Proper nutrition: the path to a beautiful, healthy body. Healthy eating - what it should be

Do you think you know everything about proper nutrition? Are you sure that not eating after 18:00, having oatmeal for breakfast, drinking fresh juices is enough? I will disappoint you - these are common myths. Healthy eating is based on other rules and subtleties, which, having mastered, will forever forget about problems with excess weight and prevent the development of chronic diseases, you will find lightness in your body and energy in your movements.

Surely each of us is familiar with the feeling of overeating, heaviness after a hearty feast. For many people this becomes a habit. They get up from the table only after experiencing complete satiation, when the piece does not go down their throat. This behavior is detrimental to human health, and even if you go on a diet several times a year, fast, and stress yourself physical work, working out in the gym - this will not protect you from health problems and the appearance of diseases.

“Food that the body does not digest is eaten by the person who ate it. Therefore, eat in moderation" (Abu al-Faraj)

This saying is over 700 years old, but it is more relevant now than ever. The current pace of life leads to the consumption of store-bought convenience foods, fatty, fried foods (fast food), late dinners, and lack of breakfast. We have forgotten about the natural taste of products, simple one-ingredient recipes, generously seasoning potatoes, cereals, meat and fish dishes with mayonnaise, ketchup, and fats. Yes, sometimes we exhaust our bodies with diets. But is their effect long lasting? The result of this dietary chaos was rapid growth diseases:

• allergy;
• hypertension;
• diabetes mellitus;
• chronic gastritis;
• colon cancer;
• intestinal dysbiosis.

“We need to eat and drink so much that our strength is restored and not suppressed” (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

Health-conscious people who understand the importance of food increasingly prefer proper nutrition as opposed to diets. It has a gentle, gentle effect on the human body, while the harsh influence of diets is far from new. To see the effectiveness of healthy foods, a short period of time is not enough. Healthy eating should become a permanent part of your lifestyle. So, how can you get a beautiful, healthy body through proper nutrition?

Basics of proper nutrition

1. Balanced diet. When compiling a grocery list for the week, keep in mind that a person needs a certain amount of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates every day (their ratio in the diet should be 1:3:5). For one meal, make sure you get 40 g of protein, 25 g of fat, 90-100 g of carbohydrates. An imbalance leads to disruption of metabolism and normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Vegetables and fruits are mandatory guests on the menu proper nutrition. A person needs at least 400 g of them per day. To have a good mood and improve performance, do not forget about greenery. Just 10 g of fresh leaves - and the daily menu is supplemented.

2. “Plate rule.” When thinking about a meal, mentally divide the plate into several parts:

• half the serving - fiber-rich foods (greens, vegetables, fruits);
• a quarter of the serving will be porridge or legumes - they are famous for complex carbohydrates, which take longer to digest and maintain a feeling of fullness;
• the remainder of the serving is protein found in meat, fish, and seafood.

3. The right combination products. Each natural product has its own rules of use. For example:

• It is not recommended to mix melon, watermelons, milk with anything;
• carrots and fish, on the contrary, are best eaten with fats, since these foods are rich in fat-soluble vitamins A and D;
• meat and sour cream (cream) should absolutely not be combined - they contain proteins of different groups, which complicates the digestion process;
• yogurt easily neutralizes the harmful features of fast food, binds fatty acids during digestion, and prevents them from being absorbed.

4. Lots of liquid. For a properly eating person, waking up, breakfast, lunch and dinner begins with a glass of water. People often confuse the feeling of hunger with thirst, so if 15 minutes after drinking you still want to eat, you are really hungry. Drink up to 500 ml of water between meals.

Fresh fruit juices are not nearly as healthy as we used to think. They contain a lot of fructose, which is instantly absorbed into the blood and large quantities harming the body (weight gain, metabolic disorders, pancreatic problems, diabetes, heart and vascular diseases). The norm is no more than 150 ml of freshly squeezed juice per day.

5. Everything is natural. Use only seasonal fruits, vegetables. They contain incomparably more useful substances than imported ones. Yes, and the body tends to adapt to the seasons. Give preference in summer fresh fruit, vegetables, in winter - protein dishes, fats.

6. Chewing thoroughly. Chew each piece 30-40 times. This way it will be completely mixed with saliva. “Food should be drunk, not eaten”- it's a secret Tibetan monks. This maxim was confirmed by scientists at the University of Cambridge. During the experiment, they found that people who chewed their food thoroughly ate significantly less than those who quickly emptied their plates. If you spend at least 20 minutes on a meal and fully experience the taste of the dish, then it is absorbed better, and all the beneficial substances go as intended.

