Make your one-pot dish a hearty side for your healthier meal 

Consider serving mac and cheese as a side dish rather than the main course.

Larry Jacobsen/Flickr

As nice as it is to have fewer dishes to wash, a one-pot dinner can increase your likelihood for reaching for something else later. Kathryn Riner, pediatric dietitian and founder of Healthy Kids Nutrition, encourages people to include more than one food at dinner.

“I know mac and cheese can be a family favorite,” said Riner. “[But] instead of having a one-pot meal, perhaps mac and cheese can be a side dish to chicken or salmon with broccoli. Cut up a few apples and serve milk as a drink, and you have a balanced meal the entire family can enjoy.”

Other sample meals she recommended are salmon with broccoli and brown rice, and black bean and sweet potato quesadillas made with whole wheat tortillas.

Overall, your dinner should include foods you enjoy and find satisfying

It’s OK to occasionally treat yourself to your favorite foods.

Jonathan Knowles / Getty

Depriving yourself can lead to overeating, late-night snacking, and mindless eating and it’s for this reason that Riner encourages people to indulge in “fun” foods every once in a while.

“In order to avoid late-night snacking and cravings, it is important to include some fun foods (or what one may perceive as off limits) every once in a while,” said Riner. “Meaning, if we always order the healthiest thing on the menu but come home and graze on chips, perhaps we really wanted the burger and should have just enjoyed it in the first place.”

This dietitian-approved vegetarian meal incorporates protein and complex carbohydrates

Sweet potatoes make a healthy side to a protein-filled meal.

Anna Hoychuk/Shutterstock

Meredith Price, MS, RD, CDN, a vegetarian, typically eats a big side salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers dressed lightly in olive oil and balsamic vinegar), two to three pieces of baked BBQ tofu, and a side of baked sweet potato fries for dinner, with a big glass of water.

“Having a balanced meal like [this] one will reduce cravings because you’re giving your body what it needs — a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein,” said Price.

90,000 What a proper breakfast should be

People who skip breakfast can be met all the time. Some people do not want to sacrifice precious minutes of morning sleep in order to eat. And someone claims that they are not able to force themselves to eat at least some food after waking up. Many of us are unaware of how much we lose without eating breakfast. Even if your goal is to lose weight, do not neglect your morning meal.

Absolutely all doctors talk about the benefits of breakfast.There are a number of reasons not to abandon this process:

• Breakfast will give you strength and energy in the morning.
• Helps to improve mood.
• Strengthens the immune system.
• Will save you from the desire to have a snack with something high-calorie.
• Will help start the digestive tract.
• Tune your brain for productive work.

As you can see, eating in the morning will serve your body. You have enough energy reserves to do work, attend workouts, and at lunch you will not eat more than you need.Together with breakfast, the liver will receive the sugar it needs and will continue to work without interruption.

Organization of breakfast

To make breakfast useful, attention should be paid to its organization. The first thing after waking up, nutritionists recommend drinking a glass of warm water. You can add lemon juice there. This will wake up the body, give a start to the proper functioning of the intestines. After about half an hour, you can have breakfast. The systems of the human body adapt fairly well to new conditions.Therefore, soon your body will get used to receiving food in the morning, provided that this happens regularly.

Another aspect that is advised to observe is a moderate calorie breakfast. The meals you eat in the morning should not be too dense. So instead of cheerfulness, you will get weakness and lethargy. In addition, extra calories will quickly turn into extra pounds. But not having breakfast or just getting by with a cup of coffee is also not an option. This will negatively affect the general condition. In this case, the body will not receive the energy necessary for activity.

For those who say they cannot eat breakfast, it is better to start with small portions, gradually accustoming your body to the intake of food at this time of day. A beautiful table setting, pleasant music (but not a TV with news!), Delicious dishes can help in this. So breakfast will become associated with something pleasant.

Choosing products for the right breakfast

Overeating is harmful with any meal. This also applies to breakfast. Choosing high-calorie meals for breakfast is only for those who do hard physical work during the day.If your activity is moderate or practically absent, it is better to stop on light meals. But at the same time, carbohydrates and proteins must be present in them.

So what are the best breakfast foods? Here’s what nutritionists recommend:

• Whole grain cereals. The “right” slow carbohydrates will provide energy. Thanks to the fiber contained in unrefined grains, the stomach and intestines will function fully. In addition, dietary fiber fills the stomach, creating a feeling of fullness for a long time.Milk, dried fruits, nuts, honey can be added to cereals if desired.
• Muesli, wholemeal or bran bread. They are also a source of complex carbohydrates. Just remember that muesli must be free of sugar and synthetic additives. Milk will go well with them. Coarsely ground bread or with the addition of bran is well suited for sandwiches.
• Eggs. Can be prepared as you prefer. Vegetables or boiled meat can be added to scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs.With eggs, protein enters the body.
• Fermented milk products. Here the choice is quite rich – yoghurt, cottage cheese and products made from it, a variety of cheeses. The selection criterion is a reduced fat content and a minimum amount of sugar. It is better to add honey and dried fruits to cottage cheese or curd cakes, and yogurt must be natural, without fillers. Fermented milk products will replenish the reserves of protein and calcium, regulate the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Lean meat. Another source of protein. A piece of meat can be put on a whole grain sandwich, wrapped in pita bread, added to eggs or in a salad.You can just eat a small piece of meat. But keep in mind that this category does not include sausages, balyks, smoked meat. These foods are best avoided altogether, not just during breakfast.
• Vegetables. They contain healthy fiber and few calories. These can be baked or stewed vegetables. Alternatively, a fresh vegetable salad or vegetable smoothie. To prepare it, put the selected vegetables in a blender and grind them. If the drink is too thick, you can add water or kefir.
• Fruit. In addition to dietary fiber, they are rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, banana contains a lot of potassium. Fruit salads are seasoned with unsweetened yogurt or kefir. Can be sweetened with honey. Fresh juices and cocktails are also made from fruits. Only citrus juices are best not to drink on an empty stomach.
• Coffee and tea. These invigorating drinks will complement your breakfast perfectly. Choose natural coffee instead of instant coffee. Today there is ground coffee that can be brewed in a cup, instead of a turkey, just pour boiling water.The addition of spices will enrich the taste of the coffee. Prefer brewed tea, rather than packaged tea. It can be black, green, or herbal.

