What should I eat in my diet and how to calculate the nutrients?

Rajanya Shome

8 months ago

What should I eat in my diet and how to calculate the nutrients?

Nutrition

Happy Tummy Expert

8 months ago

Dear Rajanya Shome, Thank you for the question

Keeping count of your nutrients is a good initiative towards managing and maintaining a healthy diet and to avoid undernutrition or overnutrition

Counting your daily nutrient intake is proven to be effective to help you understand better if you are consuming the right amount of nutrients as per the RDA (recommended daily allowance).

You can use applications/apps freely available, that will help you count your nutrients and to keep a track on your daily physical activity levels, sleep and hydration.

WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2^nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification

18.5 to 24.9 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

25 to 29 - Overweight

Above 30 - Obese

As per WHO BMI (Body Mass Index) classification, a person weighing less than 18.5 kg/m2 is considered underweight.

For general wellbeing, you can begin by consuming a balanced diet is 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.