The Balanced Plate – What does it look like?

Eating healthy can often get confusing. Are you supposed to count calories? Should you cut down on carbs? Eat only healthy fats? Nutrition and a balanced diet is the key to a healthier life, losing weight and the backbone to getting the most out of your workouts. 

The Rule of Thumb: 

Building a balanced plate can be quite simple – 

½ plate – Fruits & Veggies

¼ plate – Whole Grains

¼ plate – Healthy Protein

To this you can add moderate amounts of healthy plant oils (like olive oil and canola oil) and dairy. Ideally skip or limit your consumption of sugary drinks – coffee, tea, juices. Drink lots of water and of course, stay active and exercise. 

The Deep Dive:

Value quality.. The type of food within a food group also plays an important role in a balanced plate. For instance, most vegetables other than potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates. Choose healthy oils like olive oil instead of sunflower oil.

½ plate – Fruits & Veggies: 

Fruits and veggies should take up half of your plate. Eat the rainbow – aim for a variety of deep coloured fruits and veggies. 

¼ plate – Whole Grains: 

Go for whole grains over anything that has been overly processed and refined grains.. Whole wheat over white paste, brown rice or wild rice over white rice, quinoa and oats. These typically have a lower impact on your blood sugar and insulin. 

¼ plate – Healthy Protein:

These can be meat or vegan options like beans and nuts. You can also get your protein from supplements like protein powder. Origin Nutrition is plant-based and comes packed with all the goodness of clean protein with no added sugar, no additives and is GMO-free. 

Quick Tips to creating your healthy balance plate:

  • Avoid deep frying your food, it loses its nutritional value
  • Your palm is considered the best measure for portion size for a serving of protein. If you need two palms, it’s too much!
  • Go green. Your dark, green leafy veggies like spinach and kale are packed with nutrition
  • Cut down on dairy. Dairy has been typically used to get calcium into our bodies. You can opt for whole foods like almonds and kale for your source of calcium
  • Finally, drink more water and avoid sugary beverages – this one needs no explaining.