HOW TO...HEALTH LIFE & STYLE

Eating healthy is fairly simple if we focus on the basic food groups on our plate and not chase fad diets and supplements. Here’s a basic guide

Nutrition is one leg of our journey to better health — movement, rest, and relationships are the others. We need to follow basic nutrition principles to be healthy because diseases have often been linked to poor diet.

We need nutritious food for the body’s growth and repair work, our internal bodily functions, and work, both physically and mentally. It also helps us build immunity — that much bandied about the phrase in COVID-19 times.

Eating healthy is not a weekend warrior activity but a daily commitment that extends to a lifelong process, says Megha Jaina, a clinical nutritionist at Delhi’s BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital. “What we eat directly impacts our quality of life,” she says. We can meet our energy levels throughout the day with our daily diet because the food we eat provides us with all the essential nutrients.

Local (within 100 kilometers of where you live), seasonal food eaten fresh and cooked at home is always the best option—Jaina advocates for traditional foods that are often forgotten. “Food we eat should be adaptable to our genes. What our forefathers ate should not be disturbed or replaced with alien fad diets,” she says.

She also adds that popping supplementary pills at will can even backfire, suppressing immunity. “They should be taken only when you are immunity deficient, and a doctor should prescribe the dosage,” she says.

The context of how you eat is also important. Eat mindfully, without distraction, and you will end up chewing food better, aiding in better digestion and absorption of nutrients, says Lovneet Batra, a nutritionist from Delhi. Create a meal plan that you enjoy and stick with it for the long-term while maintaining a schedule to regulate the digestive system, she says.

Have: The three Gs of food

The best way to eat is to have the ‘Go (carbohydrates and fibers), Grow (proteins and fat), and Glow (vitamins and minerals)’ food groups in your meal, says Ludhiana-based dietician Garima Goyal. “We are obsessed about our weight; the focus should be on being healthy and fit. From a medical condition to inactivity, everybody has a different reason for excess fat and the ailments that go with it,” she says. Identifying an underlying cause of any ailment is important to tailor the diet for balanced micro and macronutrients.

Avoid The three Bs of food.

Anything that is boxed, bottled, or comes in bags is processed food and will come with preservatives (sometimes just too much salt or sugar).

The four whites to minimize

Maida (refined flour), sugar, salt, and milk products are not essential to your diet, though home-set curd is a good probiotic. If you can, cut out maida and sugar totally, and avoid milk, especially if you are lactose intolerant or allergic. Eat no more than 4 grams of salt daily.

What should your plate look like

A healthy plate should contain 35-45% carbohydrates, 30-40% proteins, 15% fat. Eat the rainbow, and watch out for portion control.

Wholesome South Indian platter | Photo Credit: VIJAYA BHASKAR CH

Grains (cereal foods): These are rich in fiber and carbohydrates that give the body energy. Whole grains, belonging to the complex carbohydrates food group, are packed with nutrients and take longer to digest than simple grain (maida, for instance) and hence keep hunger at bay and weight under check. A diet rich in whole grains has been linked to lowering risk factors for several diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer.

Lean meats, poultry, eggs, legumes, and pulses: These are vital sources of protein, one of the building blocks of your body, helping build and heal muscle tissue.

Fruits and vegetables give you micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), water, and even natural sugar—these help in keeping organs healthy and giving you energy.

Nuts, cooking seed oils, and ghee: Are storehouses of healthy fats. Do not overdose but include them in your daily eating as they support cell growth, protect the organs, help the body absorb nutrients, and produce important hormones.

The all-time comfort food, Khichdi, provides all the essential nutrients

Wholesome food recommended by nutritionists includes the North Indian khichdi (prepared with rice, lentils, and vegetables) plus a curd bowl, rice or idli with vegetable-rich sambar, and a glass of buttermilk.

The proportionate intake

Lovett Batra says that lunch is the main meal where you can tap into all food groups. But begin your day with a higher intake of carbohydrates (30% to 35 %) as you need energy for all the work you have to do during the day. The last meal of the day should preferably be a minimum or no-carbs dinner. Make your bowl with about 25% to 30% proteins as the body goes into repair while you sleep. Youu may consume an almost equal amount of carbs and proteins (30% to 40% each)for lunch with lots of vegetables. For all three meals, the fat intake can be within 5% to 8%.