To provide the body with all 40 essential nutrients, individuals need to consume more than 20 different types of food each day. This is almost impossible for most of us. However, with a smart meal plan, it can still be achieved.
 |
| Salad provides you with a wealth of micronutrients (Image: static.flick) |
We often lack the time, money, energy, and stomach capacity to consume 20 different foods. Therefore, it is essential to have a smart approach to meal planning, balancing daily and weekly menus to ensure adequate nutrients for the body. Starting from this New Year, it’s time to create a “smart menu” for your entire family.
According to experts, a meal should consist of 5 dishes to ensure necessary energy and sufficient micronutrients for all bodily functions:
Salad: Made from various vegetables, providing vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You can include steamed vegetables, pickled vegetables, mixed salads, or salads dressed with oil and vinegar.
High-Protein Dishes: Primarily from plant and animal protein, including sesame paste, soy sauce, fried tofu, stir-fried dishes, stews, etc.
Soup: To provide hydration and nutrients from vegetable broth, including shrimp soup, crab soup, fish soup, meat soup, and bone broth.
Carbohydrates: Mainly rice. With recommendations to limit carbohydrate intake at each meal, it’s important to choose quality rice, avoid excessive polishing, and cook it to a sticky, dry consistency.
Dessert: Should include sweet elements, preferably ripe fruits.
The 5-dish menu has the added benefit of stimulating the taste buds and salivary secretion, avoiding harmful combinations of foods, and balancing the proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables.
On holidays or when hosting guests, meals should not be overly complicated; instead, focus on enhancing the nutritional value of each dish, making them richer in protein and healthy fats.
Diet greatly impacts women’s beauty. Dermatologists consider the skin a reflection of the digestive system’s health. Proper nutrition and good digestion lead to smooth skin. Unsaturated fatty acids (vitamin F) help maintain skin elasticity and firmness, contributing to a youthful appearance, found in cooking oils, corn, peanuts, sesame, and fish. Women who consume too much salt may experience water retention in their eyelids, causing puffiness and a tired appearance.
Protein is the top nutrient for maintaining beauty. A deficiency in protein can lead to poor muscle development, anemia, pale complexion, irregular menstruation, dry skin, brittle hair, pale lips, and chronic fatigue, resulting in a frail and lethargic physique. When discussing protein, people often think of meat, eggs, and dairy, overlooking the more affordable and abundant sources from peanuts, sesame, soybeans, various fish, and seafood.
Consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables is the best way to prevent constipation, enhance nutrient absorption and metabolism, and combat dry eyes, numbness, and skin inflammation.
Avoid combinations that may impact digestion, potentially causing adverse effects. For instance, honey should not be consumed with raw onions as it may cause stomach discomfort. Duck eggs are not recommended with strawberries, and should not be eaten alongside soft-shelled turtles or plums. Eels, carp, and loach should not be combined with dog meat. Carp should not be eaten with mustard greens or liver. Pork should not be cooked with pigeon meat, carp, or yellow beans to prevent digestive issues. Avoid eating liver with buckwheat or soy milk. Goat meat should not be cleaned with vinegar and should not be eaten with pumpkin.