Obviously, the list of products that are available to prepare the right healthy breakfast is quite extensive. By combining the proposed products, you can get not only healthy, but also mouth-watering dishes.

But what is not good for breakfast:

• Sandwiches with butter and sausage.
• Cakes and pastries.
• Fried foods.
• Semi-finished products.
• Fast food dishes.

Adhering to the rules of making the right breakfast, you will take care of your body.

90,000 Food. Memo for teens | GBU RO “OTSOZS and R”

GBU RO “MEDICAL INFORMATION-ANALYTICAL CENTER”

RATIONAL FOOD IS A PLEDGE OF HEALTH

(memo for teenagers)

Proper nutrition in adolescence (from 10 to 18 years old) plays an important role in the formation of a maturing organism.During this period, significant changes occur in the body’s response to various environmental factors, puberty occurs, in the period from 10 to 13 years, an accelerated growth of the body is observed, from 13 to 16 years – the active formation of endocrine glands, a number of parts of the brain are formed. According to statistics, about 30% of chronic diseases in adolescents studying in general education institutions are associated with malnutrition.

The most important principle of rational nutrition for adolescents is compliance with the caloric content of the diet to the energy costs of the body.

Food is a “building material” necessary for the growth and development of the body. The consumption of heat and energy in a teenager is relatively higher than that of an adult. So, an adult needs an average of 40 – 42 kcal per day, a teenager – 50 – 52 kcal per 1 kg of body weight. Teenagers should receive at least 2900 – 3100 kcal per day, while the daily caloric intake is distributed by meals as follows: breakfast – 25%, lunch – 35 – 40%, afternoon snack – 10 – 20%, dinner – 20 – 25% …It is useful to give a teenager vinaigrette, radish, radish with sour cream or vegetable oil, tomatoes, fresh cucumber, green onions with sour cream or herring before meals. Vegetables stimulate appetite, promote the secretion of digestive juices and improve digestion.

• Insufficient calorie intake leads to rapid depletion and dysfunction of all organs and systems.

The diet of adolescents should be balanced in terms of the content of basic nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

The adolescent’s diet should be varied and include products of animal and plant origin. Proteins – the main component of any living cell – are used to build tissues and organs of the body: muscles, nerves, blood, brain, heart, etc. During the period of active growth, an increased amount of calcium is required, which is necessary for the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, therefore, it is necessary to include dairy products – cottage cheese, milk, kefir and yoghurts – in the diet of adolescents.In addition, the animal protein found in meat is the most important building material. The optimal ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates can be expressed as 1: 1: 4. a teenager should get 4 times more carbohydrates than proteins and fats. They are especially important for the formation of the body’s defenses – the so-called immune bodies. Under the influence of digestive juices in the gastrointestinal tract, proteins are broken down into simpler substances – amino acids. In cells and tissues, new proteins necessary for a given organism are formed from amino acids.The daily protein requirement for a teenager is 1 g. for 1kg. normal body weight. Fats and carbohydrates are the main sources of energy. Their amount in the diet of a teenager is reflected in his body weight. Milk fats are most valuable for teenagers: butter, cream, sour cream. They are well absorbed and are a source of vitamins A and D. The daily diet should also include 10 – 20 g of vegetable oil, which contains fatty acids important for a fast-growing body. In order to prevent acne, it is recommended to limit the consumption of foods with a high fat content. Carbohydrates are found mainly in plant products – sugar, bread, cereals, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, berries. With proper nutrition, a teenager should receive about 500 g of carbohydrates during the day.

• Unbalanced diet can develop obesity and physical retardation, diabetes mellitus and hypertension

A significant part of the minerals supplied with food is used for bone growth and teeth formation.The richest in calcium and phosphorus are milk, dairy products (especially cottage cheese, cheese) and vegetables. It is useful for teenagers to cook cheese cakes, dumplings, porridge with milk, milk soups, and it is imperative to give vegetable side dishes to meat and fish dishes. This will help regulate the correct calcium to phosphorus ratio. When combining products of plant and animal origin (for example, milk with cereals), the absorption of calcium is significantly increased. Phosphorus salts enter the body from animal and vegetable products (liver, brains, cheese, fish, beans, nuts, cereals, etc.)). They have a beneficial effect on the central nervous system, especially during periods of intense mental work.

• Lack of calcium and phosphorus salts in the diet leads to abnormal development of bones, tooth decay and disruption of the central nervous system.

Food should also contain salts of iron, iodine, potassium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, manganese, etc. Thus, iron is part of blood hemoglobin, sulfur is part of amino acids (cystine), iodine is part of thyroid hormone.The overwhelming amount of minerals contained in the body is found in the bones. Table salt gives food flavor, and is also used by the body to produce hydrochloric acid, which is part of gastric juice and plays an important role in the digestion of food. Food must contain very important organic substances – vitamins . They promote the chemical transformation of basic food products, and contribute to the normal growth and development of the body. Vitamin A is found in milk fats, butter, egg yolk, milk, fish oil, liver, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, apricots, persimmons, lettuce, spinach, rose hips, yellow corn. Vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) increases the digestibility of food, participates in metabolism and hematopoiesis, affects the growth of a teenager. Vitamin B2 is contained in milk and dairy products (cottage cheese, cheese), eggs, yeast. Vitamin C is found mainly in fresh vegetables, berries and fruits (onions, black currants, rose hips, lemon, orange, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage). A varied diet satisfies the body’s daily need for vitamins and minerals. Vitamin D is found in egg yolk, caviar, milk, butter and especially in fish oil.

• Deficiency of micronutrients – vitamins, microelements, polyunsaturated fatty acids leads to the development of immunodeficiency states.

Organization of a balanced diet provides for adherence to the daily regimen – a clear schedule of meals.

For normal growth and development, adolescents need a correct diet, which provides for strict adherence to the time of eating, its rational distribution by weight, calorie content and volume, i.e.e. adolescents’ nutrition should be fractional, regular and even. Eating at the same hours maintains a good appetite, promotes the timely release of gastric juice. The teenager should eat at least 4 times a day, i.e. every 3 to 4 hours.

