10 recommendations for good nutrition

1. Choose a variety of foods.

In order to be healthy, you need more than 40 different nutrients. No single food exists that will provide all of them. Thanks to effective modern-day distribution, it is easy to find a wide variety of foods, whether you want fresh products for cooking or whether you prefer pre-cooked dishes or buy food to take home. Try to balance your diet over the medium term. If lunch has been fatty, take a light supper. If you eat a large portion of meat one day, take fish the following day.

2. Base your diet on foods rich in carbohydrates.

The majority of people do not eat sufficient foods like bread, pasta, rice, other cereals and potatoes. Practically half of the necessary calories in your diet should come from these edible products. In addition, try whole-grain bread and rice or other cereals to increase your fibre intake.

3. Eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.

Many of us do not eat sufficient amounts of this type of food, despite the fact that they contain fundamental protective nutrients. Try to take at least five portions of them a day.

4. Maintain an adequate weight and keep fit.

The adequate weight for each person depends on many factors such as gender, height, age and hereditary characteristics. An excess of weight increases the risk of suffering a broad range of diseases, such as cancer and cardiac disorders. When we take in more calories than are necessary, an excess of fat appears in the organism. The extra calories may come from caloric nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates or alcohol) but fats are the most concentrated source of calories. Exercising is a good way of increasing the consumption of energy (calories) daily, and in addition makes you feel good. The conclusion is very simple: if you gain weight, it means that you have to eat less and exercise more.

5. Take moderate portions: do not eliminate foods – reduce the amount.

You may eat all the foods that you like, without the need of passing up any, as long as they are in reasonable quantities. Here are some examples of moderate portions: 100 g of meat, a medium-sized fruit, half a cup of raw pasta and 50 ml. of ice-cream. Pre-cooked foods are a very practical way of monitoring portions. Often, the label indicates their energetic value in order to help calorie-counters. When you eat out, share a portion with a friend.