If you’re not sure how to craft a balanced meal, you’re in good company. Many people have forgotten what a healthy plate looks like — if they ever knew in the first place. So many fitness gurus and health experts have differing ideas of what’s “healthy.” The key is to look past fad diets and get back to the basics of what the human body needs to thrive. Here are three essential tips for building a balanced plate with the macro and micronutrients you need to feel your best.
1. Track Your Nutrient Intake
Macros are the three main categories of nutrients that come from food: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. To help you reach your health and weight loss or management goals, it’s important to track your macros. It’s easiest to do this when you use a macro tracker. The best macro tracking app will help you make evidence-based decisions to balance your macros based on your fitness goals.
But if you aren’t sure where to start, consider using the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as your standard. You should aim to get between 45-65% of your daily calories from carbs. Between 10% and 35% of your daily calories should come from protein. The final 20-35% of your calories each day should come from fat. A macro tracking app makes it easy to input your food choices and build a balanced plate based on these guidelines.
2. Learn the Components of a Balanced Plate
If you like to be more intuitive when crafting your meals, you don’t have to rely on an app. Instead, you can rely on your sense of sight to create a balanced plate that will fuel your body properly. But first, you need to learn the components of a balanced plate. Here are four rules to help you get a healthy combination of macronutrients with every meal.
Fill Half Your Plate With Non-Starchy Vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables are lower in calories than their starchy counterparts (looking at you, potatoes). Therefore, you can eat more of them while still keeping tabs on your svelte figure. Some of the most popular non-starchy vegetables include spinach, broccoli, celery, artichokes, and cucumbers. These foods are packed with nutrients your body needs and loves, such as vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
When crafting your daily meals, fill half of your plate with these vegetables. Occasionally, you may get a craving for starchy vegetables such as potatoes, beans, and corn. If you decide to enjoy starchy vegetables with your meal, only use them to fill about a quarter of your plate. That way you can cut back on calories while still indulging in some of your favorite starchy selections.
Reserve ¼ of Your Plate for Lean Protein
Protein is one of the most important building blocks for the human body. It’s essential for a healthy metabolism, proper fluid balance, good bone and muscle structure, and overall health. Some sources of protein are naturally lean while others are higher in fat. For the sake of your health, it’s important to choose lean sources of protein for your daily meals.
Good sources of lean protein include white-fleshed fish, chicken breast, and egg whites. You can also find plant-based protein sources if you don’t want to eat animal products. Some good sources of plant-based protein include beans, tofu, and quinoa. Reserve about a quarter of your plate for lean protein at each meal.
Add Healthy Carbs to ¼ of Your Plate
Though they have a bad reputation in many fad diets, carbs are an important energy source. They provide quick fuel to both the brain and the body. However, too many carbs can promote weight gain (especially if you opt for simple carbs over complex). To maintain a balanced approach to eating, limit your carbs to just a quarter of your plate.
Some healthy choices for complex carbs include grains such as quinoa, oats, brown rice, and whole-grain pasta. Avoid simple carbohydrates like baked goods, white bread, and regular pasta. Simple carbohydrates are higher in calories and lower in nutrients than their complex counterparts.
Add a Dollop of “Good” Fat
Contrary to popular belief, fat is not the enemy. Many people are afraid of fat because they think it will make them, well, fat. But this simply isn’t the case. It’s true that some forms of fat (such as trans fats) don’t have a place in any balanced diet. However, healthy forms of fat are essential for heart and brain health. When it comes to adding wholesome fat to your diet, it’s all about quality, not quantity.
Good sources of fat include olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish. Since fat is higher in calories per gram than carbs and protein, it’s important to limit your intake. Most people just need a little each day to stay healthy and balanced. It’s often recommended to consume about 0.5 to 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight per day for optimal health.
3. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With Fruit
Now that you know how to build a balanced plate, it’s time to address one of the most common dietary pitfalls: sugar. The average American consumes about 126 grams of sugar per day. That is much higher than the recommended maximum of 48 grams per day. Excess consumption of sugar can decrease immune function. It is also a major cause of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other dangerous health conditions.
If you like to indulge in sweet things, make a small space on your plate for fruit. Unlike table sugar, fruit contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are healthful to the body. Aim to eat one cup of fruit at least twice per day. This will help satisfy your craving for sweet foods so you’re less likely to eat sugary treats.
Good health begins with a nutritious plate. Use these tips to effortlessly create balanced meals that will help your body look and feel its best.