• Long breaks between meals adversely affect the digestive function of the body, can cause fatigue, decreased performance, headache, form functional abnormalities and diseases.

Sample menu for teenagers

Ideally, the ratio of meals should be as follows: breakfast – 25%, lunch – 35-40%, afternoon tea – 15% and dinner – 20-25% of the total daily food volume.

For breakfast it is worth having hot meat dishes and snacks. For example, a vegetable or fruit salad, a sandwich with butter and cheese, You can drink it with hot tea, cocoa drink, jelly, rosehip infusion or compote.Coffee for teenagers is especially contraindicated in the morning. Ideally, it’s a porridge with milk, a stew or fish, or a casserole or vegetable stew.

At lunchtime , it is simply vital to sip the first, soup, chicken broth and so on. Necessarily hot second. Meat or fish with a garnish of vegetables or cereals. It is also useful to eat fresh fruit for lunch. Do not overuse porridge, this dish is enough once a day. But it is advisable to use different cereals in cereals.Be sure to include buckwheat, oatmeal and millet groats in the diet.

Teenage meals do not have to include afternoon tea. Firstly, it will replace unwanted snacks, and secondly, it will bring a lot of benefits to a growing body. The way it should consist of dairy and bakery products.

Dinner should be light, so as not to overload the stomach at night. It can be casserole, light porridge, omelet. And just before going to bed, it is very good to drink a glass of cold milk and better with honey.

Product groups

There are six groups of products that are simply vital for the full growth and development of a teenager.

1. Complex carbohydrates. These are the main suppliers of energy, which is so necessary for rapid growth. They are found in cereals and grains.

2. Foods containing protein. This is animal meat, poultry and fish. Protein is the main building block for soft tissues and internal organs.And, by the way, meat, especially red meat, contains iron, if not enough, a teenager may become anemic.

3. Vegetable cellulose. These are nothing more than vegetables, roots and fruits. Fiber is essential for normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cleansing the body of toxins thanks to the natural antioxidants contained in these products.

4. Vegetable fats. These are vegetable oils and various nuts. Eating these foods can be great for helping your teenager avoid hair loss and brittle nails that are common at this age.

5. Milk and fermented milk products. They are irreplaceable suppliers of calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus in adolescent nutrition.

6. Pure drinking water. For normal functioning of the body, you need to drink an amount of water per day at the rate of 30 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

And if the younger generation adheres to these simple dietary recommendations, health and normal development will be ensured.

By the way, if at this age a person does not get used to healthy food and does not start eating right, then it will be quite difficult to change his habits and eating habits with age.And the problems associated with improper nutrition can manifest itself not only in excess weight, but various diseases can also occur.

Power mode

14-16 years is a time of active growth, which is accompanied by increased appetite. The task of parents is to explain to the teenager the harm of irregular dry food, to find an alternative to chips and buns, for example, dried fruits and nuts.

Meals should be four times a day:

1. Breakfast – 25%;
2. Lunch – 35-40%,
3. Afternoon snack – 15%,
4. Dinner – 20-25% of the daily nutrient requirements.

• Breakfast should include an appetizer, a hot meal and a drink. As a snack, vegetables or fruits, cheese or cottage cheese, eggs, salads can be. As a hot porridge, vegetable stew, meat, fish. Drink in the form of hot tea, compote, jelly, milk.

Breakfast options for teenagers:

1. Curd casserole with raisins or chocolate sauce.
2. Oatmeal porridge, milk with dried fruits or berries.
3. Millet milk porridge with pumpkin, banana, apple or raisins.
4. Scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs, with meat, green pot or vegetables.
5. Cottage cheese pancakes with sour cream or jam and yogurt.
6. Milk buckwheat porridge with vegetables.

• The child receives lunch more often at school. It should consist of soup, a second course (a side dish with meat or fish), a third can be a drink with cookies, yogurt, etc.
• For an afternoon snack, the child can be given fruit, cottage cheese, vegetable salad.
• For dinner you can cook:

1. Meat cutlets with vegetables;
2. Cottage cheese casserole with apples;
3. Omelet with pasta;
4. Porridge with dried fruits;
5. Dumplings with jam or berries and fruits;
6. Fish soufflé with stewed carrots.

Before going to bed, as an option, you can offer a glass of kefir, milk.

The calorie content of food is calculated as follows: about 1.8 kcal should be consumed per 1 kg of body weight. This means that a teenager should eat about 3000 calories per day, and with increased physical activity – 3500 kcal. Boys during this period have a particularly high need for energy, and it is not uncommon for others to be struck by their increased appetite.

Quality food composition

The qualitative composition of food is as follows: the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates – 1: 1: 4.

Proteins

The average protein requirement per 1 kg per day is 2–1.5 g, moreover, 50% of this should be animal protein (beef and poultry meat, fish, dairy products). It is of prime importance as it is the structural material for growth and the immune system, essential for muscle strength. With a lack of protein in the body, the brain suffers, memory and mental abilities decrease, the child gets tired faster, and the immune system cannot cope with infections.

Dairy products, in addition to high levels of protein, are rich in calcium, and meat is the main source of iron, while fish is rich in phosphorus and minerals.

Note! Protein content per 100 g of product:

• Meat – 25 g,
• Hard cheese – 25 g,
• Fish – 20 g,
• Milk – 3 g,
• Eggs – 12 g,
• Nuts – 28 g,
• Bread – 8 g,
• Beans and peas – 5 g.

Fats

The daily fat requirement is about 100 g.For a teenager, the role of fats is to synthesize sex and other steroid hormones. Vegetable oils, butter and sour cream are more useful. Vegetable fats are beneficial due to the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and animals – due to fat-soluble vitamins such as A and D. 70% of the incoming fats should be vegetable and only 30% – of animal origin.

Note! Sources of vegetable fats:

• Vegetable oils (99.9% fat),
• Nuts (50-60%),
• Oatmeal (7%) and buckwheat (3%) groats.

