Healthy Food Pyramid: A Guide To Balanced Meals

Choosing healthy foods at a glance – that’s easy with the food pyramid. The graphic shows you what you should eat plenty of and what you should only eat in small amounts. The pyramid illustrates the proportions and gives recommendations for a healthy diet.

This is how the food pyramid works

A balanced mix of nutrients with the right energy density is the key to a healthy diet. If you plan to change your diet from rather unfavorable to valuable foods, many questions will arise. Our food pyramid provides a simple orientation. Here the food groups take the place that they should also find in your daily diet. At the broad base are foods that are well suited to eating full. Food at the top, on the other hand, should remain a specialty. Between these two corners, you will find other food groups. The food pyramid shows the relationship between the individual foods. Conscious enjoyment is made easy for you in this way and the graphic will help you to lose weight with proper nutrition. The best way to find out about a special diet, for example for illnesses that require a detailed nutrition plan, is to seek advice from a nutritionist.

Beverages form the base of the nutrient pyramid

Water, spritzer, herbal and fruit tea – you should drink at least 1.5 liters of these per day, which is why they form the basis of the food pyramid. Because without water nothing works in the organism. Water is vital for humans and their bodily functions. Drinking a lot promotes health, fitness, and performance. Under normal conditions, a person loses about 2.5 liters of water every day. Some of the liquid is absorbed through food. However, most of the fluid loss should be compensated for by drinking.

Sport, physical work, but also the illness can increase the fluid requirement. For example, anyone who has sweated heavily during exercise should fill up their “tank” quickly – preferably with mineral water or apple juice spritzer (2/3 water + 1/3 apple juice), which has a similar effect to isotonic sports drinks.

Valuable drinking tips for everyday use

• Always have a water bottle with you on the go.
• Keep a water bottle or glass of water within sight as a reminder. Refill the glass as soon as you finish drinking.
• Use a 0.5-liter jar instead of a 0.2-liter jar.
• If you prefer, instead of water, occasionally drink juice spritzers. Make sure that the spritzer contains two-thirds of water and only one-third of juice.
• Take advantage of the variety of fruit juices and choose an unusual type of juice (e.g. pineapple juice) for your spritzer.

Plenty of vegetables, salad, and fruit are allowed on the plate

Raw, boiled, steamed, with meals or in between – enjoy vegetables, salad, and fruit just as you like. It is worth using the abundance of nature. In addition to carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables provide many essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Incidentally, legumes such as peas and beans contain a particularly large amount of dietary fiber. They also provide the body with plenty of plant-based protein and starch.

• Start your day with a fruity breakfast, e.g. B. with a banana in muesli.
• How about a fruity milkshake as a snack? This is very easy to do with the mix plate concept. Add fresh fruit to a blender with milk and oatmeal. Then enjoy.
• Complement your lunch or dinner with a salad. Or how about vegetable soup?
• Instead of greasy chips, nibble on vegetable sticks with a quark dip and wholemeal crackers.
• If you don’t have the time to prepare for a day full of vegetables and fruit, you can use convenience products, e.g. B. sliced ​​fruit or ready mixed salad.
• Incidentally, a portion of vegetables and/or fruit can be replaced by fruit and/or vegetable juice or a smoothie. However, it should stick to one portion. Fresh fruit and vegetables are superior to the liquid representatives: Due to their volume and chewing, they promote satiety and digestion and provide many valuable plant ingredients with relatively few calories.

Noodles, rice, or bread – the whole grain version is best

The earlier satiation supplements have significantly improved their image and often already play a solo role. Just think of delicious pasta, baked potatoes, or risotto. The more genuine these foods end up on the plate, the better.

Whole grain cereals, but also plain potatoes, are excellent suppliers of carbohydrates that keep you full for a long time. Their valuable fiber also promotes intestinal health. Anyone who loves crispy baguettes can make it a special highlight at the weekend. Reaching for the whole grain variant during the week promotes the balance of vital substances.

Dairy products, meat, fish, or eggs – it all depends on the mix

Dairy products, meat, sausage, fish, legumes, nuts, tofu, and eggs are important sources of protein. Dairy products should be consumed daily. They supply the body with calcium, which is essential for bone health, among other things.

Low-fat varieties should be preferred for dairy products, but also for meat and sausages. Because in addition to protein, vitamins, and minerals, meat and the like often also contain many (hidden) fats. Too much of it is reflected as a “cushion”.

In the case of fish, which should be eaten once or twice a week, it can also be the high-fat version, because it contains health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids. They can protect the heart and are mainly found in fatty sea fish such as herring, mackerel, or salmon. Saltwater fish is also a good source of iodine.

The recommendation for eggs is two to three pieces per week – including those that have already been processed in food. For sausage and meat, an average of 300 to 600 grams is the right amount for a week.

Our vegan food pyramid shows you how you can make a healthy diet free of animal products.

Oils and fats – right is important

Eat low in fat and prefer vegetable oils. They provide you with so-called monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are important for the body. As carriers of the fat-soluble vitamin E, they protect the cells. A particularly good fatty acid composition has z. B. rapeseed and olive oil. But walnut and linseed oil should not be missing from the menu either.

Animal fats are often high in saturated fat, which can raise blood lipid and cholesterol levels. They should only make up a third of your total fat intake.

Chocolate, snacks & Co. – in moderation with pleasure

Chocolate, snacks & Co. are not forbidden but should form the top of the food pyramid. The conscious enjoyment of small amounts as mood food is the right way here. Behind “Co.” Incidentally, there are also alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer. The same applies here: less is more – alcohol provides a lot of empty calories.

• This is how you reduce the “small sins” in everyday life
• Never go shopping hungry. When the stomach growls, too many sweets usually end up in the shopping trolley
• Take small individual packs, e.g. E.g. small chocolate bars instead of a bar of chocolate or 100 instead of 250 grams.
• Divide up small amounts and consciously enjoy them, preferably in the right mix, e.g. B. with banana and some whole grain biscuits.
• Don’t build a pantry for candy.
• Enjoy your treats in peace. Let the chocolate slowly melt on your tongue.
• When snacking, choose the low-fat version and still enjoy it consciously and in moderation.
• With many dessert recipes, you can reduce the specified amount of sugar by about a quarter, which is a very simple way to reduce your sugar consumption. In our sweet mix-plate recipes, the sweetness is achieved through pureed dried fruit and juice with a high concentration of fruit, which makes snacking rich in vital substances and, with the right mix, prevents a high rise in blood sugar.
• Swap out sweets for sweet or dried fruit. Due to the removal of water, dried fruits also contain a relatively large amount of sugar, but they also contain important minerals, vitamins, and fiber that contribute to satiety. Small portions of dried fruit are therefore a good alternative and usually relieve the craving for something sweet. Eat wholemeal biscuits, wholemeal flakes, or wholemeal bread and cream cheese, pudding, and soy cream.

Our nutrition check and our page on whole food nutrition provide you with more tips on how to balance your food in everyday life and how to implement the recommendations of the food pyramid!