The organization of daily meals is key when it comes to improving the quality of our diet. That’s why we show you how to design a healthy weekly diet to protect the organism with its implementation.
If we really seek not to fall into the temptation of solving intakes by going to ultra-processed foods or meals prepared outside the home, it is advisable properly plan a menu and based on this make the purchase of food.
The premises for a healthy diet
Considering the nutritional recommendations for the Spanish population and trying to achieve a diet that provides all the nutrients in adequate quantities, we recommend taking into account the following premises to design a healthy diet:
Consider particularities of each household or consumer
The first and foremost thing to achieve a healthy weekly diet is attend to the particularities of each home or consumer who wants to carry it out.
That is, it is always recommended contemplate tastes and preferences, compensate shortcomings and deficitsconsider needs, biological condition and possibilities, for which it may be necessary (and very useful) to go to a nutrition professional.
With this in mind, we will achieve a personalized dietadequate and healthy for each person who wishes to put it into practice.
Include fruits and vegetables in all meals
A fundamental step to achieve a healthy weekly diet is to include fruits and vegetables in all dishes throughout the week, and may be fresh or cooked depending on the preparation.
A recommended minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day Trying to ensure that they are of a different type and color to guarantee a greater variety of nutrients that contribute to the health of the organism.
Use whole grains and don’t forget legumes
Quality carbohydrates are the basis of a healthy diet and its main source of energy. For this reason, we recommend using the whole grains in the daily diet trying to always add fruits and vegetables to complete said contribution of hydrates.
Likewise, given that we Spaniards are gradually forgetting the legumeswe recommend including at least twice a week, since, like whole grains, they provide fiber, vegetable proteins and complex carbohydrates that benefit the body and fill you up easily; contrary to what happens with easily assimilated carbohydrates such as sugars or refined flours and derivatives.
Incorporate more fish and less meat (lean)
Although they are not essential foods in the daily diet, in order to obtain quality proteins as well as beneficial omega-3 unsaturated fats for the body, it is recommended subtract meats and add fish, trying to make these last foods the star of our dishes at least twice a week.
To do this, we advise going to fresh and seasonal fish or, if we are looking for greater practicality in the kitchen, we can use canned fish or canned that save a lot of time when solving preparations.
Thus, we recommend for those who have an omnivorous diet, alternate fish, shellfish, eggs and lean meats (to a lesser extent) throughout the week, to obtain quality protein in the daily diet.
Contemplate dairy or other sources of calcium each day
In order to cover nutritional needs and avoid deficiencies, we advise, in addition to all the premises before given, include sources of calcium daily being able to resort to dairy products, or to nuts, seeds, dried algae, fatty fish or other alternatives.
The dairy products and the fatty fish In addition to being good sources of calcium, they are excellent alternatives to add vitamin D to the usual diet and facilitate the absorption of the mineral, thus contributing to obtaining a balanced and beneficial diet for the body.
Contemplate between three and five daily meals
The number of meals to eat each day can be very variableabove all, depending on the previous habits of consumption and the diet that is put into practice in case of following a specific diet.
Thus, we recommend eat three to five meals a daybreakfast or snack not being essential, but eating food every three or four hours so as not to accumulate hunger, except in particular cases or following, for example, an intermittent fasting protocol.
The steps to specify the design of a healthy diet
Considering the basic premises given above, we can start effectively with the design of a healthy weekly diet, for which we recommend following the following Steps:
Prepare a list of possible and frequent preparations
Taking into account the characteristics of each home or consumer, and contemplating tastes, needs and possibilities, we recommend list the possible meals or dishes to prepare.
Thus, for example, if we are regulars in eating whole grains but consume few fruits and vegetables, we will try to add preparations that have them to balance our weekly menu.
Similarly, we recommend avoid preparations that involve frying and prioritize the intake of dishes that include fresh and seasonal foods, in such a way as to promote the achievement of a healthy, nutritious diet without excess calories.
Distribute the dishes throughout the days
Contemplating the list of preparations elaborated previously we will distribute throughout the days possible intakes.
For this, we will try balance the menu daily and also weekly. In other words, if we have assigned a fish-based dish with brown rice and vegetables for dinner at noon, we will prioritize other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables or fruits.
In this way, we will achieve varied dietthat provides all the nutrients that the body needs throughout the week and therefore, keeps us away from deficits and excesses.
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