Animal fat sources:

• Lard (90% fat),
• Butter (75%),
• Sour cream (about 30%),
• Cheese (15-30%).

Carbohydrates

The daily requirement for carbohydrates is 10-15 g per 1 kg of body weight (depending on physical activity, ambient temperature, etc.). The main function of carbohydrates is to meet the energy needs of the body.Sources of healthy carbohydrates for a child are cereals, vegetables, bread, legumes, herbs, fruits, berries, and not rolls, cakes and candies. Vegetables are also the main source of vitamins and minerals, and the dietary fiber they contain normalizes intestinal motility. You can read about how to choose fresh and healthy vegetables and fruits in our respective articles.

Liquid

The water requirement of children and adolescents is higher than that of adults, and amounts to 50 ml per 1 kg of body weight (for adults – 30–40 ml).It is useful to drink mineral water, teas, decoctions of herbs and dried fruits, vegetable and fruit juices. Carbonated drinks are not able to quench your thirst, they irritate the stomach lining, promote the leaching of calcium from bones and teeth, and can cause allergic reactions.

Norms of consumption of vitamins, macro- and microelements for a teenager

A teenager must necessarily receive the necessary amount of macro- and microelements, vitamins with food. In the summer, it is enough to eat a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits (berries), and in the winter-spring period you can take a course of vitamin preparations.It is believed that by eating six fruits of different colors a day, we fill the need for all the necessary vitamins and minerals!

Calcium (1.2 g / day) and magnesium (300 mg / day) are needed to build bones and teeth, magnesium also relieves the excitability of the nervous system, helps to cope with insomnia, and has a beneficial effect on the heart muscle.

Phosphorus (1.8 g / day) is necessary for metabolism, normal functioning of the nervous system and brain, muscles, liver and kidneys.

Iron (15-18 mg / day) is necessary for hematopoiesis, saturation of the body with oxygen.

Sodium (4 g / day), chlorine and potassium (4 g / day) normalize water-salt metabolism, acid-base balance, potassium removes excess water and sodium from the body.

Iodine (130 mcg / day) is necessary for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.

Fluorine (2-3 mg / day) is involved in the construction of bones and teeth.

Vitamins are needed for the normal course of metabolic processes and the vital activity of the body as a whole. They participate in various biochemical processes, ensure the physical and mental performance of a teenager, strengthen the immune system.

Daily value of vitamins for adolescents:

• A – 1.5 mg;
• B1 – 1.8 mg;
• B2 – 2.5 mg;
• B6 – 2.0 mg;
• B12 – 3.0 μg;
• PP – 19 mg;
• C – 75 mg;
• E – 15 mg;
• D – 2.5 mg.

90,000 Healthy food for the student.

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Pyramid of healthy nutrition

Composing a full-fledged diet of a schoolchild requires a deep approach, taking into account the specifics of the child’s body.Mastering school programs requires high mental activity from children. A small person who is familiar with knowledge not only performs hard work, but at the same time grows, develops, and for all this he must receive adequate nutrition. Strenuous mental activity, unusual for first graders, is associated with a significant expenditure of energy.

A modern schoolchild, according to nutritionists, should eat at least four times a day, and there must be a hot dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner.For a growing body, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, fermented milk products are required – sources of calcium and protein. The deficiency of calcium and phosphorus will also help to make up for fish dishes. As a side dish, it is better to use not potatoes or pasta, but stewed or boiled vegetables (cabbage, beets, onions, carrots, legumes, garlic and cabbage). During the day, schoolchildren should drink at least one to one and a half liters of liquid, but not carbonated water, but fruit or vegetable juices.

Parents have high hopes for the right breakfast – after all, they personally control this process and can be absolutely sure that at least once a day the child has eaten properly.However, not everyone knows which breakfast is the most valuable for a student.

In addition to sweet tea, jam and confectionery, the morning breakfast of schoolchildren must necessarily include baked goods, cereals (oatmeal has proven itself the best), pasta, fresh vegetables, apples rich in fiber and pectin are preferred from fruits. These are complex forms of carbohydrates, the supply of which is necessary for the child. It is better to distribute the rest of the carbohydrates to intermediate meals during the school day: fruit drinks, tea, coffee, buns, cookies, sweets will ensure a constant supply of fresh portions of glucose into the blood and will stimulate the mental activity of schoolchildren.

The second most important food component needed to meet the energy needs of schoolchildren is fats. They account for 20 to 30% of the total daily energy consumption.

The schoolchild’s diet should contain the required amounts of fiber – a mixture of indigestible substances that are found in the stems, leaves and fruits of plants. It is essential for normal digestion.

Proteins are the main material that is used to build the tissues and organs of the child.Proteins differ from fats and carbohydrates in that they contain nitrogen, so proteins cannot be replaced by any other substance.

Schoolchildren 7-11 years old should receive 70-80 g of protein per day, or 2.5-3 g per 1 kg of body weight, and students 12-17 years old – 90-100 g, or 2-2.5 g per 1 kg weight.

Children and adolescents – young athletes with increased physical activity (including participants in hiking trips) need to increase the daily protein intake to 116-120 g at the age of 10-13 years.and up to 132-140 g at the age of 14-17 years.

The quality features of proteins are taken into account in baby food. Thus, the proportion of proteins of animal origin in the diet of school-age children is 65-60%, in adults — 50%. Milk protein meets the needs of the child’s body to the greatest extent, as well as all other components of milk. In this regard, milk should be considered as a mandatory, non-replaceable baby food product. For schoolchildren, the daily milk requirement is 500 ml.It should be borne in mind that 100 g of milk corresponds to 12 g of powdered milk or 25 g of condensed milk.

Essential amino acids: lysine, tryptophan and histidine are considered as growth factors. The best suppliers are meat, fish and eggs.

Food is the only source from which the child receives the necessary plastic material and energy. The normal functioning of the brain and body depends mainly on the quality of the food consumed. It is useful for parents to know that a child’s “difficult” nature is often the result of poor nutrition, that proper nutrition improves mental abilities, develops memory in children and thus makes learning easier for him.

