Nowadays more and more popular become healthy lifestyle. But what is healthy lifestyle? Well, it is based on adequate physical exercise and balanced eating habits.
Let’s talk about eating habits – healthy diet!
Healthy diet consists of four basic product groups – grains, proteins, fruits and vegetables, dairy products.
Grain products
By grains we understand rice, wheat, pasta, buckwheat etc. Also, there are included potatoes. This product group is a main carbohydrate source for our body. Carbohydrates are the main energy source, so you should never quit them. Grains are also a good fiber source and provide vitamin C, vitamnins B, potassium, calcium, phosphorus.
Proteins
By proteins we understand a variety of products – meat as beef, pork, poultry, turkey, all kinds of fish and sea creatures, all kinds of beans, peas, eggs, as well as soybeans products – tofu etc. All these products are a protein source. Now it is recommended to eat more fish, at least two times a week. Avoid fatty and processed meat and meat products such as sausages, chicken nuggets etc.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and water. Almost all necessary vitamins we can gain with fruits and vegetables (not vitamin D, B12). So, it is important to include variety of fruits and vegetables in daily diet. More valuable are seasonal and local products. You should eat 400-500 grams (0,9-1,1 lbs.) fruits and vegetables per day. It is about 1/3-1/2 of all food you eat in a one day.
Dairy products
Dairy products are a great source of protein and calcium. However, dairy products can contain a lot of fat, therefore it is recommended to use low fat dairy products and avoid sour cream, heavy cream, cheese etc. in a daily diet.
So, to have a healthy diet you should eat balanced and include products from all four product groups. Don’t forget the water!
The best option for a meal planning and preparing is to use a plate method. Half of a plate is fresh or cooked vegetables and fruit, ¼ proteins and ¼ grains. A very small amount of dairy. Try to have at least 3 meals a day!
Stay healthy!