Is a varied diet good or bad? Varied diets with proper nutrition

Mark Zuckerberg recently asked the world how he would like to return to work from a short stay. maternity leave? They had to choose from identical light gray T-shirts and identical dark gray sweatshirts. The meaning of the joke is quite obvious: a successful person appreciates every minute and does not waste himself.

Of course, this suggests an analogy between clothing and nutrition. Many people deliberately simplify their diet so that it does not bother them and does not take up a lot of time. And there is a rational grain in this, since the search for new recipes, queues in stores and culinary experiments are all the same. Although, in truth, a monotonous diet is often associated with echoes of the food impotence of Soviet times.

And everything would be fine if monotonous food didn’t seem unhealthy to us.

Why food should be varied

The more varied the food, the more you eat. Imagine Buffet from several vegetable dishes and compare it to one large bowl of salad. What will you choose? Man is born with an instinct for satiety, so we will step towards Swedish abundance without hesitation. Moreover, the instinct will work even if vegetarian menu replace it with a more realistic equivalent - fast food. For this reason, to avoid overeating, it is necessary to limit the variability of food.

Susan Roberts

The human genome has a mandatory instruction sewn into it: eat more. different foods. And there is a good reason for this.

No single food contains optimal amounts of all the nutrients we need to be healthy. Therefore, in order to get everything they need in sufficient quantities, people eat a variety of foods.

A joint study from Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health also supports diversity. Scientists studied the diets of 59,038 women to track the effects of healthy and unhealthy foods on life expectancy and mortality from specific causes. It turned out that those participants who ate 16–17 healthy products, the risk of death was 42% lower than those who ate up to eight of these foods. The result of the work was very interesting advice.

Proper nutrition affects life expectancy. At the same time, it is more important to increase the amount of healthy products than to reduce the amount of their less healthy counterparts.

By the way, healthy foods included fruits, vegetables, whole grain, cereals, fish and low-fat dairy products. Among the less healthy foods were refined carbohydrates, sugar, and foods high in saturated fat.

The hidden nuance of a varied diet

On the other hand, the scientific world has evidence that a varied diet is not so beneficial when it comes to the microbiome - the population of microorganisms that lives in the human body, supports its digestive system, helps control appetite and performs many other important functions.

As a rule, the diversity of bacteria in the intestines is only beneficial. But we have found that in some animals, mixing foods reduces the number and diversity of gut bacteria.

Daniel Bolnick

At the same time, the scientist warns against incorrect conclusions. It is a mistake to believe that diversity gives negative effect. Rather, the combination of individual products can lead to unexpected consequences.

Even if you know the effects of food A and the effects of food B on digestion, you cannot predict what will happen to the microbiome when you eat both at once. There's no doubt that modern man eats more varied foods than he is used to. But whether this is good or not is an open question.

Bottom line

So should you eat the same food every day? Of course, a bagel for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and meat and potatoes for dinner will cause nutritional deficiencies. However, if you consume at least six high-content varieties useful microelements, you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure to include colorful vegetables in your meals. Color tends to correlate with various nutrients. And stay away from starchy vegetables, such as potatoes.

Dr. Roberts suggests the following: daily menu, which will give the body everything it needs:

• Greek yogurt with fresh fruit- in the morning,
• spinach or lettuce with chicken and vegetables - in the middle of the day,
• fruit and nut smoothie - for an afternoon snack,
• roasted vegetables with brown rice - in the evening.

Of course, this is one of many options and you can create your own menu in such a way that you eat monotonously, but nutritiously. That being said, Susan recommends being careful with exotic ones if you want to be truly healthy.

Nutrition issues now occupy a leading place in all scientific and medical works. After all, the foods a person eats greatly affect his health. Therefore everything more people began to become interested in what rational nutrition is. Principles rational nutrition are described in detail in many medical articles, and if you wish, you can learn to eat so that the food brings only benefits. But not only the composition of a person’s diet affects his health. Everything is important: how much he eats, when, what intervals between meals he observes, how he combines foods with each other. It is especially important to pay attention to this when feeding children, the elderly and those who suffer from any diseases.

