What we eat largely determines how well our bodies function, so eating right is one of the most important steps toward a healthy lifestyle.
Macronutrients and Micronutrients
The main basic principle of a healthy diet is to consume a balanced amount of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are proteins, fats, and carbs, and micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. Micronutrients do not provide energy or building materials but are involved in a myriad of biochemical processes from metabolism to DNA replication.
Accordingly, in a proper diet, the diet must be formulated in such a way as to provide the necessary balance. That is why many diets are difficult to classify as healthy diets, since they involve eliminating a number of foods, without which achieving balance would be problematic, at the very least. First, we are talking about mono diets, as well as no-carb and low-carb diets.
Most foods contain all three macronutrients, the difference is in their proportions. Most slow carbohydrates, the cornerstone of a healthy diet, are found in legumes, grains, cereals and pastas. Protein is any meat, including poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs. Plant protein is found in legumes, soybeans and nuts, which is helpful for vegetarians. Nevertheless, vegetable protein is considerably inferior to animal protein in nutritional value. Dairy products, nuts, oils and fatty fish and meat are rich in fats. However, if it’s possible to choose from the latter two, preference should be given to fish, of course.
The percentage of micronutrients in foods is much lower than the GI content, but this is normal because the body needs them in smaller amounts. Emphasis should be placed on specific foods when there is a lack of certain minerals or vitamins of a particular group. In general, a balanced diet usually provides enough micronutrients, and there is no need for additional courses of the same vitamins.
Vegetables and fruits play an important role in forming the diet. They are a source of fiber, necessary for normal GI function, and a huge number of micronutrients.
“Unnecessary” Foods
When switching to a proper diet, it’s advisable to eliminate a whole series of “unnecessary” items from the diet. Here are the main ones:
- Sugary pastries.
- Sugary drinks, especially juice packets and sodas.
- Overly salty, sweet and spicy foods.
- Mayonnaise and ketchup.
- Alcohol.
We aren’t talking about forgetting about each of these points forever. Sometimes it’s great to eat such snacks while watching movies or reading a Mermaids Millions slot review. A glass of orange juice, an eclair or a spoonful of mayonnaise to buckwheat a couple of times a week won’t play a special role, so going to extremes, denying yourself the pleasure, isn’t worth it.
Water
A healthy diet goes hand in hand with water balance. Different countries have their own recommended norms of water consumption depending on many factors: gender, age, level of physical activity and so on. The average rate is 30 milliliters per 1 kilogram of weight. Accordingly, it’s desirable to distribute this entire volume relatively evenly throughout the day.
It’s okay to drink water for half an hour before a meal and not earlier than half an hour – after. During a meal, it isn’t recommended to do this because water dilutes gastric juice, thereby slowing down the process of digestion.
Portions and Intervals
Healthy eating means eating more often than the classic “breakfast-lunch-dinner” meals, but in smaller portions. Portion sizes may vary, depending on the products, but you can start from a basic value of 250-300 grams per meal. It’s better to start small; if you find that the chosen portion size is not enough and you remain hungry, increase it by 15-20 percent next time.
The intervals depend on how many meals you have planned for the day. At five meals, lay an average of three hours between meals. It’s advisable to eat your last meal at least two hours before going to bed.
