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8 strategies for nutritious eating

February 21, 2023
, 4:26 pm
, blog

The following 8 pieces of advice are essential for healthy eating and will help you make healthier choices.

In order to maintain a healthy diet, it is essential to make sure the amount of calories taken in is balanced with the amount of physical activity done, creating an equilibrium of energy.

Consuming more than what the body requires will cause an increase in weight since energy not being used is kept in the form of fat. Conversely, eating and drinking too little will cause a reduction in weight.

Ensure that your body is getting the proper nutrition, it’s important to include a variety of foods in your meals.

The daily caloric intake for men is suggested to be 2,500 (10,500 kilojoules), while women should consume roughly 2,000 calories (8,400 kj).

The majority of grown-ups in the Netherlands are slowly ingesting more calories than their body requires and should, therefore, reduce the amount of calories that they consume.

1 – Make starchy, higher-fibre carbohydrates the basis of your meals.

Approximately one third of your diet should be comprised of starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and cereal. Opt for higher fibre or whole grain varieties, like wholewheat pasta, brown rice, or potatoes with their peels still on.

Fibre content is higher in whole-grain starches compared to refined versions, and they can help sustain satiety.

It is recommended to have a starchy food with each main meal. Even though there is a belief that these types of foods are fattening, gram for gram, the carbohydrates they possess supply fewer than half of the calories that fat does.

Pay attention to the amount of fats you use while cooking and serving meals that are high in calories, such as fries with oil, butter on toast, and creamy sauces on noodles.

2 – Incorporate plenty of fruits and vegetables into your diet

Consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables of different kinds is suggested on a daily basis. Such servings can be in any form such as fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. What you can do from the frozen fruits.

It is not as hard as it may seem to accomplish the goal of eat good food 5 times a week. Think about adding a banana to your morning cereal or replacing your regular mid-morning snack with a glass of fruit such a pitaya or acai juice.

The recommended serving size for fresh, canned, or frozen fruits and vegetables is 80 grams. It is suggested to limit dried fruit to mealtimes and the amount should be 30 grams.

A daily maximum of 150ml of either fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie is considered a single portion, however, it is advisable to limit the amount as these beverages contain sugar, which may cause harm to teeth.

3 – Add fish into your meals, including a helping of oily fish

Fish is an excellent source of protein and is full of a variety of vitamins and minerals, offering a great nutritional benefit.

It is recommended to consume a minimum of two servings of fish each week, with one portion being an oily fish.

Fish that have a lot of oil in them contain omega-3 fatty acids that might be beneficial in avoiding cardiovascular ailments.

Types of oily fish include:

A variety of fish such as salmon, trout, herring, sardines, pilchards, and mackerel are popular.

Fish with no oil in them can be found such as:

Haddock, a type of fish
Plaice, another species of fish
Coley, yet another type of fish
Cod, a type of fish as well
Tuna, a popular fish
Skate, a type of fish
Hake, a fish in the cod family

One has a variety of options when selecting fish to consume, including fresh, frozen, and canned varieties; however, it is important to remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in sodium.

It is suggested that individuals should increase their consumption of fish, however, there are certain limitations for certain species.

4 – Reduce your intake of saturated fats and sugars consumption of saturated fat

A diet containing an excess of saturated fat has been linked to a variety of health risks.

It’s essential to incorporate some level of fat into your nutrition plan, although it’s crucial to be aware of the amount and kind of fat you’re consuming. It is essential to be aware of the two different kinds of fat, saturated and unsaturated. An excess of saturated fat can lead to an increase of cholesterol levels in the blood, thus increasing the danger of heart disease.

The daily recommendation of saturated fat intake for men is 30g, while women should aim for no more than 20g.

Kids under the age of 11 should consume less saturated fat than grown-ups, although a diet with little fat is not appropriate for those under 5 years of age.

Many different kinds of food contain saturated fat, including:

slices of fatty meat
links of sausage
buttery spreads
hard-style cheeses
creams
pastries
cookies
lardy products
tarts

Minimizing your intake of saturated fat is recommended; consider swapping it out for unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils, spreads, oily fish, and avocados.