Why is nutrition so important?

It is clear to every person that food is prerequisite maintaining human life and health. What are its functions?

1. To provide the human body with energy. Therefore, the basics of rational nutrition necessarily take into account a person’s energy costs. And the food consumed should replenish them, but no more. Otherwise, the excess will be stored as fat.

2. With food, the body must receive substances that it uses to build cells. These are primarily proteins; minerals, fats and carbohydrates are also important.

3. Another function of nutrition is to supply the body with vitamins necessary for the production of certain enzymes and hormones.

4. Recently, scientists have determined that immunity also depends on nutrition. What a person eats directly affects protective forces the body and its ability to resist disease.

This is why it is so important to know what a balanced diet is. The principles of rational nutrition necessarily take these functions into account.

Importance of Essential Nutrients

Proteins are the most necessary substances for the body. They are used to build cells, produce hormones and as a source of energy. A person needs to consume about 100 grams of protein per day, depending on gender and age.

Fats They should make up approximately 35% of the volume daily ration. Moreover, more useful are vegetable fats, containing unsaturated fatty acid and vitamins.

Carbohydrates also serve as a source of energy. They should be consumed up to 500 grams per day, depending on a person’s energy consumption. But an excess amount of them can lead to obesity, since if they are not processed into energy, they turn into fat.

Vitamins and minerals are also necessary for normal human functioning. It is important to consider that they are not formed in the body, but only come from food.

Balanced nutrition: concept and principles

Food must provide growth and proper development people, improve their health and help prevent diseases. It must be balanced in terms of energy consumption and nutrient content in accordance with gender and age. Only in this case can we talk about rational nutrition. Every person should strive for this, only then will he be able to enjoy his health. The principles of rational nutrition include:

Moderation, which does not allow you to consume more energy from food than is consumed in the process of life;

Variety - very important principle rational nutrition. Humanity uses thousands for food different products in a wide variety of combinations. But they are based on proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. In order for all of them to enter the human body with food, the diet should be as varied as possible;

Diet is also very important for health. Moreover, this principle is especially often violated by people.

Why is moderation in food so important?

When planning a diet, it is necessary to maintain a balance between energy expended and energy supplied from food.

For this purpose, the gender, age, weight of the person and his type of activity are taken into account. The norms and principles of rational nutrition measure energy expenditure in kilocalories. For example, for a person doing mental labor, they are about 2500 kcal, and for athletes - 4000 kcal. If less energy comes from food, then the body uses up its own reserves in the form of fat and glycogen. With prolonged fasting or insufficient nutrition, proteins also begin to be consumed, which leads to muscle dystrophy. But excess energy intake from food is also harmful. Anything that is not used up is stored as adipose tissue. That is why it is so important in nutrition. The amount of food consumed and its composition should depend on the age, body weight, physical activity and even the place of residence of the person.

Balanced diet

There are a lot of things that a balanced diet should take into account. The principles of rational nutrition necessarily include knowledge about the quality composition of food. To ensure normal human life, it is necessary that all nutrients come from food in a certain ratio. On average, for an ordinary person engaged in mental work, the following ratio is recommended: one part protein, one part fat and four parts carbohydrates. It is also important that a person consumes a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals.

What do you need to know about the composition of food and the amount of its main ingredients?

1. A person should consume about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of weight. On average, this turns out to be 50-80 grams. Moreover, the amount of animal and vegetable protein should be distributed approximately equally. According to research, excess protein consumption leads to decreased performance and fatigue. After all, a lot of energy is spent on its processing. Protein is found in meat and dairy products, nuts, legumes and buckwheat.

2. Fats are very important for providing the body with energy and participating in the construction of cells. In addition, only in their presence can some vitamins be absorbed. The average person needs to consume about 100 grams of fat. Moreover, the most important are those that contain essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins. These are mainly vegetable fats, which you need to consume more than animal fats. But you should avoid margarine and artificial oils, as they are poorly digestible.

3. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy. To an ordinary person on average, 400-500 grams are required, the bulk of which should be starch. With a normal diet, 60% of all energy is generated from carbohydrates. A person can get them from honey, fruits and berries, sugar, some vegetables and grain products.

