The food we eat has a big impact on our health and quality of life. Although it is quite possible to eat healthy and simple, the number of “magic” solutions and offers of different diets is constantly increasing. We are overwhelmed with information about what a healthy diet is and how to cook healthy.

In the jungle of conflicting information, we get confused and often give up. The fact is that knowing and applying the basic principles of a healthy diet drastically reduces the risk of developing diseases. The importance of a healthy diet is manifold and is reflected in the energy, nutritional and emotional needs of one person. So make one real positive change today.

What is the food pyramid?

Most of us have never encountered a manual like the Food Pyramid that has been used in America since 1992. It is based on the portion, but not on the amount of food in the portion itself. With the development and evolution of this idea and the desire to make a healthy diet available to most people, a new manual called “MyPlate” or My Plate was designed. 

Although designed and tailored to American standards, it is becoming the dominant model in the world, with a clear explanation of what is healthy to eat and what healthy food is. With these simple instructions, you will be able to easily determine the required amount of food and quickly prepare healthy meals:

• Fill half a plate with vegetables, try to choose different types, prepare it in different ways, but avoid frying. Serve one part of the vegetables in raw form.
• Choose milk and dairy products from skim milk (up to 1.5% milkfat).
• At least half of the cereals and cereal products should be whole grains.
• Use different types of protein: lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts.
• Take care of your intake of sodium, saturated fats, and added sugar.
• A healthy snack should be some fruit, and the amount is a quarter of a plate.

Benefits of a healthy diet (importance of a healthy diet)

In the daily rush between work and home, we only think about how to fill our stomachs, while being tired, nervous and listless. If you are really ready to change your habits for the sake of better health, know that the change will have a dramatic effect. When only multi-processed products are replaced with foods that are closest to their original form and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, there will be:

• weight loss
• reducing the risk of cancer, controlling diabetes
• you will have a healthy heart and digestive system, strong teeth and bones
• better mood, good memory and sleep,
• you will provide future generations with better health. 

The most common mistakes we make in our diet

Whatever the reason for the change in eating habits, sometimes we have the feeling that our work is not visible at all, that the results are slow and insufficient. It is often the real truth that we just don’t have complete information. So pay attention to the following:

• Too many or too few calories – even when we eat healthily and do not take into account the amount of food, fat deposits can form. Again, when we eat too little, the result can be an “attack of hunger” and “swallowing” everything we can get our hands on.
• Choosing products “without” fat or sugar – often products without or with a reduced percentage of fat have a higher amount of sugar and vice versa.
• Not getting enough protein – proteins control appetite, give a longer feeling of satiety, speed up metabolism, and renew and create new muscle cells.
• Not getting enough fiber – the combination of fiber and protein increases the feeling of satiety and controls appetite. Plant fibers stimulate intestinal motility and maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in our intestines.
• Too much fat in diets with low carbohydrate intake – 1g of fat has 9 calories, so you should always take into account that amount.
• You eat often even when you don’t feel hungry – nutrition is important with a proper diet, but you are free to skip or significantly reduce your meal when you don’t feel hungry.
• You have unrealistic expectations – to achieve lasting positive changes requires patience, perseverance and will.
• Eating standing up – focus on the meal and thus take control of the amount.
• Drinking sugar – keep in mind that only one smoothie has 3-4 pieces of fruit and if you ate it whole it would be one or two pieces.

Healthy eating – recipes for healthy meals that you will adore

I have heard many times from my clients that they do not know how to cook. It is true that you do not need a culinary degree to prepare healthy meals. With close attention to the My Plate manual, you can prepare simple and extremely tasty meals without much effort.

Recipe 1 – energy breakfast in the blink of an eye

Soak overnight 4 tablespoons of oatmeal and 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 1 cup of kefir or yogurt. In the morning, add chopped banana and finely chopped walnuts to the mix (30g).

Recipe 2 – lunch ready in 15 minutes or to take away

When you don’t have time to prepare lunch, you can just make it from the groceries you have at home. You need a can of tuna, a piece of wholemeal bread the size of your palms, and half a plate of vegetables you found in the kitchen.

Cut tomatoes the size of your fist cut into cubes and two young onions into rings. Add a handful of finely chopped parsley leaves. Mix everything together, add to taste, a teaspoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Put tuna over the salad and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sesame seeds.

Recipe 3 – a quick dinner to renew your energy

Usually, something “dry” is eaten for dinner, because when you come home tire from work, it does not cross your mind to stand by the stove and cook. There is a way to quickly prepare a healthy, tasty and invigorating dinner.

You need white (chicken) meat and a bag of frozen vegetables. Cut the meat into cubes and sauté with a tablespoon of oil and a little water. After 5 minutes, add the frozen vegetables and pour just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat in the pot, cook for 15 to 20 minutes and finally season as desired. Serve with a slice of wholemeal bread and radishes.

Small and gradual changes will finally lead to great results and new habits. Control the amount, but enjoy with simple yet varied, local, seasonal and unprocessed foods. Keep in mind that a bad food offer can always make the best choice. The decision is up to you, take action today.