Good to know
- The concept of the optimal plate is perfectly compatible with a vegetarian diet, since cereals and legumes (lentils, chickpeas, white beans, etc.) are rich in protein.
- It is not necessary to stick to a fixed number of meals per day. People who have little appetite can very well break them up into four, five or six snacks. However, snacking is rather discouraged.
What are we talking about
Fatigue can be of nervous, physical and/or intellectual origin and normally disappears with rest. But when we lack recovery time, due to our lifestyle in particular, fatigue is likely to accumulate dangerously.
Some websites claim that there are “anti-fatigue foods” or even “anti-fatigue super foods”. Among the examples cited: citrus fruits, oily fish, leafy green vegetables, as well as more anecdotally goji berries, spirulina or ginseng, in particular. The problem? To function optimally, our body needs above all a varied diet. Dietitians use the phrase “optimal plate”.
Challenges
The optimal plate is a term that refers to a balanced meal, served in quantities adapted to the needs of the person. These are approximate proportions, but which provide a good indication for a “standard” adult person, whose energy needs are assessed between 1800 and 2500 kcal per day. The composition of the optimal plate is based on the food pyramid, a diagram used worldwide by dieticians.
A complete meal includes a drink, preferably water, with at least one kind of vegetable or fruit, a starchy food (eg potatoes) and a portion of protein (meat, cheese, fish, etc.). Although the vegetable is generally presented as an accompaniment, it should be used copiously.
What to do
How to compose an optimal plate? Here are some big rules.
- The drink: still or sparkling water, herbal tea or tea, preferably without sugar.
- Vegetables: one or more varieties of cooked or raw vegetables, as a side dish or as a main course. It is recommended to consume 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day, more exactly 3 vegetables and 2 fruits, a portion corresponding to a weight of 120 to 180 grams.
- Starchy (or floury): potatoes, whole grains, legumes or related foods (eg quinoa, buckwheat or amaranth). The optimal plate is one serving, which is equivalent to 75-125 g of bread or 180-300 g of potatoes, or 45-75 g of rice, pasta, polenta or cereal flakes (dry weight) , or even 60-100 g of legumes (also dry weight).
- Proteins: the ideal daily ration of meat, poultry or fish is 100-120 g, which is not much compared to the amounts that many people are used to. To complete your protein intake, you can consume dairy products in the other meals of the day: either 150-200 g of cream cheese, or 60 g of soft cheese, or 30 g of hard or semi-hard cheese , or another 2 dl of milk.
- Fats: for cooking, use largely cold-pressed oils (Swiss rapeseed or olive oil), a little less often butter.
- Nuts and oilseeds: they perfectly complement meals and are interesting snacks, as they contain valuable nutrients. It is recommended to consume a small handful (20-30 g) each day.
Some tips
What about unique dishes, like pizza, paella or lasagna? These are complete meals, since they include flour (pasta or rice), vegetables (at least a tomato coulis for the pizza) and proteins (mozzarella, meat or seafood). It is nevertheless advisable to accompany them with a good salad or possibly a vegetable soup as a starter.
Mixed salads are also complete dishes if they are enhanced with a protein food (egg, shrimp, tuna, ham, tofu, cheese) and served with bread – preferably wholemeal.
#ideal #plate #chronic #fatigue