7. “Heavy” meals for the morning. Eat nourishing, mega-calorie food in the first half of the day, when the body works like clockwork. This trick will help the products be better absorbed and not accumulate extra pounds.

“Since people learned to cook food, they eat twice as much as nature requires” (B. Franklin)

8. 5-item menu. The daily diet necessarily includes five meals.

9. Hunger and snacking. Harmful snacks as snacks are the main enemies of health, beautiful body. But also to starve proper nutrition absolutely not possible. To reduce hunger, choose a handful of nuts and fruits. Before going to bed, drink a glass of kefir or green tea, eat a spoonful of honey.

10. Basics of cooking. Properly prepared foods retain much more beneficial compounds. The less time it took for heat treatment and storage, the more necessary substances remained in them. Buy a multicooker, a double boiler. They will delight you with delicious, healthy culinary delights.

Eat fresh foods rather than frozen ones. Meat and fish that are frozen lose most of their beneficial properties.

11. Minimum salt. Add salt to dishes at the end of cooking, then less salt will be needed. In salads, replace salt with lemon juice.

12. “FOR” homemade. Cook at home. Eat semi-finished products, tasty but fatty dishes in cafes, canned food at proper diet it won't work. They contain an abundance of harmful substances that poison the body, and one cannot be sure of the quality of the ingredients used in preparation.

To maintain natural lightness, health, to constantly be in shape, and not to suffer from excess weight, watch your diet. There are many articles on Medbooking devoted to all kinds of diets, but if you want to do healthy eating the motto of your life, this material will be useful to you.

The concept of (healthy, optimal, rational, functional, proper) nutrition.

Healthy eating- this is nutrition that ensures growth, normal development and vital activity of a person, helping to strengthen his health and prevent diseases. Eating a healthy diet combined with regular exercise reduces the risk of chronic diseases and disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Governments of many developed countries annually allocate funds to promote a healthy lifestyle and, in particular, healthy eating. Infographics, for example, developed taking into account the national characteristics of the food pyramid, which visually show the recommended quantities of different types of products, have become very popular.

Optimal nutrition- nutrition, which provides for compliance energy value nutrition, optimal content and ratio in diets of major nutrients, minor and biologically active substances, diet. In this regard, the diet should consist of traditional products, products enriched with useful components, traditional products with the inclusion of biologically active food additives. Minor and biologically active substances foods with an established physiological effect - natural food substances of an established chemical structure, present in milligrams and micrograms, which play an important proven role in the body’s adaptive reactions, maintaining health, but are not essential nutrients (flavonoids, phytoestrogens).

Rational nutrition is a person’s nutrition, which takes into account his physiological needs for energy value, beneficial nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, microelements, other useful substances) based on data on age, diseases, physical activity, employment, and the environment. Rational nutrition includes adherence to a diet. The optimal is four meals a day, when meals are taken at intervals of 4-5 hours at the same time. Breakfast should make up 25% of the daily diet, lunch – 35%, afternoon snack – 15%, dinner – 25%.

The diet should ensure compliance with the following principles:

The calorie content of food must correspond to a person’s energy expenditure;

The food consumed should consist of the nutrients necessary for the body in optimal quantities and proportions;

Food must be digestible, properly prepared,

Nutrition should be varied and include a wide range of animal products (meat, fish, dairy products) and plant origin (vegetables, fruits, berries) in the correct proportions, eliminating monotony.

Functional nutrition- This food products, which serve not only to satisfy human needs for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, micro- and macroelements, but also realize other goals: increase immunity, improve intestinal function, heart function, help reduce or increase body weight, and much more.

That is, during the production of functional food products, their properties change somewhat in order to specifically influence various functions of the body. To do this, products are enriched with iodine, calcium, vitamins, dietary fiber, beneficial bacteria, and their protein content, complex carbohydrates, unsaturated fats and other components are increased.

Proper nutrition– this is a balanced diet of natural and high-quality products that satisfy all the needs of the body, in addition, the products are highly beneficial for the development of the body.

All more people all over the world strives to lead healthy image life. We give up meat in favor of vegetables, exclude fats from our diet and carefully choose yoghurts... But is the chosen path always the right one? You can find out the answer to this question by taking our test. You will find the correct answers in the text.

