A healthy plate is a practical tool for healthy nutrition and is suitable for all, and for every day. It presents a volume and a quantity relationship between all nutrition food groups throughout the day.
In the past, the food pyramid has been the model for good nutrition. But, who of us has put food into the pyramid?
Most of us place food on a plate in a practical and well-arranged manner. The advantage of the healthy plate concept is that it is easy to understand and use for everybody — adults and children.
The composition of the healthy plate comes from modern scientific studies and leads to a healthy lifestyle, weight reduction and disease prevention. We really don’t have to count calories or follow any strict diet rules.
The idea behind the healthy plate is just the arrangement of particular components of food (carbs, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals). A secondary advantage of the healthy plate is that it doesn’t consist of junk food (chips, desserts, sweet drinks), which, in the pyramid, would be placed at the top.
One of the biggest problems with nutrition today is the large consumption of white flour, white flour products, sugar and meat. If you follow the healthy plate concept, you can easily avoid this problem.
What does a healthy plate look like?
One half of your plate should be covered with fruits and vegetables, with the larger part consisting of vegetables. The more varieties of colors, the better. Colorful vegetables and fruit contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. And don’t forget to eat the green parts of herbs and plants (parsley, chives, dandelion leaves, calendula, daisy, nettle, etc.); they are good for your health.
When spring arrives and these green plants become available fresh, they can help to clean your internal organs after winter. It is important to note that fruits and vegetables should be seasonal and local. We are a part of nature and the annual cycle, and we should respect this rule.
The third quarter of a healthy plate consists of proteins. Proteins are building blocks for tissues, organs and our body. We can get proteins from both animals and plants, but should try to eat more plant protein than animal protein.
Plant protein is in legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables; broccoli contains the highest protein amount of all vegetables. Animal protein is in meat, fish, eggs and milk products.
The last quarter of the healthy plate consists of carbs. It means cereals in their natural form, or “whole” meal. It’s also worth trying gluten-free cereals like buckwheat, millet grains, maize, rice, amaranth and quinoa.
Fat is necessary for brain and hormonal system functions. It is important to eat enough nonsaturated fatty acids. Use cold pressed oils like linen oil, sunflower oil, cannabis oil, pumpkin oil or olive oil; eat seeds and nuts.
Fluids are a necessary part of our life. Drink liquids without added sugar like water, plant or herbal tea, water with lemon or homemade fruit tea.
What do you think? Is a meal everything?
No, it isn’t. A healthy life must also include physical activity like walking outside and taking in fresh air, meeting friends and family, and keeping a good mood and humor, too.
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