A Guide to Nutrient-Rich Meal Planning for Nutrition Week
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The National Nutrition Week is observed in India in the first week of September, that is from 1st September to 7th September. It was initiated in India in 1982 after the American Diabetes Association launched the Nutrition Week campaign in 1973. Nutrition Week is now observed globally as a way to propagate healthy eating habits and focus on nutrition.
If you’ve not been careful about what you consume until today, then don’t worry, it’s never too late. Nutrition Week 2023 can be the perfect opportunity for you to inculcate healthy and nutritious eating habits. What you can follow for one week could very well become your way of life and you will see the effects of good eating habits on your overall well-being in no time.
In this blog, let us look at a guide to nutrient-rich and healthy meal planning that can pave your way towards a healthy, disease-free and fritter life ahead.
Your Guide to Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is not just about measuring calories, although they’re a vital part of it. The much more important aspect is nutrition. The food you eat should give your body the required nutrients that your body needs. Let’s look at what you should consider in a nutrient-rich diet.
Nutrient Density
Many of us focus only on caloric value while consuming food, which is not the way to go. Just because a particular food is low in calories, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Similarly, just because a food is high in calories doesn’t mean it’s totally unhealthy. Sometimes, high-calorie food contains many required nutrients whereas low-calorie food does not contain any. For example, foods like yoghurt, nuts, egg yolks, and fish are high in calories, but they also contain essential nutrition in abundance, which is good for you.
So, when it comes to making your choice, you should choose foods that are high in nutrition like protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Do not go just on the caloric value. Because you may end up missing out on nutrition if you regularly eat only low-carb foods.
Variety of Foods
Another aspect of healthy eating is to enjoy a plateful of diverse food items. For example, don’t just load your plate with one type of food, like a single protein or carb food item. Mix it up by including proteins, carbs, veggies, etc. Studies have shown that eating a variety of foods aids gut bacteria and prevents chronic diseases. If you’re a picky eater, eating different types of food may be challenging for you. In that case, you can start introducing new kinds slowly and grow accustomed to them.
Eating different types of food is not just about nutrition but also about enjoying yourself. Some variety on your plate can make your meals interesting and allow you to savour every bite.
Focus on All Three Macronutrients
Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are the three macronutrients that your body needs to function properly. Ensure that your meals consist of a good balance of all three macronutrients. Many latest fad diets completely omit carbs, which is not good for the body since it’s a viable source of energy. As a starting point, your meals should comprise 40%-50% healthy carbs, 30% proteins and 20-30% healthy fats.
From here on, you make small adjustments to the ratio based on your fitness goals. For example, if you’re looking to build muscle mass, you may increase the protein slightly. For weight loss, you can reduce carbs and create a calorie deficit. You can also check out how you can use oats for weight gain in your diet.
Cut Down On High-Processed Foods
What you keep out of your plate is as important as what you keep on it. Minimise high-processed and high-sugar foods like cakes, pastries, candy, sugary soda drinks, energy drinks etc. as these can increase your risk of heart disease and negatively impact your health. Do note that we’re talking about excessive or regular consumption of these foods. Occasionally indulging in these foods is perfectly fine as long as you don’t make it a habit. Have a look at some great healthy breakfast recipes.
Thus, making certain, small changes in your diet can help you lead a healthier life that’s free from diseases. Let this year’s Nutrition Week be the perfect occasion to start a resolution to eat healthy and nutrient-rich food. If you want additional help creating the perfect meal plan, get the FITPASS app today and sign up for a FITFEAST membership. With FITFEAST, you get access to an expert nutritionist who can create the perfect meal plan for your fitness needs.
Nutrient-rich meal planning is important for overall health because it ensures that your body gets all the right nutrients in adequate quantities through the food you consume.
Follow a balanced diet, eat different varieties of nutrient-dense foods and include foods containing macronutrients, vitamins and minerals in order to ensure a nutrient-rich diet.
Vegetables, pulses, eggs, whole grains, and fruits are some foods that pack a punch nutrition-wise but are also easy on the pockets.
