How to Have a Healthy Diet

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is essential for our health, and through simple changes in our daily routine, we can improve and adjust our diet. The encouragement of healthy eating should begin in childhood.

Contrary to the idea that a healthy diet is full of restrictions or lacks flavor, it is actually one that ensures the body receives all the necessary nutrients. To be truly healthy, a diet should be varied, balanced, contain the right amounts of food, and be safe.

In this text, we will discuss the importance of maintaining a healthy diet, tips for improving eating habits, and the most common mistakes people make in this regard.

The Importance of Healthy Eating

It is no surprise that an inadequate diet is associated with various diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and even some types of cancer. Additionally, a poor diet can lead to malnutrition. These issues are serious and can even be fatal, reinforcing the importance of healthy eating in ensuring good health.

Common Eating Mistakes

Poor eating habits have become increasingly common, mainly due to lack of time, the need for quick meals, and the wide availability of unhealthy products. Below are some common dietary mistakes:

• Excess salt: Adding too much salt to food can raise blood pressure and increase fluid retention.
• Excess sugar: Overconsumption of sugar is linked to obesity.
• Lack of variety in meals: A lack of diversity in meals can result in insufficient intake of essential nutrients.
• Low intake of fruits, vegetables, and legumes: These foods are essential for providing vitamins and fiber.
• Dehydration: Not drinking enough water (about 2 liters per day) can harm health.
• Skipping meals: Skipping meals can lead to overeating later, making it harder to maintain a balanced diet.

Food Pyramid

The food pyramid, contrary to what many believe, does not define a strict diet but rather provides guidance on the need for variety and balance in eating. The pyramid proposed by Philippi (2013) divides food into eight groups, distributed across four levels:

• Rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, cassava: 900 kcal (6 servings per day)
• Vegetables and greens: 45 kcal (3 servings per day)
• Fruits: 210 kcal (3 servings per day)
• Meat and eggs: 190 kcal (1 serving per day)
• Milk, cheese, and yogurt: 360 kcal (3 servings per day)
• Beans and oilseeds: 55 kcal (1 serving per day)
• Oils and fats: 73 kcal (1 serving per day)
• Sugars and sweets: 110 kcal (1 serving per day)

At the base of the pyramid are carbohydrates (rice, bread, pasta), followed by foods rich in vitamins and minerals (vegetables, greens, fruits). On the third level, there are protein-rich foods (milk, meat, eggs, beans). The top of the pyramid should be consumed in moderation, including oils, fats, and sugars.

In addition to dietary guidelines, the pyramid recommends regular physical activity and eating six meals a day.

Tips for Healthy Eating

The Ministry of Health has created the “10 Steps to Healthy Eating”, with simple guidelines for a better diet:

1. Have at least three main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and two healthy snacks per day. Do not skip meals.
2. Include cereals, tubers, and roots in your meals, preferably whole grains and more natural foods.
3. Eat at least three servings of vegetables in meals and three servings of fruit in desserts and snacks.
4. Consume beans with rice every day or at least five times a week, as it is a complete protein combination.
5. Have three servings of dairy products and one serving of meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, removing visible fat from meat and skin from poultry.
6. Consume no more than one serving of vegetable oils, olive oil, butter, or margarine per day.
7. Avoid soft drinks, industrialized juices, cakes, sweet biscuits, desserts, and other treats.
8. Reduce salt intake, remove the salt shaker from the table, and avoid processed foods with excess sodium.
9. Drink at least 2 liters of water per day, preferably between meals.
10. Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, avoid alcohol consumption and smoking, and maintain a healthy weight.