Healthy person's plate: 5 simple rules to help you eat right

1. Use the formula "1 protein, 1 fat, 4 carbohydrates"

The phrase "healthy eating" still gives some people a scornful grimace. Largely thanks to the efforts of network experts, it is associated at best with unleavened boiled breast and steamed vegetables. And at worst - with a whole list of expensive, rare and rather controversial in terms of the beneficial properties of products like chia, spirulina and almond milk. In fact, most of the myths about healthy eating have nothing to do with reality. It is easy to eat varied and tasty, because in each season there are many products available that will be useful to the body.

The diet is important balance. according to the recommendationsNorms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for various groups of the population of the Russian Federation / Rospotrebnadzor experts, the share of carbohydrates should account for 55–75% of the caloric content of the diet, the share of fats - no more than 30%, another 10–15% should be occupied by proteins. In order not to be confused about the percentage, remember the formula "1 protein, 1 fat, 4 carbohydrates." That is how the ratio of nutrients in a healthy diet looks like.

But the specific amount of food and serving weight depend on individual factors. Nutritionists advise calculating the number of calories taking into account body mass index (BMI). This value allows you to calculate the proportion between a person's height and his mass, as well as indirectly determine whether the weight is normal, insufficient or overweight.

According toBody mass index - BMI / WHO World Health Organization, BMI in the range of 18.5-24.9 is considered normal. If your numbers are outside these limits, you should reevaluate the calorie content of your diet and the serving size.

2. Create a diet based on complex carbohydrates

Since carbohydrates should make up at least half of the daily diet, it is worthwhile to figure out once and for all which ones are useful and which ones will bring nothing but excess weight and health problems.

Carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex. All of them are a source of energy, but from simple ones it rises very quickly, and then decreases just as quickly. Simple carbohydrates also cause spikes in blood sugar levels and can causeType 2 diabetes: why it develops and why it is dangerous metabolic disorders. While complex ones "work" slowly, they are safe and efficient. The ability of carbohydrates to rapidly raise blood sugar levels is calledNorms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for various groups of the population of the Russian Federation / Rospotrebnadzor glycemic effect, and the value that indicates whether the carbohydrate is simple or complex is the glycemic index (GI).

A healthy diet involves reducing the proportion of foods with a high GI in the diet - from 70 and above. Chips, salty crackers, soda, buns, chocolate bars, chips can be left as rare treats. The main diet is better to build on carbohydrates with medium (from 40 to 70) and low GI (less than 40). For example, legumes, fresh and stewed vegetables, and cereals will replenish the daily intake of carbohydrates.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables every day

Vegetables, fruits and greens really need to be eaten every day because they contain the vitamins and minerals the body needs. In addition, these foods are high in fiber, which is needed for normal digestion.

The World Health Organization recommendsHealthy eating / WHO consume at least 400 grams of vegetables, fruits and berries every day. With the right approach, all this volume should be divided into five servings, making up a daily menu of different products.

The top in terms of vitamins, antioxidants and trace elements among vegetables traditionally includes carrots, white cabbage, onions, garlic, broccoli, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, beets and tomatoes. A healthy person's fruit and berry basket includes citrus fruits, apples, bananas, avocados, pomegranates, rose hips, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries and cranberries. Any greens are suitable, from parsley with dill familiar from childhood to rucola, kale and butterhead.

By the way, potatoes, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, dried fruits and other starchy foods are not included in the “green” norm. Therefore, eat them with an eye on your daily carbohydrate intake.

4. Replace sausage with natural meat

This rule is not so much about meat as about food choices in general. Remember how many times you looked into cooking for ready-made salads with mayonnaise, interrupted by semi-finished products and fast food instead of a full dinner?

Healthy eating means making a conscious choice of natural and healthy foods. Ideally cooked at home. For example, a piece of fresh, lean meat baked in the oven with aromatic herbs and garlic is a healthy product. It will definitely not contain preservatives, chemical flavor enhancers, starch and dyes, such as in sausages or frozen dumplings. Boiled potatoes in their skins and vegetable salad, seasoned with sour cream, will be an excellent side dish, in unlike the fries from cooking, which could well have been fried on more than once used oil.

The same rule applies to food that is disguised as healthy. For example, muesli bars or sweet yoghurts with fillings. There is a lot of sugar in such products, so their benefits tend to zero. Don't trust loud ads and read the ingredients carefully before putting anything on your plate.

5. Eat less salt and sugar

Salt and sugar naturally enhance the flavor of foods. They will not be harmful if you do not exceed the recommended rates. Salt contains the necessaryNorms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for various groups of the population of the Russian Federation / Rospotrebnadzor the body has sodium, deficiency of which is as bad as excess, and sugar is present in fruits, vegetables, honey and dairy products. Therefore, it is impossible to radically refuse either one or the other.

An adult should consume less thanReducing salt intake / WHO 5 g of salt. This amount is equivalent to a teaspoon. Many ready-to-eat foods already contain salt, so the best tactic is to add less salt to your food at home. do not reach for a salt shaker in a restaurant and refuse salty snacks, such as dried fish, crackers and chips.

Restrictions on sweet who leadsWHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children / WHO These are: added and free sugars - those not originally found in foods - should be less than 10% of calories. For a healthy person who consumes about 2,000 kcal per day, this is 50 g of sugar, or 12 teaspoons without top. To stay within the normal range, you should limit or completely abandon cookies, cakes, soda, sweet yoghurts, and chocolate bars. The sugar that is present in vegetables, fruits and natural milk without fillers can be eaten without special restrictions.