To lose weight or maintain it, you have to have a healthy diet and, therefore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend mixing foods of different colors, because that way the person ensures that they take different types of nutrients. The more colors there are, the more nutrients a dish will have and, if they are fresh, even better.
Thus, a healthy eating plan includes:
- Emphasize the importance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat milk and dairy products
- Include a variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, nuts, and seeds.
- Include a small amount of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Regarding fruits and vegetables, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming 400 g, that is, five portions, per day.
Regarding sugar, it indicates that less than 10% of the total caloric intake should be consumed from free sugars, which is equivalent to 50 grams (or about 12 level teaspoons), in the case of a person with a healthy body weight, who consumes approximately 2,000 calories a day though for additional health benefits, ideally less than 5% of total caloric intake would be ideal.
In addition, he explained that free sugars are all those that manufacturers, cooks or consumers add to food or drinks, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices and concentrates.
Also, on fats, the Organization recommended that less than 30% of daily caloric intake should come from fats. In fact, suggested reducing saturated fat intake to less than 10% of total calorie intake, and trans fat intake to less than 1%.
- Saturated fats are the “bad” kind and they are found in meat and other animal products, such as butter or lard, cheese, and in all milk except skim milk. They are solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are also found in liquid form in palm and coconut oils, which are often used in baked goods available at the supermarket.
- trans fats they are the worst type of dietary fat, found naturally in small amounts in some animal products such as red meat, cheese, and whole milk, and are synthetic in origin that makes liquid oils solid. They can be found in margarine and certain snack foods bought at the supermarket or restaurant, in baked goods, and in fried foods.
Along the same lines, to lose weight or maintain it, you have to consume water, since it helps with the elimination of toxins. However, the daily consumption of this liquid is different for men and women, since there are differences between the intake, but, In general, men should drink 3.7 liters of water a day and women should drink 2.7 litres.
Finally, on salt consumption, the WHO suggested consuming less than five grams of salt (approximately one teaspoon) per day and salt should be iodized.
In any case, the information given above is in no way a substitute for medical advice and, therefore, the first thing to do is consult a health expert so that he or she can guide the process and indicate what is most appropriate for you. each person.