4. Vitamins are necessary means for the formation of enzymes and hormones. They mainly enter the body with food. Most of them are found in vegetables and fruits, bread and cereals. With a lack of vitamins, certain diseases develop and a decrease in immunity and performance is observed.

5. Minerals are very important for maintaining normal human life. To avoid their deficiency, a person’s diet should be varied.

6. Fiber is essential for normal operation digestive tract, although it is not digested. It is very necessary for normalizing intestinal microflora and removing waste and toxins from the body. Fiber is found in vegetables and fruits, legumes and grain products. Only by consuming it in sufficient quantities can you maintain health and prevent the occurrence of certain diseases.

Meal schedule

Except quality composition it is very important to comply correct mode nutrition. It is mainly regulated by the feeling of hunger, but in some cases a person overeats. This has become a real scourge of modern humanity. Therefore, now the importance of rational nutrition is that people are taught not only to be guided by appetite, but also to adhere to certain rules:

It is necessary to maintain consistency in eating according to the time of day. In this case, the body develops a conditioned reflex and by a certain time saliva and gastric juice, which ensures better digestion of food;

Meals should be fractional. Scientists have proven that eating two meals a day is dangerous to health. It is best to eat 3-4 times a day, but in small portions. Sometimes it is advisable to add a couple more meals without increasing the total amount;

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner should be balanced in terms of nutritional content. It is necessary to select such products so that at each meal the body receives proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins in their rational ratio;

It is very important to choose the right time for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as distribute the amount of food. You should try to ensure that 4-6 hours pass between main meals, and 2-3 hours remain from dinner to bed. The main amount of food should be for lunch, breakfast comes second, and for dinner you need to eat less.

Nutrition rules in everyday life

Almost every person understands how important a balanced diet is for health. The principles of rational nutrition are set out in many medical works. But not everyone understands scientific terms, and for the average person it is difficult to apply such ideas in life. Therefore, we can formulate some rules that more clearly outline the basics of rational nutrition:

Don't overeat;

Monitor the quality of food: it must be unspoiled and not contaminated with microorganisms;

Eat as varied a diet as possible;

In cooking methods, give preference to boiling and eat more raw vegetables and fruits;

Upon purchase ready meals be sure to pay attention to the composition and calorie content indicated on the label;

Chew food thoroughly;

You need to eat more often, but in small portions;

Drink enough water;

Try to eliminate salt, sugar, coffee, alcoholic drinks, canned food, cakes, refined foods and smoked meats;

Try to include fresh vegetables and fruits, honey, herbs, nuts and cereals in your diet more often;

You should only sit at the table when good mood and while eating, do not be distracted by foreign objects.

Separate food

Scientists have found that food digestion occurs under the influence of various enzymes. To ensure that its components are absorbed correctly and the complex digestion process is not disrupted, it is recommended to use certain rules in nutrition:

Do not mix starch with acidic foods;

It is better to eat protein and starch foods at different times;

Sugar inhibits gastric secretion, so it is undesirable to eat it with proteins and starches;

It is advisable to consume liquids separately from solid foods;

Apples, grapes and other fruits should be eaten 1-2 hours before the main meal. And it is better to eat pears after meals;

Fats also delay the digestion process, so too much of them can lead to problems.

The importance of balanced nutrition

Most people currently eat incorrectly than they do irreparable harm to your health. And this is primarily due to a lack of knowledge on this issue. And more and more people suffer from metabolic disorders caused by poor nutrition. This leads to the appearance of nervous and mental illness, avitaminosis, liver and blood diseases. Therefore, rational nutrition and its principles should be known to everyone who wants to stay healthy. Violation of these rules leads to a decrease in performance, resistance to disease and life expectancy. Proper food a person needs not only to replenish energy costs and growth, but also to receive essential vitamins and microelements not synthesized by the body. Their balance contributes normal flow all life processes. A balanced diet promotes more complete absorption of nutrients.

