Nutritious diet recipes

The core nutritional matching plan that is most suitable for the general public to implement for a long time is essentially the flexible plate method of "1:2:1:0.5" - each meal is calculated by volume, 1 fist of whole grains/mixed beans/potatoes and other high-quality staple foods, 2 fists of dark green + light color combinations High-fiber vegetables, 1 fist of high-protein foods such as meat/eggs/soy products/seafood, and half a fist of nuts/olive oil/avocado and other high-quality fats. There is no need to accurately count calories or completely avoid certain types of food. It meets the daily nutritional needs of more than 90% of healthy people.

When I helped more than 30 office workers make dietary adjustments in the past two years, the first thing I eliminated were recipes listed on a daily basis - after all, no one can guarantee that I will not work overtime on Monday and that I can buy fresh salmon on Tuesday. The result of rigidly following standardized recipes is that they often fail within two weeks and turn around to show off hot pot milk tea. On the contrary, it is easier to fall into the vicious cycle of "diet-gluttony".

There are actually a lot of controversies about diet nowadays. For example, the low-carb ketogenic group advocates cutting out refined staple foods or even reducing the intake of whole grains. To be honest, this plan has obvious effects on short-term weight control and blood sugar control. I have also encountered people with a BMI over 30. People rely on short-term low-carb programs guided by doctors to quickly lose weight and relieve joint pressure. However, for ordinary girls who have been low-carb for more than half a year, seven or eight out of ten will suffer from delays, hair loss, and decreased concentration. There is really no need to try blindly without special needs. There are also vegan schools that advocate the complete avoidance of animal protein. If they can achieve a scientific supplement of soy protein + iron + B12, it will be no problem to meet religious or environmental needs. However, most ordinary people eat vegetarian food blindly. They often lose weight due to insufficient intake of high-quality protein and iron, and the gain outweighs the gain.

There is really no need to make nutritional combinations like answering college entrance examination questions, even if the difference is a few grams. For example, office workers who are in a hurry at 8 a.m. can buy a multi-grain bun from the bun shop downstairs (just one fistful of staple food), add a tea egg, put a small box of washed tomatoes in advance, and put 6 almond corks in the bag. You can assemble a meal in 5 minutes without even turning on the fire. If you are having a hot pot date with friends on the weekend, first cook two plates of spinach, chrysanthemum, and baby cabbage, then take a plate of tripe, fat beef, and old tofu, and finally cook half a piece of corn or a few small sweet potato fries. Don’t show off with crispy pork and brown sugar glutinous rice cakes as soon as you sit down. It still meets the nutritional standards, and you don’t have to disappoint everyone.

For special groups, it is enough to slightly adjust the ratio, but there is no need to completely overturn the framework. I once had a client with prediabetes, and I asked him to replace 1/3 of his staple food with chickpeas. He would eat vegetables first and then the staple food every time he ate. After two months, his fasting blood sugar stabilized to the normal range, and he didn't have to completely give up white rice. There are also young men who are in the muscle-building period. In the meal after training, they increase the high-protein portion to 2 fists and add a white steamed bun to quickly replenish glycogen. On the contrary, they will build muscles faster than eating all brown rice, and they will not gain excess fat. If you have growing children at home, it’s okay to add a little more fat. Add half a spoonful of walnut oil when cooking, or add a small piece of cheese. It tastes good and can help supplement brain nutrition.

I usually don’t use a food scale when I cook. I just subconsciously put less white rice when serving rice, add two more bites of green vegetables, and use half a spoonful less oil when cooking. Occasionally, I don’t feel guilty when I’m craving for a cup of full-sugar milk tea or a piece of cream cake. I can make up for it by eating more green leafy vegetables at the next two meals. Nutrition is based on the average intake level for a week, not whether one meal is right or wrong.

To put it bluntly, a good diet is never anti-human. If you follow a recipe and you are unhappy every day, it will be useless no matter how nutritious it is. Follow your own taste and adjust within this loose framework. The recipe that you can stick to for a long time and feel comfortable eating is the most suitable recipe for you.