Because I believe food is ultimately the best medicine, I want to give you the tools that you need to be able to make good food choices, and prepare a healthy and balanced menu. In my previous article, I pointed out tips for a healthy grocery shopping list, so now it’s time for some action!
Many of us view food simply as the fuel we need to keep us going, but food is so much more than just calories. Food is composed by carbohydrates, proteins and fats (macronutrients), providing energy, building blocks for growth and tissue repair, among others functions. No less important are the vitamins, minerals and trace elements (micronutrients), as they allow chemical events to take place in the body. Of course, we cannot forget water!
The challenge now is: how to combine foods in order to get a perfect balance of all the food components.
The Sample Menu Plan
The following is an example of a healthy and balanced meal plan for an average adult (daily energetic needs between 1200-1300Kcal/day), in order to maintain a desired weight.
Please don’t forget, food is more than calories.
What you choose to eat has a powerful impact on your health and wellbeing. Enjoy it!
BREAKFAST
Standard
▪ 240 ml of skimmed milk or 200ml of unflavoured vegetable drink (soy, almond, spelt)
or vegetable omelette (2 whites, marine salt, vegetables and coriander)
or 2 slices of turkey ham/1 slice of smoked salmon
or plain yoghurt or 50g of low-fat cottage cheese (1 small)
+
▪ 30g of multigrain bread (1 small slice)
or 4 tablespoons of oat flakes/5 tablespoons of “All-bran” cereals
or 3 high fibre pieces of toast
+
▪ 1 dessertspoon of olive oil and aromatic herbs/peanut butter (optional)
or 1 1/2 tablespoons of guacamole/hummus
+
▪ 1 piece of fruit or jam (no sugar added)
or 1 shake (2 small fruits, water and a herb/vegetable)
or 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower, etc.)
or 1/2 handful of nuts (no salt)
Option 1 – Standard breakfast with omelette (exercise days)
▪ vegetable omelette (2 whites, marine salt, vegetables and coriander)
+
▪ 30g of multigrain bread, toasted with olive oil/guacamole/peanut butter (the fat is optional)
+
▪ shake (2 small fruits, water and a herb/vegetable)/piece of fruit
Option 2 – Porridge
▪ 240 ml skimmed milk/200ml of vegetable drink, flavoured with lemon zest and stick of cinnamon
+
▪ 4 tablespoons of oats (cook the oats in milk)
+
▪ 1 piece of fruit (e.g. grated apple) or seeds/nuts
You can add a cup of herbal tea.
If you don’t feel hungry or if you are running out of time, you should try the following suggestion:
Smoothie:
▪ 240 ml of skimmed milk/200ml vegetable drink
+
▪ 1 piece of fruit
+
▪ 1 tablespoon of oat flakes/high fibre cereals
(for a boost of Omega 3 fatty acids, add a tablespoon of chia seed/ground linseed).
Fruit varieties:
▪ apple/pear(1)
▪ orange (1)
▪ peach/kiwi (1)
▪ 10 strawberries
▪ 100g of berries
▪ 12 grapes
▪ 2 plums
▪ ½ banana
▪ ¼ avocado (1 per week)
▪ ½ mango
▪ ½ papaya
▪ 1 slice of watermelon/melon
▪ 1 slice of pineapple
MID- MORNING SNACK
Option 1
▪ 1 piece of fruit or fruit jam (no sugar added)
or 1 shake (2 small fruits, water and a herb)
+
▪ 1-2 high fibre crackers or plain yoghurt/low-fat cheese
Option 2
▪ 1 handful of nuts (unsalted) with herbal tea
If you have fruit for breakfast, it is advisable to eat nuts for your mid-morning snack.
LUNCH
Option 1
Soup
▪ Soup without potato or similar (optional)
Main dish
▪ Omelette – boiled eggs (1 egg yolk, 2 egg whites + vegetables)
or 120g of fish/white meat (without skin or bones)
+
▪ 2 tablespoons of brown rice/quinoa/couscous/brown pasta
or 5 tablespoons of beans
or 1 small sweet potato or 2 small white potatoes
+
▪ 100g of vegetables
+
▪ 10g of olive oil (1 tablespoon)
Note: In this option, you may not eat soup, only the main dish. If you choose this alternative, increase the quantity of vegetables to 200g.
Option 2
Main dish
▪ 1 piece of fruit
+
▪ Soup (with potato or similar)/salad + animal/vegetal protein
Option 3
Main dish
▪ 1 sandwich of multigrain bread/wrap, with vegetables (tomato, lettuce, etc) + avocado/olive oil/hummus/guacamole + omelette/turkey, smoked salmon, etc.
+
▪ Salad/soup (without potato)
Soup – 250 ml
It is advisable not to eat pasta and white potatoes every day.
Try to add avocado to your salad.
Maximum of 2 tablespoons of olive oil per day.
You should avoid mixing carrots, pumpkin and beetroot (as when cooked are very sweet).
This last option should be chosen only when no other is possible.
MID- AFTERNOON SNACK
▪ 2 high fibre toasts/high fibre crackers
or 3 tablespoons of oats
or 25g of multigrain bread
+
▪ 240 ml of skimmed milk or 200ml of vegetable drink
or 1 slice of smoked salmon/2 slices of turkey ham
or low-fat cottage cheese (50gm)
or plain yoghurt
+
▪ dessertspoon of olive oil/peanut butter – optional
or guacamole (1 1/2 tablespoons)/hummus – optional
+
▪ 1 piece of fruit or jam (no sugar added)
or 1 shake (2 small fruits and a herb/vegetable)
or 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower, etc.)
or 1/2 handful of nuts (no salt)
Instead of the meal, you can replace it with the following healthy shake:
▪ 240 ml of skimmed milk/200ml of vegetable drink
+
▪ 1 piece of fruit
+
▪ 1 tablespoon of quinoa/oats flakes/high fibre cereals.
DINNER
Option 1
Soup
▪ Soup without potato or similar (optional)
Main dish
▪ Omelette – boiled eggs (1 egg yolk , 2 egg whites + vegetables)
or 120g of fish/white meat (without skin or bones)
+
▪ 100g of vegetables
+
▪ 10g of olive oil
Option 2
Main dish
▪ Soup + animal/vegetal protein (without potato or similar)
+
▪ 1 piece of fruit
Try to avoid eating carbohydrates for dinner (rice, pasta, potatoes).
By Ana Rita Horta
|| [email protected]
Ana Rita Horta is a Dietitian at the Hospital Particular do Algarve
