3.4 Healthy eating
Eating healthy means to make sure you get the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats and dietary fibre.
Protein
Protein is important for muscle growth. Around the age of 30 people tend to lose muscle mass and gain body fat. Therefore, our body needs a lot of protein.
Practical tips:
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Try to include protein with every meal. Plant-based proteins are found in: soy, beans, lentils, peas, oat flakes, grain. Proteins from animals are found in: low-fat dairy products, such as curd cheese, skyr, cottage cheese, fish, meat.
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Fruit, vegetables and whole-grain products: They provide the body with minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre.
Practical tips:
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Eat 3 portions of vegetables and 2 portions of fruit each day.
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Dietary fibre is important for digestion. Try to eat dietary fibre every day. Fibre is contained in seeds, several cabbage varieties, berries, whole-grain bread and fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kefir.
Fat
We distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fat.
Our daily diet should include mostly unsaturated fat.
Practical tips:
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Unsaturated fat is found in: olive oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, nuts, fish, seafood
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Saturated fat is found in: coconut fat, palm oil, butter, cheese, sausages. Try to cut down your consumption of this type of fat.
Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are plant-based oestrogens. They are contained in many foods and help alleviate menopause symptoms.
Practical tip:
These foods contain a lot of phytoestrogens:
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Soybeans, soy milk, tofu, whole-grain products, legumes, dried fruit
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Green vegetables, such as broccoli, zucchini, Brussels sprouts and other cabbage varieties
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Garlic, onions, flaxseed
Calcium and vitamin D
Our bones need calcium and vitamin D to stay healthy. Dairy products, certain fruits (kiwi, oranges, tangerines, blackberries) and vegetables (pumpkin, broccoli, zucchini, spinach, cauliflower) are rich in calcium. Vitamin D is found in mushrooms and fatty fish like herring or salmon.
Practical tip:
Our body needs sunlight to produce vitamin D. This is why many people do not have enough vitamin D in winter. Your doctor can check the vitamin D level in your body. If it is too low you can take vitamin D drops.