Cebu City - Eat a variety of foods every day to get the nutrients needed by the body. When it comes to food intake, there is a mantra that is so simple to abide by--always in Moderation, Variety, and Balance (or simply MVB). The amount of food that we put in our mouths must be in moderation, have different food sources, and should always be balanced in nutrients.

There never is an ultimate magic bullet of nutrients that can protect us from illness. We need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food can supply all of them. Our plates should include a portion of vegetables, fruits, rice, white meat, and fibrous foods.

Importance of portion sizes

Not only is it essential that we be conscious of the kind of foods we eat, but the amount we eat is just as crucial as well. Portion sizes must be reasonable and kept in moderation. The recommended number of servings of cooked meat is equivalent to the size of your palm per day. Rice can be consumed in three cups per day. If we exceed those serving sizes, we can develop obesity and related health problems.

Due to the modern lifestyles that we lead and the accessibility of fast food, we tend to turn away from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. In each meal, our plate must have a variety of food sources.

According to the Pinggang Pinoy, ¼ of the plate must be filled with go foods. Another ¼ must be filled with grow foods and the other ¼ with glow foods. The extra space left is for a piece of fruit. We should at least aim to eat two cups of vegetables and two pieces of fruit daily.

Develop healthy eating habits

There are numerous ways to enjoy eating these foods, and if you don’t like them at first, give it another chance and try to prepare them in a different method.

Finally, make sure you enjoy what you eat. Food is supposed to be pleasurable and not a burden to our lives. It is OK to enjoy a cone of ice cream or a piece of cookie once in a while. What is not OK is having an ice cream cup or a bag of cookies every week.

Balancing it out is the key to healthy and sustainable food habits. Eat meals regularly because skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating.

It is often tempting to forget about good nutrition when many other more delicious choices are available. But once we make it a habit to gravitate towards clean and nutrient-dense food, choosing the better option becomes easier. It is never too late to start developing healthy eating habits. The best time to start is now. // ND II Mary Carmeli C. Garrovillo, RND