Medical and dietary nutrition

All recommendations related to food can only be applied to ordinary, healthy person. They usually don't take into account individual characteristics body. Therefore, if there are any deviations in health, diets are used. Principles of rational and dietary nutrition are basically similar, but diets, in addition to satisfying hunger and supplying the body with necessary substances, should promote health and help cure diseases. There are the following types of diets:

Medicinal;

Age;

For weight correction;

For pregnant and lactating women;

Sports;

Designed for people of certain professions.

Diets for certain diseases

Principles of rational and therapeutic nutrition provide not only a special diet, but also the avoidance of foods that may be harmful to health. Diet plays a huge role in the treatment of most diseases. For some pathologies, it is necessary to increase or decrease the amount of proteins, fats or carbohydrates.

Nutrition for obesity should be balanced. It is necessary to strictly monitor the amount of calories consumed, avoid sugar, salt, flour products, fatty foods and alcohol.

The principles of rational nutrition for rickets include the introduction into the child’s diet of a sufficient amount of foods rich in phosphorus and magnesium, vitamin D and calcium. Sick children are given complementary foods as early as 4 months. They need to include in their diet vegetable purees, pureed yolk, liver and meat.

Another disease in which it is very important to follow a certain diet is hypothyroidism. It is necessary to reduce the amount of carbohydrates, salt and liquid consumed. On the contrary, vegetables and fruits, fermented milk products, meat and Rye bread. The principles of rational nutrition for hypothyroidism include limiting fats and easily digestible carbohydrates, but increasing proteins.

Children's nutrition rules

Shortcomings in nutrition have the greatest impact on children. This leads to a delay in their growth and development and to the appearance various diseases. Therefore, it is so important to follow the basic principles of rational nutrition for children. It is necessary to ensure that the child’s diet is not overloaded with carbohydrates, so it is necessary to limit the consumption of sugar, baked goods and confectionery. You should also exclude carbonated drinks, processed foods, sausages and fast food from children’s diets. This food will bring nothing but harm. Particular attention must be paid to baby food there were enough vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, iodine, iron, fluorine and folic acid. The child's diet should contain a lot fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy and grain products. He needs to eat nuts, honey, greens and drink enough water.

There are no products in nature that contain everything necessary for a person components (except mother's milk, but only for newborns). Therefore, only a combination of different products best ensures that the body receives the nutrients it needs from food. With a wide variety of foods, it is easier for the body to choose the necessary substances for optimal functioning. This applies most of all to microcomponents of food, such as vitamins and microelements. The processes of assimilation and metabolism of microcomponents are often sharply activated in the presence of other nutrients, sometimes several. All this speaks in favor of diversity of foods in our diet.

History knows many examples when masses of people suffered from various diseases only because they ate predominantly the same foods. This is how most hypo- and avitaminosis was discovered (for example, vitamin deficiency PP, when in a number of areas of the Middle East the population ate mainly corn or sorghum; vitamin B 1 deficiency, when in Japan they ate mainly polished rice, etc.).

A number of endemic (i.e., characteristic of a particular area) diseases are associated with an excess or deficiency of microelements found in the soil. Accordingly, in some cases these microelements enter, in others they do not enter vegetable products(for example, cases of lack of iodine or fluorine in the population of some regions of our country, etc.).

Variety of products in to a certain extent ensures their hygienic safety. In connection with the development of chemicalization Agriculture and increasing negative influence industry on environment in certain areas, various substances harmful to health (pesticides, lead compounds, etc.) can accumulate and enter food products. Of course, the content of these substances is controlled by health authorities, but it’s a good idea to further protect yourself by diversifying your diet. It is absolutely impossible for all products produced even in the same area to accumulate harmful substances to the same extent.

A variety of products in any case “dilutes” the concentration of these substances to a safe level.

Therefore, dietary diversity not only has a positive effect on nutritional value, but also better ensures safety from harmful substances which may accidentally end up in food. The human body has developed a protective reaction to monotonous food - “boring”, associated with loss of appetite. On the other hand, a varied diet often causes increased appetite, more selection food. credential juices, better digestibility of nutrients. The human body itself shows that a varied diet is more correct, more physiological.

