Introduction: There is a saying in the field of nutrition: there are no bad foods, only unbalanced diets. Scientific and rational pairing is one of the keys to a "good diet." The editor has summarized the following healthy pairing ratios for your reference.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
3:4:3
As the saying goes, "Eat a good breakfast, a full lunch, and a light dinner." Although the total amount of food each person eats may vary, the proportional distribution can refer to the 3:4:3 ratio. That is, generally, the energy from breakfast, lunch, and dinner should account for 30%, 40%, and 30% of the total daily energy, respectively.
Breakfast should account for 30% of the energy because the body has just woken up, appetite is low, and the digestive system is in a "warm-up" state. However, it is essential to ensure adequate nutrition to provide the energy needed for work and study in the morning. The best breakfast combination includes starchy foods, high-quality protein, fruits and vegetables rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C, and nuts. Lunch can be eaten in larger portions because people are more active during the day and consume more energy. Dinner should be lighter because people are relatively less active after dinner, requiring less energy, and eating until 70% full can also be beneficial for sleep.
It is worth reminding that this is the energy ratio for three meals a day, not the quantity ratio. For example, if you eat two meat buns (about 2 liang) for breakfast, a bowl of sweet potato and corn porridge (about 2 liang), and an apple in the morning; for lunch, a bowl of Babao rice (about 3 liang), one meat dish, and one vegetable dish; and for dinner, one whole grain bun or cornbread, plus a bowl of millet porridge, and a serving of mixed tofu or black fungus with onion, you can roughly achieve the 3:4:3 energy distribution ratio for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, this ratio is not fixed and can be adjusted according to different energy needs. For instance, people who work overtime at night can eat a bit more for dinner.
Fish, Meat, Eggs
2:2:1
Although they are all meats, different types of meat have different effects on the human body. A latest research study in the United States shows that eating more fish can increase a person's brain volume, thereby better preventing diseases such as cognitive impairment. Another large, authoritative survey shows that long-term, high consumption of red meat increases the risk of death from heart disease and cancer, while a diet rich in white meat is associated with a lower risk of death.
According to the Chinese Nutrition Society's recommendations, each person should consume 125-225 grams of animal foods such as fish, poultry, meat, and eggs daily. This includes 50-75 grams of livestock and poultry meat, 50-100 grams of fish and shellfish, and 25-50 grams of eggs. The specific intake can be flexibly adjusted, but the general ratio can refer to the fish-meat-egg pairing ratio of 2:2:1, while also paying attention to the general proportions of various food groups in the dietary pyramid over the long term.
It may be difficult for most families to eat fish every day, so it can be changed to eating fish 2-3 times a week, with 150-200 grams each time. Normally, one should try to eat more white meat (such as poultry and fish) and less red meat (such as pork, beef, lamb, etc.). Beef and lamb can be eaten once a week. It is best to schedule meat for breakfast or lunch.
In addition, it is best for a normal person to eat one egg a day. For people with abnormal blood lipids or obesity, it is recommended to eat 2-4 eggs per week. The healthiest way to eat eggs is boiled, and it is best to have them in the morning or at noon to avoid excessive cholesterol intake at night.
Meat and Vegetables
1:4
Many people only love to eat meat dishes like chicken, duck, and fish. Although these animal fats are rich in protein and delicious, excessive intake can increase the burden on the liver and kidneys, leading to increased uric acid, gout, obesity, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In contrast, vegetarian dishes like vegetables and mushrooms can supplement the human body with rich dietary fiber and certain water-soluble vitamins, compensating for the defects of excessive saturated fatty acids and cholesterol in meat dishes.
The Chinese Residents' Balanced Dietary Pyramid recommends eating 400-500 grams of vegetables and 125-200 grams of animal foods such as fish, poultry, meat, and eggs daily. Therefore, the meat-to-vegetable ratio for all meals can be arranged at roughly 1:3 or 1:4. For example, for a meal with four dishes, you can have one meat dish, one tofu dish, and two vegetable dishes. When eating, it is best to take one bite of meat followed by three bites of vegetables.
Staple Foods: Refined and Whole Grains
1:3
Dietary diversity is a basic requirement for a balanced diet, and staple foods should also be diverse. You should eat a variety of grains and legumes. For an adult with low activity levels, consuming 250-400 grams of staple foods daily can meet the body's needs. Young people and those with high labor intensity need more energy and should eat more staple foods; the elderly and those with low activity need less energy and can eat less. The "Chinese Residents' Dietary Guidelines (2007)" recommend that staple foods should be a mix of refined and whole grains, with 50-100 grams (1-2 liang, dry weight) of whole grains per day. This means that about 1/4 to 1/3 of the daily staple foods should be whole grains, or you can eat whole grains twice a week.
Whole grains contain more dietary fiber and have a certain preventive effect on chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and heart disease. However, the elderly and children should appropriately control their intake of whole grains, especially infants and young children whose digestive systems are not fully developed, who should be cautious.
It should be noted that tubers such as sweet potatoes and potatoes can partially replace staple grains. For example, if you eat tubers for lunch, you should reduce your intake of rice or steamed buns. If you eat a piece of sweet potato (or yam, taro, potato, etc.) of about 2 liang for dinner, you can skip the staple food.
Vegetables and Fruits
2:1
As is well known, eating more vegetables and fruits is greatly beneficial to our health. Numerous studies have confirmed that eating more vegetables and fruits can prevent cancer and effectively reduce the risk of premature death.
Each person should eat 300-500 grams of vegetables and 200-400 grams of fruits daily, which also means a ratio of 2:1 between the two is appropriate. The variety of vegetables is rich, and the general principle for selection is to eat more sprout, leaf, and stem vegetables (such as spinach, yellow chives, small green vegetables, cabbage heart, etc.) in spring and autumn, accounting for about 70%-80% of vegetables. In autumn and winter, eat more fruit and root vegetables like radishes, potatoes, onions, etc., accounting for over 60% of vegetables. It is best to eat some fungi daily, which should generally account for 10%-20% of the total daily vegetable intake. Green leafy vegetables should maintain over 50% of the daily vegetable intake. In addition, it is best to choose seasonal and local produce. Relatively speaking, dark-colored vegetables, such as dark red peppers and dark green spinach, have higher nutritional value than light-colored vegetables. It is also best to eat 3-4 types of fruits daily.
Steaming and Boiling vs. Stir-frying
2:1
Cold dishes, steaming, boiling, roasting, pan-frying, and deep-frying—the diverse cooking methods create rich Chinese cuisine. The nutritional value of ingredients changes after cooking, and different ingredients are best suited to different cooking methods. Overall, steaming and boiling are healthier than stir-frying because they result in less nutrient loss and avoid high temperatures and excessive oil. It is recommended to maintain a ratio of 2:1 for steaming/boiling to stir-frying. Deep-frying should be avoided as much as possible. If you do eat fried food, limit it to no more than 3 times a week, and preferably at lunchtime.
It is best to make a cold dish for every meal, as cold dishes largely retain the vitamins and minerals in vegetables, as well as various active health-promoting factors. In fact, almost every vegetable can be made into a cold dish. For those that cannot be eaten raw, you can blanch them first (such as shredded potatoes) and then dress them. You can cut the vegetables into thin slices or shreds, scald them in boiling water for one minute, let them cool naturally, and then dress them.