A healthy diet is impossible without meat and carbohydrates

Meat products contain large amounts of vitamins B6 and B12. They are important components of enzymes involved in metabolism and are found in plant and animal foods (with the exception of vitamin Bc, which is found exclusively in foods of animal origin). Vitamin A is important for the normal functioning of the skin and eyes and is present in liver and fatty poultry. But there is no vitamin C in meat.

Carbohydrates are undoubtedly the most important source energy for the brain. Pay attention to complex carbohydrates, which are found in whole grain foods and vegetables - they saturate for a long time and help the brain work productively.

Healthy eating and cholesterol

The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends limiting your intake of cholesterol-containing foods to 300 mg per day, as cholesterol levels are one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. If there is practically no cholesterol in plant foods, then 100 g of seafood contains from 100 to 200 mg of this substance. And in 100 g of offal - up to 2000 mg!

To keep cholesterol levels within normal limits, give preference to vegetable oils, as well as low-fat animal products (with the exception of fish).

The importance of iron and water in a healthy diet

We tend to eat more protein than we need. Vitamin D deficiency occurs when there is insufficient sunlight. Refusal of meat threatens iron deficiency. Typical symptoms of this condition are fatigue and dizziness. Vegetarians should include whole grains, lentils and soybeans in their diet. However, iron is less absorbed from plant foods, so drink a glass of orange juice with meals (vitamin C promotes better absorption of iron).

Our body is 50-60% water. Many experts recommend drinking at least 1.5 liters of it daily, in several doses. In the heat and physical activity Consumption of 3 liters of water or more is allowed. Alternatives include tea without sugar (fruit, herbal) or juice with sparkling water (1/4 juice and 3/4 water).

Eating healthy will help you lose weight

Those who want to lose weight should limit their intake of high-calorie foods and move for at least 30 minutes a day. High-energy foods contain fats and carbohydrates, primarily simple, easily digestible ones (chocolate, marmalade, sweet soft drinks). However, the fats in the products are also far from the same. Unsaturated fatty acids found in vegetable oils and in fatty sea ​​fish, are extremely necessary for our body. But the consumption of saturated fatty acids, which are found in meat, fast food and processed foods, must be limited. Protein is necessary for our body to build muscle and maintain its shape. Moreover, protein products They fill you up perfectly, which means you won’t be tempted to grab another cookie or chocolate bar.

Ballast substances, or fiber, are indigestible carbohydrates. Without fiber, it is impossible to establish proper digestion. During processing, ballast substances provide energy to the bacteria of the intestinal microflora. In addition, fiber stops the rise in blood sugar levels, which means the onset of insatiable hunger. In addition, fiber helps lower cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. She's in large quantities found in vegetables, fruits and whole grain products. The daily fiber requirement is 30 g.

To control weight, you should diversify your diet as much as possible. At the same time, it should be based on plant foods, sometimes with the addition of fish and lean meat. This way the body can receive everything it needs for normal functioning. nutrients. However, vegetarians need not worry. Exclusively plant foods can be beneficial to exactly the same extent. But only on condition that the diet includes legumes and whole grain products. They supply the body with B vitamins, as well as proteins and iron.

Healthy food and oils

Refined olive and rapeseed oils contain unsaturated fatty acids. They lower cholesterol levels and prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis. The peculiarity of these oils is heat resistance. This means that they are ideal for cooking, and especially frying, food. Cold-pressed olive and rapeseed oils are more heat-sensitive and are more suitable for salads. Butter and margarine also heat up quickly. However butter contains more saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Margarine is made from vegetable fats, but contains trans fats, which negatively affect cholesterol levels.

Five servings of vegetables in a healthy diet

Vegetables and fruits must be included in the diet, because they contain many valuable vitamins, minerals and fiber. According to numerous studies, regular and sufficient consumption of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. There are no strict guidelines for the optimal amount of vegetables and fruits per day, but for several years now the German Nutrition Society (DGE) has recommended eating them five times a day: three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit. At the same time, servings should be understood as a handful the size of your fist. A berry smoothie or sugar-free fruit juice is suitable as a serving of fruit.

Healthy eating and sugar control

The glycemic index (GI) is an indicator of the effect of carbohydrate-containing foods on blood sugar levels after consumption. The lower the value, the slower the sugar level rises and the better for the body! After all, a large increase, as well as a sharp drop, in sugar levels again leads to the appearance of insatiable hunger. In light-colored flour products (noodles, white bread) or corn flakes glycemic index has a high rate (from 70 to 100 units). Sweet soft drinks and sugar-containing foods also have a high GI. However, after eating vegetables, dairy products and whole grains, blood sugar levels rise much more slowly.