Provision of rational nutrition for schoolchildren is one of the leading conditions for their correct harmonious development. The school period, covering the age from 7 to 17 years, is characterized by intensive growth processes, an increase in the bone skeleton and muscles, a complex restructuring of metabolism, the activity of the endocrine system, and the brain. These processes are associated with the final maturation and formation of a person.

The peculiarities of this age period also include a significant mental stress of students due to an increase in the flow of information, the complication of school programs, a combination of activities with additional loads (extracurricular activities, circles, homework).
To ensure all these complex life processes, a schoolchild needs good nutrition, which will cover the increased needs of his body for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and energy. These indicators vary significantly depending on age, gender, type of activity, living conditions. At school age, children should receive biologically complete foods rich in proteins, mineral salts and vitamins.
It is especially important for the growing body of a child to include a sufficient amount of protein.
Proteins of animal origin should be at least 50-60% of the total amount of protein, depending on the load and living conditions of the child. With a protein deficiency in children, dysfunctions of the cerebral cortex are often noted, working capacity decreases, fatigue easily occurs, and academic performance deteriorates.
In the nutrition of school-age children, a large place should be taken by foods rich in protein : eggs, meat, fish, nuts, oatmeal, buckwheat. Every day, the school menu requires dairy and sour milk products (cottage cheese, yogurt, milk), eggs, meat and fish products.When choosing products, one cannot ignore the fact that children need easily digestible food, because the digestive ability of their digestive juices is weak. Dairy products are the main sources of minerals, vitamins and proteins. Preference should be given to fermented milk products that have a beneficial effect on digestion. Especially if the child suffers from dysbiosis and has an intolerance to whole milk. Lactic acid and other bactericidal substances contained in fermented milk products inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes.For example, the use of the Bifidok drink in hot weather leads to a decrease in the incidence of dysbiosis.
Bread is best eaten with rye or with bran, as it contains 30% more iron, twice as much potassium and the second more magnesium than white bread.

Vegetables – an essential source of vitamins and minerals. The diet should contain up to 50% of raw vegetables and fruits. It should be borne in mind that vegetables and fruits must be included every time and must be consumed before meals, but not after.Eating fruits and vegetables after meals contributes to a long delay in food masses, enhances the fermentation process, which can subsequently lead to chronic diseases of the digestive system.
Great care is needed in providing the student with a wholesome breakfast. In the morning, the child’s body consumes energy intensively, so breakfast should contain enough nutrients and calories to cover the upcoming energy costs. It must necessarily contain a hot dish, cottage cheese, egg, meat, cereal.Lunch should include the maximum amount of vegetables, including raw ones. Dinner mainly consists of dairy, cereal, vegetable, cottage cheese and egg dishes; before bedtime, meat or fish dishes are not recommended, since food rich in protein stimulates the child’s nervous system and is slowly digested. At the same time, children sleep restlessly and do not rest well during the night.
Phosphorus, sulfur, copper, zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium are required for the normal functioning of the brain. Phosphorus and phosphorus compounds contribute to the formation of brain cells, sulfur is needed to saturate them with oxygen.Brain vitamin – vitamin E, as well as: vitamins B1, B2, B6.
In this regard, it will be useful for you to know which food products contain the above microelements and vitamins. These are: potatoes, parsley, mint, horseradish, beef, brains, carrots, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, cherries, currants, dried fruits, egg yolk, gooseberries, grapes, liver, dairy products, mushrooms, olive oil, oranges, peas, raspberries , strawberries, soybeans, turnip tops, wheat germ, wholemeal bread.

Principles of balanced nutrition

• if you limit carbohydrates, proteins and fats will go into the “furnace”, when they decompose, harmful substances are formed, poisoning of the body occurs;
• there is little protein in food – immunity suffers (endless colds!), The skin becomes dry and flabby, hair dull, and nails brittle; we lose weight due to the loss of muscle protein;
• absolutely no fat is impossible – they are necessary for the liver, the absorption of many vitamins, the burning of fat reserves; but fat should be in food no more than 25% of the daily calorie content; fatty meats, milk, fried foods and pastry contain harmful fats, seafood and vegetable oils contain healthy fats;
• The cooking process should take place in such a way as to preserve the maximum of nutrients in the products, therefore it is better to steam, boil or stew food; it is better to refuse fried food.

Fish and seafood are healthy foods.
Fish protein is well absorbed, and our cells are built from it. Fatty fish (salmon, herring, sardines) contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that burn excess fat. Any fish contains a lot of vitamins and minerals.
Vegetables are life extension.
Vegetables contain fiber and pectin, which play an important role in the normalization of digestion. And our health and longevity depends on how our digestive tract works.The protein content in vegetables is low, with the exception of legumes (peas, beans, soybeans), which contain up to 20% protein, which is close in its amino acid composition to animal protein.
Vegetables are a source of vitamins C, A, group B. Vegetables also contain a large amount of minerals, organic acids, essential oils, phytoncides, tannins and other substances. Most vegetables contain potassium salts, trace elements (iron, copper, cobalt, zinc, etc.), so necessary for the body to maintain vital functions.
Everyone knows that fruit is good for you.
They contain carbohydrates that we can consume without harm to health, replacing them with sweets. Stone fruits (apricots, peaches, cherries) contain a lot of glucose and sucrose, pome fruits (pears, apples) – fructose. All fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals, the value of which is due to their good digestibility. Peaches, bananas and apricots contain a lot of potassium, which is so necessary for our heart to function. The source of iron in combination with ascorbic acid (iron in this combination is better absorbed) are apples, pears, plums.Dietary fiber is represented in fruit by pectins, which normalize the intestinal microflora, suppressing putrefactive processes, and remove toxic substances.

Complete and properly organized nutrition is a prerequisite for a long and fulfilling life, the absence of many diseases.

We, parents, are responsible for how our children are fed.

