WHO issues renewed guidelines for a healthy food habit

A healthy diet provides you with fluid, macronutrients (protein and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins). It is low in saturated fat and sodium and contains moderate amounts of sugars. Eat dark green vegetables, peppers and tomatoes and choose whole grains such as oats, barley, quinoa and brown rice. Drink low-fat milk and yoghurt. Add nuts, seeds, or a small amount of tahini to your meals for extra protein.

The World Health Organisation has renewed its recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. These include information regarding the amount of fat, unsaturated fat, trans fat and carbohydrates that should be included in the diet, based on scientific research and data.

The international organisation suggests that the fat intake shouldn’t be more than 30% of daily energy, in both kids and adults, as most of the consumed fat is unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fats shouldn’t exceed 10% while the trans fatty acids shouldn’t go beyond 1% in our regular diet.

Fatty meats, dairy products, butter and oils like coconut oil contain saturated fats. Besides, baked or fried food, packaged snacks, frozen meat and dairy products are loaded with trans fat too.

Saturated fatty acids and trans fat could be replaced with plant-based poly unsaturated fatty acids, mono unsaturated fatty acids and carbohydrates from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes.

The renewed recommendations note the significance of carbohydrates in our regular diet. The carbohydrates from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes are essential for everyone who are two years old and above. Besides, adults should include at least 400 gms of vegetables and fruits in their daily diet. Moreover, the food should contain 25 gms of fibre too.

Vegetables and fruits
Kids from 2 – 5 years should consume at least 250 gms of vegetables and fruits.
Meanwhile, it should be 350 gms for kids between 6 – 9 years.
Those who are above ten years should consume 400 gms of vegetables and fruits daily.

Dietary fibre
Kids between 2 – 5 years require at least 15 gms of fibre.
It is 21 gms for kids between 6 – 9 years.
WHO recommends including at least 25 gms of fibre in the daily diet of persons who are ten years old and above.

Source: onmanorama.com