ARTICLE 3

Healthy eating becomes easier when you have a simple structure for building meals.

Instead of counting every calorie or eliminating entire food groups, start by looking at the overall composition of your meal.

Step 1: Add Vegetables and Fruit

Vegetables and fruit provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and many beneficial plant compounds.

Try to include a variety of colors throughout the week.

Step 2: Choose a Protein Source

Protein can come from:

• • fish;

• • eggs;

• • poultry;

• • dairy products;

• • beans;

• • lentils;

• • chickpeas;

• • tofu and other plant-based options.

The best choice depends on your dietary preferences and nutritional needs.

Step 3: Choose a High-Quality Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are an important energy source.

Choose foods such as:

• • oats;

• • brown rice;

• • whole-grain bread;

• • quinoa;

• • potatoes;

• • beans;

• • other whole or minimally processed carbohydrate sources.

WHO recommends that carbohydrates primarily come from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and pulses. (Всемирная организация здравоохранения)

Step 4: Include Healthy Fats

Healthy unsaturated fats can come from foods such as nuts, seeds, avocado, fish, and plant oils such as olive oil.

Step 5: Think About Variety

A balanced diet is not one meal. It is the pattern you create across days and weeks.

If one meal is less balanced, there is no need to feel guilty. Simply return to your normal healthy routine at the next meal.

Example

A balanced lunch could include:

Grilled fish + vegetables + brown rice + olive oil

or:

Lentils + roasted vegetables + whole-grain bread + seeds

Final Thought

There is no universally perfect plate. Individual nutritional needs differ.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is a practical eating pattern that you can maintain.