How much should we eat?
The answer is different for everyone.
This is because it depends on many factors, including your height, age, sex, general state of health, job, leisure time activities, physical activities, genetics, body size, environmental factors, body composition and what medications you may be taking.
It is not just about calorie, we all know if we eat too many too often, we will probably put on weight. And if you eat less calories than you need on a regular basis then you will lose weight.
I will put this in two or three blogs. Otherwise, this could be along read.
So, let us talk about the basic.
We should aim to eat between eight and ten portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day. I highly recommend 10-12. This is because the nutritional value of our food is depleting the soil simply do not hold what it should, also we pick our food before it is fully ripe so we can transport it hold it in store sell it etc. our food just does not hold in nutrients what it used to. Organic, local foods can be more expensive but higher quality. Frozen fruit and vegetables can and normally do hold more nutritional value then their fresh counter parts.
However, potatoes do not count towards your 8 a day as they are a starchy food.
You can choose from fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced.
So, what is a Portion size?
A portion of fruit and vegetables is 80g or:
an apple, pear, banana, orange, or other similar-size fruit
Three heaped tablespoons of vegetables, fruit salad (fresh or tinned in juice) or stewed fruit
One heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (should be kept to mealtimes)
a dessert bowl of salad
A small glass (150ml) of fruit juice or smoothie will count as a maximum of one portion a day regardless of how many smoothies you have.
They are often much higher in sugar and do not contain as much fibre as whole fruit
For this reason, they should be consumed at mealtimes to limit the impact on your teeth
Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and other starchy carbohydrates
should make up just over a third of your diet, they are packed full of nutrients, energy and fibre and they are one of the five main food groups.
How much should I be eating?
Starchy foods need to be making up around a third of your food intake. we should base each meal around these.
Wherever possible, choose wholegrain foods as they are:
higher in fibre and nutrients, they are also digested more slowly, and this means we will be feeling full for longer.
When we prepare these foods, we should limit the amount of added fat by using unsaturated oils, such as olive oil, rape seed oil or use lower-fat spreads
We should now know that if we consume more calories than you burn off, you are likely to put on weight
To help lose weight, we need to be reducing our calorie intake, and increasing the number of calories that w burns through being physically active is essential
When maximise our health it is important to eat a variety of natural whole foods.
Exercise and hydration are as important as your calorie intake.
Fruit and vegetables: one piece of fruit, half a cup of fruit juice, half a cup of canned or frozen fruit or vegetables, one cup of leafy raw vegetables or salad
Grains: Half a bagel, one slice of bread, half a tortilla, half a pitta, half a cup of cooked couscous, rice, or pasta, one ounce of cold cereal, three-quarters of a cup of hot cereal
Milk and alternatives: one cup milk, one cup of soy drink, three-quarters of a cup of yogurt, one and a half ounces of cheese
Meat and alternatives: two eggs, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, we should aim for two and a half ounces of cooked fish, lean meat, or poultry.
How much food do You need each day?
If we look at fruit and vegetables, grains, milk, and meat or alternatives to meat then
Age 2-3 years old, Fruit and vegetables five, Grains 3, Milk (and alternatives) two, Meat (and alternatives) one.
Age 4-8 years old Fruit and vegetables six, Grains 4, Milk (and alternatives) two, Meat (and alternatives) one.
Age 9-13 years: Fruit and vegetables eight, Grains 6, Milk (and alternatives) 5-6, Meat (and alternatives) 1-2.
Age 14-18 years (male): Fruit and vegetables ten, Grains 7, Milk (and alternatives) 6-7, Meat (and alternatives) three.
Age 14-18 years (female): Fruit and vegetables ten, Grains 6, Milk (and alternatives) 6-7, Meat (and alternatives) two.
Age 19-50 years (male): Fruit and vegetables 10-12, Grains 8, Milk (and alternatives) two, Meat or alternatives three.
Age 19-50 years (female): Fruit and vegetables 10-12, Grains 6-7, Milk (and alternatives) two, Meat (and alternatives) two.
Age 51+ years (male): Fruit and vegetables 8-9, Grains 7, Milk (and alternatives) 3, Meat (and alternatives) 3.
Age 51+ years (female): Fruit and vegetables 7-9, Grains 6, Milk (and alternatives) 3, Meat (and alternatives) 3.
Thanks for reading this blog. check out my blog on metabolism, its a great blog explaining catabolism and anabolism .
If you would like a free weight management consultation then please book online with A.C.S and one of our registered nutritional therapist will call you back.
Thanks aging and please like and share my blogs with your friends and family.
A.C.S Nutritional Therapist and weight loss specialist.
A registered nutritional therapist.
By Aaron Christopher Slade