Some people (fortunately, there are not many of them) preach varied, but separate nutrition, i.e., they recommend consuming each food product separately, and not in combination with other products at one time, as is usually customary. As proof of their correctness, supporters of separate nutrition point out that carbohydrates begin to be digested already in oral cavity in an alkaline environment, and proteins - in the stomach, in acidic environment, and these two processes interfere with each other. Reception several increased amount fat generally delays the evacuation of food from the stomach (this fact has indeed been established by science), and this, they also say, interferes with the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates.

It should be noted that the main digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates occurs in small intestine under the influence of enzymes contained mainly in pancreatic juice. All these enzymes exhibit optimal action in a slightly alkaline environment and do not interfere with one another. In response to the entry of food mass from the stomach into duodenum in the latter, ready-made pancreatic juice with a rich set of digestive enzymes. If there was only one meat (mostly protein) or one potato (mostly carbohydrates) in the stomach, then in the first case only enzymes that break down proteins will “work”, in the second case - enzymes that break down carbohydrates, while all other enzymes will remain “ unemployed." Therefore, the most favorable from the point of view of the “work” of all enzymes of pancreatic juice is the intake of the most varied food containing optimal ratios of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. This is also important because in in this case Amino acids, fatty acids, and monosaccharides, i.e., building material and energy carriers, simultaneously enter the lymph and blood. Entry into the blood only " building material“without energy and, conversely, energy without “building material” undoubtedly creates difficulties for the body.

As for the inhibitory effect of some excess fat on the evacuation of food mixture from the stomach, this fact cannot be considered as negative for the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates. Because it is just too unprofitable for the body fast digestion and absorption of food substances - this disrupts the so-called homeostasis, i.e. maintaining a certain balance internal environment body. More beneficial is the gradual entry of nutrients into the blood, which is achieved by the characteristics of the activity, digestive system, which were developed and hereditarily consolidated in the process of evolution of the animal world. Thus, the principle of a varied diet remains important for every meal. Separate food non-physiological.

Proper nutrition helps a person maintain performance, avoid various diseases, maintain normal weight, increase life expectancy. You need to switch to a healthy diet gradually so that it does not put stress on the body. At any age, it is not too late to switch to proper healthy eating.

So that the body receives everything it needs nutrients and fully assimilated them, it is necessary to follow the basic rules healthy eating and principles of proper nutrition. We offer 17 rules and principles of healthy eating for every day:

1 Rule of healthy eating - Varied food:

Nutrition should not only be moderate and regular, but also varied, i.e. contain products of both plant and animal origin.

2 Rule - Daily caloric intake:

With age, daily caloric intake should decrease mostly for animal fat counting and carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, sugar). The amount of proteins should remain the same.

3 Rule - Meals 5 times a day:

Irregular use food leads to indigestion. The most rational is 5 times a day meals at the same time, then the person does not overeat.

4 Rule -Slow food:

If you are overtired, do not start eating right away, rest a little. While eating, you need to distract yourself from thoughts about work, about business, you should not have serious talking, reading or watching TV. You need to eat slowly.

5 Rule -Long chew:

Eat food at a certain time, not on the go. How to chew food? It is recommended to do more than 20 chews movements before, food, taken into the mouth, it will be swallowed. Just for fun, try to calculate how much you do chewing movements before swallowing food. And you'll make sure you hurry ruin your stomach, and him and health.

6 Rule - It is necessary to avoid eating dry food:

Liquid dishes prepared with meat, fish, vegetables and mushrooms decoctions, promote the secretion of gastric juice. The soup is enough to digest second courses: meat, fish, cereals, potatoes, etc. Sweets are eaten at the end of lunch Then Sugar is absorbed by the body relatively easily.

7 Rule -Vegetables and fruits :

Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits. They contain necessary for the body vitamins, mineral salts, organic acids, fiber and others useful material. Improve digestion, normalize metabolism and acid-base balance body.

8 Rule - Drinking regime:

Observe drinking regime. Drink at least 2-2.5 liters of water per day. Unboiled water, purified using a filter, is more useful.

9 Rule - Protein foods for breakfast and lunch:

Must be consumed at breakfast and lunch protein food: meat, fish, eggs, cereals, vegetables, cottage cheese. It is better to cook porridge with water - they are healthier.