HEALTHY FOOD RULES:

1. A child should eat a variety of foods.A child’s daily diet should contain about 15 different types of food. During the week, the diet should include at least 30 different types of food.
2. The following foods should be present in the child’s diet every day: meat, butter, milk, bread, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits. A number of products: fish, eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese and other fermented milk products, cheese – do not have to be included in the diet every day, but must be present 2-3 times during the week.
3. The child must eat at least 4 times a day.
   Students in the first shift at 7: 30-8: 30 should receive breakfast (at home, before leaving for school), at 11: 00-12: 00 – a hot breakfast at school, at 14: 30-15: 30 – after graduation lessons – lunch at school (mandatory for students of extended day groups) or at home, and at 19: 00-19: 30 – dinner (at home).
   Students in the second shift at 8: 00-8: 30 should receive breakfast (at home), at 12: 30-13: 00 – lunch (at home, before leaving for school), at 16: 00-16: 30 – hot meals at school (afternoon snack), at 19: 30-20: 00-dinner (at home).
4. Iodized salt should be consumed.
5. In the off-season (autumn – winter, winter – spring), the child should receive vitamin and mineral complexes recommended for children of the appropriate age.
6. To enrich the diet of schoolchildren with vitamin “C”, we recommend that you provide daily intake of rosehip decoction.
7. Eating should take place in a relaxed environment.
8. If a child is underweight or overweight (this information can be obtained from the school’s medical worker), a doctor’s consultation is necessary, since in this case the child’s diet must be adjusted taking into account the degree of deviation of physical development from the norm.
9. The diet of a student playing sports should be adjusted taking into account the amount of physical activity.

It is recommended to eat food consisting of 15-20% protein, 20-30% fat, 50-55% carbohydrates contained in vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts.

Food is poorly digested (cannot be taken):

• When there is no feeling of hunger.
• In case of severe fatigue.
• In case of illness.
• With negative emotions, anxiety and anger, jealousy.
• Before starting hard physical work.
• With overheating and severe chills.
• When in a hurry.
• Do not drink any food.
• Do not eat sweets after eating, as digestion is blocked and the fermentation process begins.

Recommendations:

• Everything should be in moderation in the power supply;
• Food should be varied;
• Food must be warm;
• Chew food thoroughly;
• There are vegetables and fruits;
• Eat 3-4 times a day;
• Do not eat before bedtime;
• Do not eat smoked, fried or spicy foods;
• Do not eat dry food;
• There are fewer sweets;
• Do not snack on chips, croutons, etc.p.

Healthy eating is
restriction of fats and salt, an increase in the diet of fruits, cereals, flour products, legumes, low-fat dairy products, fish, lean meat.

And also …
Moderation.
Four meals a day.
Variety.
Biological usefulness.

BE HEALTHY !!!

HEALTHY FOOD AS A LIFESTYLE

Healthy and proper nutrition is one of the aspects, the basis of a healthy lifestyle.This food is varied, rich in vegetables, fruits, regular without haste. Healthy eating is not a diet, but a daily choice of foods and healthy eating principles. Food contains basic nutrients that are building materials for the human body, a source of energy that our body spends not only during physical exertion, but also at rest. It is the food that we eat that ensures the development and constant renewal of cells and tissues of the body, strengthens the immune system.Nutrition should correspond to the principle of energy balance, if a person consumes more calories than he spends, obesity develops. Meals should be moderate and balanced. The modern model of healthy eating is in the form of a pyramid. Products in it are arranged in descending order of their needs and are divided into 4 groups: Group 1 – grain products (cereals, cereals, flour products) (40%) Group 2 – fresh vegetables, including greens and fruits (35%) Group 3 – protein foods: dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes (20%) group 4 – fats and sweets (5%).In addition to the modern model of healthy eating, there are principles of proper (healthy) nutrition. The basic principles of proper (healthy) nutrition: 1. Drink water. It sounds amazing, but it is water that is the basis of proper nutrition and the key to healthy weight loss. Man consists of about 70% water. It participates in all metabolic processes, helps to assimilate nutrients and remove “waste” – slags and toxins. You should drink no later than half an hour before meals, and 40-60 minutes after eating.And always clean water – no other liquids like tea, coffee, juice, compote or kefir are suitable for this purpose. The body needs to receive at least 30–35 ml of liquid per 1 kg of body weight per day. 2. Balance. The essence of this most important principle of proper nutrition is that food should contain a sufficient amount of all the nutrients the body needs: macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). The former are needed in large quantities, the latter are needed in limited quantities.If even one nutrient is not supplied to the body in the proper volume, the body cannot function normally. The correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is the basis of proper nutrition for weight loss. 3. Energy balance: There is a simple scheme here: 1. To gain weight, you need to consume more energy than you spend. 2. To lose weight, you need to consume less energy than you spend. 3. To maintain weight – you need to consume and spend the same amount of energy. 4. Mode. To “speed up” your metabolism, eat a little, but often, every day at the same time.Breakfast – within the first hour after waking up, dinner – no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime. Between the first and last meals, there should be a full meal and healthy snacks, also at regular intervals (every 2.5-3 hours). 5. Variety of Foods As we mentioned above, the body needs a lot of nutrients every day. To get the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals from food, make your diet varied – include different types of vegetables and fruits, cereals, proteins – both animal and vegetable.The wider the menu, the more nutrients will enter your body. 6. Eliminate harmful When composing your diet, exclude from it: 1. Sweet and starchy foods: fast food, chocolate bars, sweets, cakes and cookies, juices from the supermarket, soda, and so on. Once consumed, simple carbohydrates are converted to glucose, which is then used as an energy source or stored with insulin as glycogen in the liver and muscles. If glycogen stores are overflowed, glucose is converted to fat – subcutaneous and internal.Large amounts of simple carbohydrates reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin, it stops storing glycogen, and then all the sugar eaten is deposited on the sides. It is important to avoid spikes in blood sugar so that your insulin sensitivity does not decrease. 2. Trans fats: butter, margarine, mayonnaise, low-quality chocolate, fast food, deep-fried foods. Trans fats are byproducts that result from the hydrogenation of hard fats. Trans fats are present in small amounts in natural oils (from 2 to 8%).While in industrially produced hydrogenated oils, their share can rise to 67%. Such a high concentration of trans fats in the diet is a direct path to metabolic disorders, accumulation of toxins in cells and, as a result, the appearance of various diseases. 3. Products with a large amount of harmful additives (dyes, substitutes and flavor enhancers, preservatives): sauces, ketchup, instant food, sausages, sausages, crab sticks, chips, croutons and so on.7. Correctly compose a diet When composing a diet, be guided by a few simple rules: 1) 80% of carbohydrates from the daily requirement should be eaten in the first half of the day, so that they have time to be consumed during the day. 2) If you want to eat something of the forbidden foods, you need to do it before lunch, but not for breakfast (so as not to start the “swing” with insulin jumps). 3) A proper breakfast is slow carbohydrates (cereals with the exception of white rice, whole grain bread, durum pasta, and so on).4) The most satisfying and high-calorie meal is lunch. 5) A proper dinner should consist of proteins (white meat, fish and seafood, eggs, cottage cheese) and fiber (vegetables). Carbohydrates should be minimized or eliminated. 8. Method of preparation Even the most useful product can harm the body and figure if it is improperly cooked. Foods fried in oil or deep fried are high in unhealthy trans fats and extra calories. Therefore, if you are determined to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition, switch to alternative methods of cooking familiar foods: boil, simmer, steam, bake in the oven, in extreme cases – fry in a dry frying pan without adding oil.9. Minimum salt Salt retains water in the body, which leads to edema, disrupts metabolism, negatively affects the cardiovascular system. True, you should not completely exclude it from the diet either – salt provides the body with important minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium). Therefore, it is important to observe the golden mean – there is exactly as much as the body needs. According to the principles of good nutrition, you should eat about 5 to 10 grams of salt per day. This amount is enough for the body to receive all the necessary nutrients, but at the same time there is no oversaturation.10. More greens, vegetables and fruits Greens are the most important food in every person’s diet. We recommend reading a separate article on this topic on our website. Fresh herbs have tremendous nutritional value. In addition to a healthy set of vitamins and minerals, it contains all the necessary amino acids in an easily available form, so that the body does not need to expend energy, as when assimilating them from meat. In addition, greens contain a large amount of insoluble fiber, which is the main “broom” for our body, absorbing like a sponge and removing all harmful and unnecessary in a natural way.In addition to greens, it is necessary to include in the diet the daily intake of vegetables and fruits. 300 g of fresh vegetables and fruits daily – and the chances that you will ever complain about your health will drastically decrease. Be careful with fruits after meals and in the afternoon Tip 1: never eat fruit for dessert, especially after eating protein foods. You will not get benefits, but problems with digestion, since fruits, instead of quickly going through the gastrointestinal tract, performing their cleansing and restorative work, will linger for a long time in the stomach and intestines, provoking fermentation and decay processes.The ideal option is to consume the fruit separately as a snack. But if you really can’t wait to combine them with the main meal, then it is better to eat fruits, like vegetable salads, as an “aperitif” – before meals, not after. Tip 2: Eat fruit in the morning. Fruits, although not simple carbohydrates, contain a large amount of sugar. And any sugar-containing product inevitably causes a sharp jump in insulin in the blood, which unnecessarily burdens the body, especially in the evening.11. Chew food thoroughly. Chewing food has been proven to help you lose weight. Our gastrointestinal tract breaks down only those nutrients that are in solution. Large pieces of food dissolve under the influence of gastric and pancreatic juices, as well as bile. But the digestion time is significantly increased. It turns out that the better the food is chopped, the higher the efficiency of the digestive system. In addition, chewing thoroughly will help you fill up with less food, which means you can cut back on your calories.Following the principles (rules) of a healthy diet, combined with exercise, reduces the risk of chronic diseases and disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Eat right and stay healthy! Doctor ONPN E.N. Moiseeva

