The basics of a healthy and balanced diet

We know that it is from food that our body draws strength and dynamism.

Therefore, it is important to provide your body with the vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and omega 3s necessary for its proper functioning.

Your reward?

Energy, well-being, vitality! Your body is healthy and toned.

But that’s not all! Opting for a healthy and balanced diet slows down or even prevents certain diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases or even certain types of cancer.

A balanced diet makes you feel better, every day a little more.

Balanced eating, how does it work?

We eat a variety of food!

A varied diet is essential to provide the body with all the elements it needs to function properly (vitamins, trace elements, antioxidants, omega 3…).

Every food family has its place on your plate, and every day. All are essential to ensure a balanced diet, but some should be consumed in moderation, while others are to be preferred:

Fruits and vegetables: at least 5 servings per day

Fruits and vegetables are rich in minerals, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants.

The fibres they contain have the particularity of facilitating intestinal transit and provide a feeling of satiety, while the antioxidants they contain have a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

Starchy foods at every meal

Cereal foods, legumes and potatoes provide essential complex carbohydrates, especially for muscles and the brain.

It is best to choose the full version of cereals that are high in fibre and will give you a faster feeling of fullness.

3 dairy products per day

Dairy products are an important source of calcium, which is good for bone health.

Meat, poultry, fish and eggs, once a day
These foods are excellent sources of protein, but also vitamins and minerals (such as iron).

As part of a healthy and balanced diet, sweetened drinks and foods, salt and alcohol should be consumed in moderation.

A balanced breakfast to start the day off right!

Fill up on energy in the morning with a balanced breakfast.

After a night’s sleep (8 to 12 hours without eating), breakfast is crucial to replenish the energy reserve. This must provide a quarter of the total daily energy intake.

Wholemeal bread, a little butter or cream cheese, sugar-free muesli and milk or soy milk. Nuts, hazelnuts, almonds are the perfect complement to this breakfast. It’s also a good time to eat fruit….you’ll definitely avoid the 11:00 a. m. pump!

Think about the cooking mode!

What is the point of choosing good foods if they lose their nutritional properties during cooking?

In order to preserve the vitamins and minerals in food, it is recommended to use low temperature cooking (below 100° C), whether steam, choked or boiling water.

Drink water!

In order to ensure the proper functioning of your body, drinking water is essential. The recommended amount of water per day is at least 1.5 litres, i.e. 8 to 10 glasses. Also think of infusions, tea, herbal teas, which will also moisturize your body.

Move it! Move it!

A minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity per day is complementary to a healthy and balanced diet.

How does it work in practice?

1 balanced meal includes: 700 to 800 kcal

• 150 to 200 g of vegetables
• 60 gr raw or 150 gr cooked quinoa, bulgur, semolina, rice, millet, spelt, buckwheat,… or 3 potatoes the size of an egg or 5 tbsp mashed potatoes, about 250 g. Prefer the “full” version of cereals. They will offer you a better fibre intake and you will be satisfied faster.
• 100 to 125 g of fish, poultry, lean meat, seafood or 2 eggs, you can replace the meat or fish with dried vegetables (40 to 60 g raw – 100 to 150 g cooked) of lentils, dried beans, peas…
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat (oils, butter,…) + 8 – 10 g of oleaginous fruits (almonds, nuts,…)

Balanced meal

A balanced diet is rich in flavours, colours and pleasure!

Start eating well, healthy today.

Eating well: the main principles of good nutrition

Eating well is essential for staying healthy and aging well. In this fact sheet, you will discover the main principles of nutrition, basic nutritional needs, how our body assimilates food, the benefits of a good diet, how to eat well in practice, how to consult a nutritionist and finally, how to practice in this field.

How to eat well?

The vast majority of food specialists, whether or not they are from the official sector, agree on a number of principles that can serve as guides for us:

A balanced diet: It is advisable to choose foods from the different food groups: vegetables and fruit (half of the plate), cereal products (a quarter of the plate), meat and alternatives (the other quarter), to which you will add calcium, for example by consuming dairy products. This way, your meal will contain: a good dose of carbohydrates, enough protein and low fat.

A varied diet: To achieve the necessary range of nutrients and avoid deficiencies, it is necessary not only to consume foods from each food group every day, but also to consume several foods in each group.

Fresh and good quality food: a fresh and local diet is recommended. Refined products and hydrogenated fats should be avoided.

Eat in reasonable quantities: excess weight leads to the development of many diseases and considerably reduces life expectancy. A slightly subcaloric diet (but without nutrient deficiency) maintained over the long term may help prevent some cancers and increase longevity. In addition, it limits oxidation and prevents fouling. An example of an adjustment is to systematically reduce servings of high-calorie foods (such as pasta and rice) by one-quarter or one-third and replace them with a nutritious, low-calorie food, such as a vegetable.

A tasty diet: First and foremost, it is the taste that determines our food choices. If so many people abandon a diet, it is because it does not give them pleasure. However, the high salt, sugar and fat content of processed foods seems to be increasingly appreciated and is even becoming the norm among young people. To counterbalance the attraction of these “overprivileged” foods, you must offer yourself the healthy foods you particularly appreciate and prepare them in a tasty way – using, in particular, herbs, many of which are a good source of nutrients….

Eating in full consciousness: By taking your time and enjoying each bite, mindful eating is an effective technique to learn how to rediscover the flavours of foods, while reducing the proportions of foods absorbed during a meal.

Adopt chrono-nutrition: chrono-nutrition consists in eating in a certain way according to the different times of the day. For example, it is advisable to eat fat in the morning, dense at noon and light in the evening. In the long term, this technique makes it possible to regain your fitness weight and improve your health.

Managing your meals: for optimal nutritional intake and to avoid weight gain, it is essential to get organized. Indeed, unbalanced meals are often due to improvisation, which is why it is recommended to plan the evening before the breakfast and each morning what the meals of the day will consist of.

Be careful when cooking: to preserve all the benefits of food, it is preferable to cook at a low temperature below 100°C because the high temperature distorts the properties of the food. Grilling, which contains a lot of free radicals, should be limited. The microwave is also to be avoided because it distorts the chemical form of food.