10 Rule - At dinner - dairy, cereals, vegetable dishes .

Have dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime.

11 Rule - Dairy products :

Eat low-fat dairy products. Kefir contains animal protein, which is no less valuable than meat and fish proteins, and is beneficial for digestion.

12 Rule - Eat freshly prepared food:

Food that has been in the refrigerator for several days loses beneficial features and “slags” the body.

13 Rule - Fasting day:

Make 1 day a week a fasting day. If it's hard, then at least 1 or 2 days a month. IN fasting days the body is cleansed of toxins.

14 Rule - Take vitamins:

For proper nutrition you must consume vitamin complexes, because The body does not receive enough vitamins and microelements from food.

15 Rule - Eat only when you are hungry:

Listen to your body and don't eat if you're not hungry. This important rule to maintain normal weight.

16 Rule - Nutrition after 40 years:

After 40 years, it is very important to adhere to proper nutrition. Must be consumed more foods like low fat cottage cheese, curdled milk, kefir, sour cream (not fatty). Fermented milk products improve the functioning of the stomach and intestines and deliver calcium, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals to the body.

17 Healthy eating rule - Nutrition after 50 years:

After 50 years, the body reacts sharply to disruption water-salt metabolism. Therefore, you should not limit your fluid intake. And here use table salt needs to be reduced.

Following healthy eating rules is not as difficult as it seems. You just need to realize that proper nutrition should be part of healthy image life, a good habit, not a temporary diet.

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Almost every material about child health and development contains a phrase about the importance of a varied diet. But what exactly is meant by “variety” and what are the basic principles of this diet for children?

Main elements

• First of all, meat. From it the body draws not only the main building element - protein, but also vital important amino acids. It is better to give preference in the children's menu dietary meat turkey and rabbit, as well as chicken, beef and veal. Pork should be lean. Proteins and amino acids, together with valuable phosphorus, are also found in fish. It may be included in children's menu 1-2 times a week, but provided that the child does not exhibit allergic reactions. Give preference to beef, veal, chicken, as well as lean pork, turkey, and rabbit. For babies over 10 months old, you can offer fish - one of the best sources of protein, fat and minerals, especially potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

• Main source healthy carbohydrates –cereals. Buckwheat and rice porridge wheat cereals, pearl barley and oatmeal are a wonderful side dish for meat or fish or breakfast for a child. They contain iron, vitamins C, E and group B, potassium and magnesium. The only cereal “poor” in vitamins is the notorious semolina, which our mothers and fathers so often served on the table.

• Dairy products have many advantages. But for the child main benefit consists of calcium and vitamin D. These elements are needed in large quantities because children's body almost constantly remains at the stage active growth. In addition, kefir and “live” yogurt help digestion.

• Everyone knows that fresh and stewed vegetables- a storehouse of vitamins. But they are also indispensable daily diet thanks to its fiber content. Alimentary fiber– the second name for fiber – stimulates the intestines and helps the body cleanse itself of toxins and waste. Children should eat vegetables in salads, soups and stews.

• Fruits contain slightly less fiber than vegetables, but are not inferior to them in terms of the amount of vitamins and minerals. They are good as fresh, and in compotes. However, parents should dose their amounts due to the high sugar content and monitor for possible allergic reactions, which are most often caused by red fruits (as, by the way, vegetables).

So, a varied diet means having foods from all five of these categories in your daily diet. At the same time, if a child, for example, happily eats a lot of cereals and fruits, without favoring “representatives” of other groups, his menu, alas, cannot be called varied.

Harmful variety

The Outer Side of Diversity

The easiest way to teach your child to perceive healthy food as the only possible variant- is to make her beautiful. Even for us adults it is very important appearance food on the table, let alone the kids who are delighted with everything bright and colorful. Use your imagination when preparing and serving dishes. Vegetables and fruits, due to their colors, turn from useful products into bright design elements. Add greens to the plate and shape the side dish into any fun shape.

Such simple details make the feeding process happier for every child, setting them up for positive attitude To healthy eating generally.