90,000 Nutritionist named 7 golden rules for combining food and healthy eating

Scientists have identified seven golden rules for healthy eating that will help your digestive system function smoothly.

Eating pleasure

The author of books on proper nutrition, Doctor of Medicine Elena Sklyanskaya believes: in order not to exhaust yourself with diets and not be afraid of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, you must adhere to a menu of products that are combined with each other.

For example, , foods containing animal protein , are great for with greens and vegetables , as they promote good protein digestion and the removal of toxic compounds.

You should not eat foods that contain different proteins , since each of them has its own characteristics during digestion. One example is porridge with milk or kefir with bread.

Eat fruit 30 minutes before meals , or 3-4 hours after. Do not mix sweet with sour, but semi-sweet are good with both fruits. Berries can be eaten with sour cream, but without sugar.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner – compulsory

Don’t eat many different foods at one meal.
It is difficult for the stomach to digest them, since each product requires its own enzyme.

Eat food at the same time , eat 4-5 times a day, but little by little. There must be breakfast, lunch and dinner. And a couple more snacks at noon and at 5 o’clock.

Foods that are too cold or too hot are harmful to the digestion. Hot acts on the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach as a slow suicide. You can damage the lining of the esophagus or stomach.A tumor may develop.

Pamper yourself in season

Observe seasonality in your diet . In winter and autumn, the body needs foods rich in proteins and fats: legumes, whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, cabbage, pumpkin, greens. In the summer, be sure to have more berries, and in the spring – salads and soups from wild herbs.

At any time of the year, eat as many raw vegetables and fruits as possible.They stimulate metabolic processes to a much greater extent than boiled ones, this has been proven by many studies.Especially such nutrition is necessary for the elderly, since the intensity of metabolic processes decreases markedly with age.

When, how much and how should we eat

You’ve probably wondered more than once what a “happy” weight is. It’s simple: it’s the weight that allows you to feel light, free and comfortable in your body, exercise and eat well. Food should be a pleasure, but quite often we forget about it and spoil it ourselves, falling into the net of remorse, worrying about appearance.However, striving for an ephemeral ideal is not only difficult, but also dangerous to health. Therefore, we have compiled a 90,079 list of rules that you should pay attention to in order to stay in shape and not harm yourself.

1. Whoever says anything, but you need to remember that it is more beneficial both for the stomach and for the body as a whole, there are only three times a day. This is because the stomach, like any other organ, needs rest.

2. Nutritionists advise not to sit down at the table if you are not hungry, and not to drink if you do not feel thirsty.It is also advisable not to drink anything while eating.

