A healthy diet is essential to keep your body in optimal condition and prevent diseases. One of the key aspects to achieve this is the organization of your plate.
The Plate Method: How to Include This Nutritional Tool in Your Daily Life and Not Die Trying (Harvard Plate)
A healthy and varied diet has many health benefits, both for athletes and for those who simply want to take care of themselves and lead a healthy lifestyle. However, incorporating this habit into your daily routine can be a daunting challenge, fraught with questions. Which foods are really healthy? Where should I start? And, perhaps the most crucial question of all, how can I organize my diet effectively?
The plate method is a widely recognized strategy that helps organize meals in a way that is healthy and meets the nutritional needs of the body. This method was developed at Harvard University and is a widely used tool in nutritional education consultations.
Eating while working should not be an excuse to neglect our diet. Do you eat at work? Then plan your tupperware so that you do not lack the necessary nutrients.
The plate method is a visual and conceptual approach that makes it easier to plan meals and dinners, ensuring that they are nutritionally complete and balanced in terms of calories. The basic idea is to distribute the different groups of macronutrients using a plate as a spatial reference. Taking into account that a greater variety of colors usually indicates a greater presence of various antioxidants, we are going to achieve this thanks to the incorporation of a variety of fruits and vegetables. When determining what combinations to make, it is important to keep in mind that each food can be a complete source of one nutrient but may also contain significant amounts of another.
Conceptual image of the different groups of Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats.
However, doubts will arise along the way. To make this method easy, natural and, above all, healthy to follow, it is essential to address these concerns. Making it a rigid rule can cause anxiety and frustration for not meeting the goals set. The plate method should be adaptable to our schedules and, after considering our eating habits as a whole, it can serve as an initial guide to understanding how to combine the different macronutrients. There is no need to worry if, at some point, we do not apply the method or do not include certain food groups. In addition, following the plate method at every main meal can be challenging and somewhat tedious, which is why it may be interesting to include complete supplements such as Ganbatte Boost, which will help you include vegetables and antioxidants in breakfast, among other things.
What happens when we eat out?
Restaurant meals are often a challenge to maintaining a healthy diet. These situations can be considered as occasional exceptions, after which we can return to our habits, or we can make a conscious effort and make healthy choices.
To follow the plate method in a restaurant, it is advisable to opt for a first course consisting mainly of vegetables or salad, and choose a second course that includes meat, fish or vegetable protein, accompanied by side dishes such as potatoes and some wholemeal bread.
However, if it is not possible to follow the entire plate method in a situation outside the home, there is no need to worry. The most important thing is to try to choose healthy dishes or preparations, avoid fried foods and give priority to vegetables and recipes prepared on the grill or steamed. The goal is to incorporate healthy eating in a simple and flexible way into our daily lives, allowing us to enjoy food in a healthy way, whether alone or in company.
In short, healthy eating is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The plate method is a valuable tool that helps us organize our meals in a balanced way. It is important to remember that this strategy should be adapted to our needs and not become a strict rule. By following this approach flexibly and consciously, we can enjoy a healthier diet that is beneficial for our health in the long term.
The 'Plate Method' is not a diet... and that's precisely why it works
How to organize meals according to the Harvard Plate?
The Healthy Eating Plate (2023) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/translations/spanish/
Half of your plate should be vegetables and fruits.
It is recommended to vary the type of fruits and vegetables and choose to eat them raw or prioritise healthier cooking techniques such as baking, steaming and grilling. Look for seasonal fruits and vegetables to make the most of their flavour and properties. Note that potatoes and sweet potatoes are not included in this group. There are many vegetables and different options and preparations to consume them. Even if you are not the biggest fan of fruits and vegetables, you will surely find a way to expand their consumption .
A quarter of the plate will be complex carbohydrates
We should choose whole grains or foods made with whole grains (whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, etc.). We can also include starches such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, preferably roasted or steamed. Pay attention to food labels, to verify that they are 100% whole grain products and do not include harmful additives.
A quarter of the plate for proteins
Limit red meat consumption and prioritize fish, eggs, poultry, legumes or vegetable protein. Processed meats such as sausages, bacon, etc. should be avoided.
Other guidelines to keep in mind about the Harvard Plate
Written by Ana Saiz
Co-founder of Ganbatte Superfoods
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