Making a healthier selection can be as easy as opting for a small quantity of vegetable or olive oil, or a lower-fat spread as opposed to butter, lard, or ghee.

Opt for lean cuts of meat and trim away any fat that is visible. It is important to limit fat consumption as all kinds of fat are dense in calories.

Sweetness

Sugar is a type of sweetener, but this term can also be used to refer to the sweetness of something in general.

Frequent intake of items containing a high amount of sugar can lead to increased chances of becoming obese and developing tooth decay. Foods and beverages containing high levels of sugar can lead to an increase in energy intake (measured in kilojoules or calories), and if consumed too frequently, can cause weight gain. Additionally, these items can also cause dental decay when eaten between meals.

Any sugars that are included in foods or beverages, either as an additive or naturally, such as honey, syrups, and juices and smoothies without added sugar, are referred to as free sugars.

Rather than the sugar found in natural sources such as fruit and milk, it’s important to reduce the amount of other types of sugar consumed. One can find an unexpected amount of free sugars in a variety of prepackaged items, such as beverages and snacks.

Certain edibles contain free sugars, including:

carbonated beverages containing sugar
sugar-filled breakfast cereals
baked goods such as cakes and cookies
pastries and desserts
confectionery and candy
alcoholic beverages

By consulting food labels, it is possible to determine the sugar content of foods.

When a food contains 22.5g or more of sugar per 100g, it is considered high in sugar. Conversely, if the amount of sugar per 100g is 5g or less, then the food is classified as low in sugar.

5 – Start exercising and maintain a healthy weight

Making sure you have a healthy diet and engage in physical activity on a regular basis can help to reduce the likelihood of developing serious health issues. It’s also beneficial for maintaining your overall health and wellbeing. Having too much weight on one’s body can result in illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, varieties of cancer, heart problems, and strokes. Conversely, being too slim could also have a negative impact on overall health.

Adults should reduce their caloric intake if they’re looking to shed some pounds.

If the goal is to reduce weight, the key is to consume fewer calories and get more exercise. Consuming a balanced and nutritious diet can support the effort to maintain a healthy weight.

The National Health Service has created a 12-week plan to help individuals reduce their weight through changing their eating habits and engaging in more physical activity.

6 – Avoid becoming dehydrated

Maintaining proper hydration is essential and the government encourages individuals to consume 6 to 8 glasses of fluid daily in addition to the moisture from the food one eats.

Healthier beverage options include water, lower fat milk, unsweetened tea, and coffee. All other non-alcoholic drinks are also acceptable. It’s best to stay away from sweetened and carbonated beverages, since they are loaded with calories. Moreover, they can damage your teeth.

Fruit juices and smoothies without added sugar still contain a significant amount of free sugar. It is recommended to keep the amount of fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies that you drink in a day to no more than 150ml, which is equivalent to a small glass.

It is important to consume additional liquids when the temperature rises or when engaging in physical activity.

7 – Limiting salt intake to 6g a day is recommended for adults

Consuming an excess of sodium can cause an increase in your blood pressure. Those with high blood pressure have a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. You could be consuming an excessive amount of sodium even if you do not add salt to your meals.

You are likely to find that three-quarters of the salt you consume is already present in the foodstuff you purchase, including items such as cereals, soups, breads, and sauces. You can reduce your salt consumption by utilizing food labels. If the product contains more than 1.5g of salt per 100g, it is considered to be high in salt.

Adults and those aged 11 and up should not consume more than 6 grams of salt (roughly equivalent to one teaspoon) per day. For those younger than 11, the amount should be even smaller.

8 – Never pass over breakfast

Some people believe that avoiding breakfast will aid in weight loss.

For a balanced diet and to obtain the necessary nutrients for good health, a nutritious breakfast with a healthy mixture of fiber and little fat, sugar, and salt is beneficial.

For a more nutritious morning meal, why not try a acai bowl of wholegrain cereal with semi-skimmed milk, topped with some sliced fruit? It’s a tasty alternative to your typical sugary breakfast.