The internet is full of nutritional wisdom on weight loss diets, intermittent fasting, going vegan, eating carbohydrates and taking supplements.the truth is hard to find balanced diet Find what’s useful for you from the information swirling around you. Therefore, the National Institute of Nutrition, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has teamed up with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to educate Indians on how to eat cleanly and most importantly, with easily accessible resources. We’ve published comprehensive guidelines on how you should consume what’s right for your body type.
Filled with ideal plates, meal charts, recipes, advice on how to cook and what utensils to use, this is an essential handbook that we all find useful to incorporate into our daily lives. Considering the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in India, these guidelines are important as they provide a basic nutritional template for children, especially pregnant women. According to the report, proper nutrition for mother and child (from pregnancy to about two years of age) is associated not only with proper growth and development, but also with later risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart attack.
More than 56 percent of all non-communicable diseases can be attributed to unhealthy diets. As the report shows, a healthy diet combined with physical activity can prevent 80% of type 2 diabetes and significantly reduce the incidence of diabetes. burden of heart disease, prevent high blood pressure and prevent early death. It also warns against taking protein supplements to gain weight, recommends limiting salt intake, minimizing sugar and ultra-processed foods, and reading food labels correctly. .
Diet for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers
During pregnancy, women need to consume extra calories to meet their nutritional needs. Ideally, you should gain about 10-12 kg, but if you are already overweight, lose more.healthy woman body weight During pregnancy, you are more likely to have a baby with an ideal birth weight and proper organ development. Such newborns may be at lower risk of infection and death.
Pregnant women should consume 240 grams of grains and millet, 80 grams of pulses, 40 grams of nuts and seeds, 20 milliliters of cooking oil, and 300 grams of vegetables, root vegetables, and tubers such as carrots, cauliflower, and peppers per day. there is. 150 grams of leafy vegetables such as spinach and coriander, 150 grams of fruits, 400 ml of dairy products including milk, curd, lean meat such as meat and poultry, 80 grams per day and 250-300 grams per week.

Guidelines recommend small, frequent meals for mothers who experience nausea and vomiting. Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs, so it is recommended that all infants be fed exclusively breast milk until the age of 6 months. The infant should not be given anything other than breast milk, even water, for her 6 months. Do not give honey, glucose, or diluted milk until 6 months of age. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take the drug without consulting their doctor.
No powdered milk for infants
After 6 months of age, children require complementary foods in addition to breast milk. Preparing these at home is better than buying powdered milk, which usually has added sugar. Complementary food can be prepared at home by mixing 25 grams of pureed carrots, pumpkin, spinach, potatoes or apples with 15 grams of rice rawa, 15 grams of lentil rawa and 200 ml of water. You can do the same thing by mashed boiled eggs or fish instead of vegetables and fruits. Children can eat green peas and lobia as snacks. Puree it for children under 1 year of age and boil it for older children. You may also give them fruits such as papaya or bananas, curd, boiled eggs, or boiled and mashed fish.

Until the baby is 1 year old, complementary foods should be given 2-3 times a day in addition to breastfeeding. These children cannot eat a lot of food at once, so they must be fed complementary foods four times a day.
calcium for youth
Between the ages of 10 and 19, adolescents rapidly gain height and weight, undergo hormonal changes, and undergo sexual maturation, which requires a high caloric intake. Calcium requirements are also high, so milk and dairy products should be encouraged. Nutritional care for adolescent girls is especially important for their own health and for their preparation for future motherhood.
This is the age group when the human body requires the most calories, 2,490 kcal for girls and 3,300 kcal for boys. It is equally important to avoid overeating. Heavily processed and packaged foods should be avoided.
combo for seniors
The guidelines say older people need to eat foods rich in protein, calcium, micronutrients and fibre. You should consume at least 200-400 ml of low-fat milk or dairy products, a fistful of nuts and oilseeds, and 400-500 g of vegetables and fruits, apart from legumes and cereals that are at least one-third whole grains. there is. . Guidelines call for reducing salt and spices. Older adults need regular exercise to maintain bone density and muscle mass.
Protein for plant eaters
Protein is not only needed to build and maintain adequate muscle mass, but is also required for a variety of functions in our bodies. Adult diets often contain enough protein, but the type of protein you consume is more important. Our bodies require 20 amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, of which 9 are essential because our bodies cannot produce them. Those who eat animal protein can easily get their quota from fish, poultry, or red meat, while those who eat plant foods should consume grains and legumes.
There are special guidelines for vegans, which state that you should consume a 3:1 ratio of cereals and legumes to get essential amino acids. Vegetarians can add 250ml of milk.
The guidelines refer to protein powders, typically made from eggs, milk, or whey (a byproduct of cheese and paneer), which many athletes consume. Arguing that human protein requirements are not as high as commonly realized, the calculator says that even athletes can meet their protein needs through diet alone. “Long-term intake of large amounts of protein is associated with potential risks, including bone mineral loss and kidney damage,” the guidelines state.
How much oil and salt is safe?
Most foods already contain sodium, so adding salt should be kept to a minimum. Salt intake should be limited to 5 grams per day. According to food intake data for India, the average consumption of salt ranges from 3 g to 10 g per day in each state, with about 45 percent of the population consuming more than 5 g per day.
Oil intake should be kept to a minimum with an emphasis on cholesterol-free plant-based sources. Cooked products such as ghee that contain saturated fats should be avoided. Most importantly, the new rulebook prohibits the reuse and reheating of oil, as it can produce harmful substances.
© Indian Express Private Limited
Originally uploaded to: October 5, 2024 07:55 IST