3. Oddly enough, you should never drink or eat anything too hot or too cold.

4. Avoid eating after intense physical or mental stress. Refrain from strenuous movements and mental work after eating.

5. Remember that at the table you should satisfy your hunger, but not gorge yourself until you completely lose your appetite. Sit down at the table only when you feel hungry, and eat only at certain times.

6. As for the meal, it is important to remember that the stomach must remain completely empty for at least an hour before the next meal. For people who are not engaged in heavy physical work, it is more than enough to eat 3 times a day.

First meal – at 7-8 o’clock in the morning. Breakfast should be light (milk, bran bread, butter, oatmeal soup with bran flour bread). Second reception – from 12.00 to 13.00 (soup with various additions, oatmeal, herbs, potatoes, milk, eggs, bran bread). Third appointment – best at 7-8 pm. In terms of the quality and quantity of food eaten, dinner should be similar to breakfast, that is, it should consist of easily digestible dishes.

If your work is also associated with physical activity, you can add two more intermediate meals to your diet: lunch – about 10 hours and afternoon – at 16.00.

90,000 Healthy food ration – News – Department of social protection of the population of Zvenigorod

I feel great every day

Do you want to talk about yourself like that? Then choose a healthy diet. It is difficult to switch to proper nutrition overnight. Any habit is formed within a few weeks. The main thing is to start and not back down from your decision.

Consider your health and food needs when planning your diet.Proper nutrition is a competent planning of the menu without overeating and starving. Every 3-4 hours the body needs to replenish energy reserves, so eat fractionally: 4-5 times a day in small portions. With the frequent intake of food into the stomach, the digestive organs work without tension, they can easily cope with new portions. Eat at about the same time every day. Then you will train your stomach to secrete digestive enzymes in a timely manner and in the right amount.

Breakfast should make up 25-30% of the calorie content of the daily diet, lunch – 30-35%, dinner should account for 20-25%.Have snacks between meals, such as fruits, salads, and low-fat dairy products.

The basis of the diet (about 2/3) – products of plant origin: vegetables, fruits and grains. About a third of the diet should be protein sources: meat, fish, poultry, legumes. In addition, the body needs to receive 2-3 servings of dairy products and 2-3 tbsp daily. l. vegetable oil. We also need about 2 liters of liquid in our drinks.

Healthy person’s menu

Our diet should consist of products of animal and vegetable origin.They are equally necessary for the body. Animal products contain essential amino acids, vitamins A and B, iron, calcium, zinc and copper, plant products – vegetable protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins (C, P, K, B6, etc.), minerals (calcium , potassium, magnesium, etc.), dietary fiber and biologically active substances.

Several times a day it is necessary to eat cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and legumes. Cereals and potatoes are rich in protein, minerals and vitamins and are low in fat.Whole grain bread is full of B vitamins, iron, dietary fiber. Wheat, bran, rye bread, wholemeal bread is very useful, but it is better to limit white bread made from refined flour.

Residents of countries that eat at least 400 g of vegetables and fruits per day are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, vitamin deficiencies and even cancer. Fresh vegetables and fruits can be eaten without fear of obesity. They saturate the body with vitamins C, group B, trace elements and minerals: potassium, magnesium and calcium, trace elements and dietary fiber.

But it is better to limit fats. They are high in calories. Fatty foods should make up no more than 30% of the calorie content of the daily diet. Excessive use of them causes cardiovascular disease and obesity. Give preference to vegetable fats, limit the consumption of fatty meats and poultry, high-fat dairy products, smoked and fried foods. At the same time, be sure to leave or add lean meat, liver, poultry, fish, seafood and low-fat dairy products, eggs, legumes and nuts to the menu.They are rich in essential fatty acids, without which our body cannot assimilate vitamins A, D, E and K.

Include milk and fermented milk products in your daily diet. Their microflora contributes to proper digestion. Dairy products – suppliers of complete, easily digestible milk proteins, vitamins A, B2, D and calcium and phosphorus compounds. But with sour cream and cream, you need to be careful. They contain an abundance of saturated fat – it is better to give preference to kefir, soft cottage cheese or low-fat yogurt.

And a hot topic for many is the restriction in the diet of sugar and salt. Do not strive to give up the “white death” in one day: gradually switch to fruits, get rid of the habit of constantly adding salt to food. And you will feel the difference. For example, people with a sweet tooth often suffer from tooth decay. People who consume a lot of salt are at risk of high blood pressure and stroke. The daily norm of salt is 5-6 g, sugar is no more than 10% of the total calorie content.

How to switch to a healthy diet

• eat only high-quality food;
• Eat as many raw vegetables, fruits and greens as possible.During the season, they contain a lot of vitamins;
• give preference to boiled, stewed or steamed food;
• Cut back on fried, smoked, pickled foods. Forget fast food;
• lean on protein foods. She is able to give a feeling of fullness for a long time.

Physical activity also affects health, so it is important to keep track of your weight, for example, you can calculate your body mass index.If this figure exceeds the permissible norm for your body, then you need to reduce the calorie intake and increase physical activity.

Inquiry:

The Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing is constantly monitoring the safety and quality of products sold to retail chains, markets and fairs.

All supervisory activities are accompanied by high-tech research methods, which are actively implemented in the activities of the department.The vertically integrated system of supervision and laboratory control built in the bodies and institutions of Rospotrebnadzor makes it possible to ensure effective control over the safety and quality of food products circulated on the consumer market and to apply rapid response measures simultaneously in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation where such products have been identified or produced.

In 2019, the national project “Demography” was launched in Russia. The federal project “Strengthening Public Health”, which is being implemented by Rospotrebnadzor, has become a part of it.More information about the project can be found on the website www.zdorovoe-nutrition.rf.

The project is part of the federal program “Formation of a system of motivating citizens to a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating and giving up bad habits” (“Strengthening public health”) of the national project “Demography”. The mission of the Healthy Nutrition project is to improve the quality of life and health of citizens through the provision of safe and high-quality products, as well as the introduction of healthy nutrition standards in every Russian family.

The strategic partner of Rospotrebnadzor in the implementation of the Healthy Nutrition project is the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science of Nutrition and Biotechnology, together with which scientific and methodological support of research and educational programs is being developed.