We all love to eat, and it is a basic part of our daily living. But if we want to stay healthy, we need to consider what we eat, the volume, and how often. Otherwise, we may put on weight if we are not using the energy we consume.
For that purpose, the majority of men are fine with 2,500 calories a day, and women usually have enough with 2,000 calories every day. But calories is not the only concern. You should also get a balanced diet and make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients your body needs. Going through a long list of nutrients and counting calories may seem challenging, but a healthy nutrition will be easier to achieve if you follow the following recommendations:
Eat more starchy carbs with dietary fibre
Starchy cabrs like potatoes, whole-wheat bread, pasta, and rice should make up one third of your total food intake. Always look for wholegrain varieties instead of refined carbohydrates. They help you feel more satiated and have plenty of dietary fat.
As you include starchy foods with every main meal, be careful around fats. People commonly serve pasta with creamy sauces, use oil to prepare chips, and put extra butter in bread. Doing this increases the calorie content and beats the whole purpose of consuming wholegrain starchy foods.
Don´t neglect fruits and vegetables
Aim at a minimum of 5 portions of fruits and vegetables every day, which is not as difficult as it sounds. Each portion is 80 grams, and it can be fresh, frozen, canned, or juiced. If you prefer dried fruits, each portion will be equal to 30 grams instead of 80. And each 150 mL glass of smoothie or fruit juice equals one portion.
Keep in mind that fresh is usually better, and be careful with sugar in your drinks. It increases the number of calories and may also damage your teeth.
Buy more fish
The majority of us forget about eating fish or do not like the smell and avoid buying and preparing it. But a healthy diet should contain at least two potions of fish every week. At least one of these portions should be oily fish, because it has omega-3 fatty acids for your cardiovascular health.
Examples of oily fish include salmon, herring, sardines, trout, and mackerel. Non-oily fish include tuna, cod, haddock, and skate. If you’re choosing tuna or sardines, be careful with canned products, as they are usually very high in salt.
Control your fat an sugar intake
You do need fat, but be careful to consume healthy fat, also known as unsaturated fat. Eating an excess saturated fat may increase your cholesterol levels and your cardiovascular risk. So, you should consume less than 30 grams a day if you’re a man, and 20 grams if you’re a woman.
So, instead of consuming sausages, butter, cream, and biscuits, use avocado, oily fish, and olive oil. Cut off fatty portions in your meat, and always prefer lean cuts.
Similarly, sugar causes tooth decay and it is a common cause of obesity. Avoid fizzy drinks, sweets, alcoholic drinks, and sugary breakfast cereals. Your goal should be 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams of food, or less.
Put away your salt shaker
You should limit your salt consumption to 6 grams a day or less. Salt adds to the taste of foods, but it can increase your blood pressure and give you heart problems if you eat too much. Soups, sauces, bread, and the majority of products you buy already have salt, and you can reach your limit without actually using the salt shaker.
Read the label, and consider that 1.5 grams of salt per 100 grams of food is a very high proportion.
Live an active live and control your weight
Regular exercise goes along a healthy diet to reduce your cardiovascular risk and improve your overall health. It helps you control your weight and prevent the dangers of obesity and overweight, which include some types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Eating healthy and doing physical activity usually facilitates weight loss, and there are plenty of guides and advices to consider. You can also go to a dietitian for advice if you are struggling for results.
Don’t wait to be thirsty
For most people, the recommended 6 to 8 glass of water every day is too much. We are not used to drink enough water and usually drink another glass only when we are very thirsty. But we should not wait for the dehydration alarm.
All non-alcoholic drinks count, but be careful with sugary drinks and other high-calorie picks.
Also, consider doubling your fluid intake if you’re on a hot weather or under intense and strenuous physical activity.
Eat your breakfast
Skipping breakfast might help you lose weight. However, a balanced diet should include a breakfast that is high in dietary fiber and low in sugar, fat, and salt.
It should be ideally a whole-grain cereal with skimmed milk and sliced fruits.