To reduce weight, I'm eating oats,chia,nuts pudding at night. I saw somewhere taking chia seeds and nuts at night time leads to constipation or digestion problem. Is it true? Please suggest healthy diet plan for three times a day it will be helpful for me.

Shoba Rani

3 months ago

To reduce weight, I'm eating oats,chia,nuts pudding at night. I saw somewhere taking chia seeds and nuts at night time leads to constipation or digestion problem. Is it true? Please suggest healthy diet plan for three times a day it will be helpful for me.

Fibre Intake Nutrition Digestive issues Food

Happy Tummy Expert

3 months ago

Dear Shobha Rani, Thank you for the question

Chia Seeds are known to be rich in healthy fats, fibres, omega 3 fatty acids and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and zinc. They are in fact a great source of protein and dietary fiber which is considered to be an essential nutrient in your daily diet, helps relieve constipation and support digestive health They are even identified as a popular superfood today. Hence, when consumed in moderation and as a part of your balanced diet, it shall provide you with all these benefits.

While being mindful of the portion, you can consume chia seeds and nuts any time of the day in various forms as part of diverse balanced diet.

However, to maintain your digestive system, it is vital to consume a balanced diet which provides all the nutrients in required amounts and proper proportions. It can easily be achieved through a blend of the four basic food groups. The quantities of foods needed to meet the nutrient requirements vary with age, gender, physiological status and physical activity. A balanced diet should provide around 50-60% of total calories from carbohydrates, preferably from complex carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins and 20-30% from both visible and invisible fat.

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition it is recommended to consume 2000kcal/d and for women, the RDA for protein requirement is 46g/d and for fiber it is 25g/d.

Here are few guidelines for healthy balanced diet that can be considered:

Have a Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommended.
Some of the good sources of protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds, etc.
Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
Avoid skipping meals. Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
Engage in at least 30-45 minutes brisk walk/physical activity of moderate intensity at least 5 days a week.
Try and follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and Quality.