According to the World Health Organization (WHO), food should be varied, balanced and healthy, but matching the characteristics of each person (age, gender, habits, customs and level of physical activity).
Next, we invite you to learn the laws of food.
What are the laws of healthy eating?
Currently there are six laws for healthy eating, namely:
1. All nutrition must be complete
By this he means that any diet must contain all the nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the human bodyIn other words, the diet must contain both micronutrients and macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals). In addition, you must have enough fiber and water.
2. The diet must be in balance
So that the diet is balanced, adequate amounts of the food groups should be included (dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, meat, poultry and fish), and should be combined in a way that promotes health and growth.
When serving, a dish should be filled with 50% vegetables, 25% protein (meat, poultry or fish) and 25% carbohydrates. In this way a balance in the diet is achieved.
3. The diet must be varied
The healthy diet should contain different foods from each group to obtain different nutrients, colors, textures and flavors.
Seasonal food must be included and dishes adapted to the economic resources of each individual and family.
4. Food should be sufficient
This point implies that the diet should meet the caloric needs of each person, which can vary with age, gender, height and physical activity.
The energy and nutrients that children need to grow are not the same as what a mother needs while breastfeeding to provide her newborn with milk. Therefore, the diet should be sufficient for each family member.
4. Food should be sufficient
nutrition it must be tailored to the needs of each person and family. The tastes, preferences, financial resources and eating habits of each individual must be taken into account.
6. Food must be safe
This is a very important point because it means that the diet must not pose any health risks. That is, the food must be free of any contaminants or toxins that could harm the health of those who consume it.
How Did Healthy Eating Laws Come About?
More than 80 years ago, Pedro Escudero, an Argentinian physician, was the first to speak about the food laws. This specialist has described four standards:
| Law of … | Description |
| Quantity | Each plan must provide for food needs of the organism. The energy consumption of each person to keep a balance. |
| Quality | The diet must be complete, that is, worry carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients must be consumed in the proportions Enough. |
| Harmony | The diet must maintain the correct proportions nutrients. |
| Adequacy | The diet must be adapted to the taste, moment biological habits and pathologies. |
Other tips for healthy eating
While the food laws are very specific and could be easy to follow, the WHO also provides some other recommendations for achieving a more balanced diet:
- Fats should not exceed 30% of the total calorie intake. In this case, unsaturated fats are preferred, that is, those from fish, avocados, nuts and vegetable oils. When consuming saturated fats (present in meat, butter and palm oil, among others), it is recommended to consume less than 10% of the total calorie consumption.
- Sugars should make up less than 10% of the calorie intake (which is equivalent to 12 level teaspoons). If possible, it is advisable to reduce consumption to 5%.
- Salt should be consumed in moderation (5 g per day or less).
- Fruits and vegetables should be consumed daily, at least 400 g, which corresponds to five servings per day. Potatoes and tubers do not count as vegetables for this.
The food laws provide a guideline of the characteristics that a healthy diet should have and are an excellent starting point for knowing how to eat.
With information from Herald of Mexico, WHO and Colombia Ministry of Health.