When building a healthy, balanced meal, there are four main components to think about:
Non-starchy vegetables or Fruit
Protein
Complex carbohydrates (optional)
Healthy fat
Why are these components important to each meal?
1. Non-starchy vegetables or fruit
Nutrient density - This is where most of your vitamins & minerals come from in your meals. They are also where most of the health benefits related to decreased inflammation come from because veggies and fruits are choc-full of antioxidants (anti-inflammatory powerhouses).
Filling - Vegetables and fruits are high in fiber and water, but low in calories, starch, and sugars. The fiber and water help fill up the space in our stomachs. When we are hungry, we release a hormone called Ghrelin. This hormone subsides when our stomach physically expands in response to a large volume of food. Vegetables hold a lot of volume with very few calories. They fill us up quickly by expanding the stomach, so we may feel we've eaten "a lot", while having actually eaten very little energy. This helps with weight loss, but also prevents feeling overly full and tired after meals from consuming too many calories at once. Fiber has a host of benefits as well and is related to overall health and well-being, including decreased cholesterol, blood sugar regulation, improved brain function, heart function, digestive health, and immune function! Because vegetables are low in sugar, they also tend not to trigger our innate response to keep eating. Historically, sugary foods were in high demand and if come across in nature, we would want to eat a lot of that food, like honey, fruit, or starches, because it meant energy and survival. It's rather difficult to over-consume vegetables, however, as we naturally lose desire for them during a meal. For this reason, I do recommend choosing more vegetables than fruits, and using fruits as your "colorful produce" when you really don't want vegetables (such as at breakfast), or if vegetables aren't available to you. It is also fine to have both fruits and vegetables at a meal, but the goal is to focus on veggies.
2. Protein
Satiety - Protein signals the release of satiety hormones, making us feel satiated. Protein takes a long time to digest (break down), so it's what helps keep us full for many hours after a meal. This also means that we are less likely to consume additional calories between meals or after meals because we aren't hungry for them.
Metabolism - The thermic effect, (energy required to digest, absorb, and dispose of food) is relatively high for protein, so it can increase calorie expenditure. Protein also helps maintain muscle mass, which helps to increase our resting metabolic rate (RMR), or the energy we burn at rest without additional activity.
Energy - Protein containing-foods also contain many B vitamins, which are essential for energy production as they help convert the foods we eat into energy. Vitamin B12 is especially important for energy production as well as memory and nervous system function. The best sources of vitamin B12 are animal products, which are also the best protein sources. This is not a biased opinion, just science. Across the board, animal protein is the most bio-available, meaning better absorbed and utilized by the body. Though not as bio-available, Plant-based protein sources are excellent protein sources and offer many benefits that animal based proteins do not, such as higher potassium and fiber contents.
Reduce Sugar Cravings - We tend to have more sugar cravings when we are hungry, or when our blood sugar levels are low. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar due to it's long digestion, and keeps us satiated so we are less likely to want sweets.
3. Complex Carbohydrates
These are whole-food carbohydrate sources that digest more slowly due to their fiber content. This is an optional component because it really varies based on preference, activity level, age, gender, etc, though I do generally recommend choosing at least one per day especially in the evening as this promotes restful sleep.
Energy - Starch, the primary component of complex carbohydrates, is jam-packed with glucose, which means it provides certain cells in our bodies with lots of energy (brain, muscles, etc.).
Metabolism - The thyroid is responsible for regulating our metabolism and pretty much every organ in the body. Every cell in the body contains a thyroid hormone receptor, but it needs to be the active form, T3. Insulin converts the inactive T4 hormone into T3. Carbohydrates, namely glucose, cause release of insulin. In general, this is not a bad thing! This process is natural and insulin actually has many positive effects on the body, read more here. In fact, glucose could not get into our cells and be used for energy without insulin. Other factors, such as stress, poor sleep, too much sugar/fructose, fatty liver, etc. lead to insulin resistance and then diabetes, not necessarily having a serving of starch with meals. Including a serving of starch with a meal is not usually the problem, in fact it can be quite preventative:
Reduce Sugar Cravings - In general, our bodies want some carbohydrates. When we don't get them on a regular basis, our cravings tend to increase. And they increase for easily digested carbs that can be absorbed and used right away, so this can lead to sugar cravings. A modest serving of complex carbs is not usually the issue, it's typically large servings of more refined starches and sugars that become a problem.
Fiber - While non-starchy vegetables are great sources of insoluble fiber, starches are great sources of soluble fiber, and our gut bacteria like to have some of both. This is why it's important to choose whole-food complex carbs more often than not as refined starches typically have little to no fiber, which also affects blood sugar regulation.
Blood Sugar Regulation - When we consume complex carbohydrates, the fiber helps slow down absorption of carbs into the blood stream, buffering a spike in blood sugar. Many of them also have compounds in them that benefit blood sugar regulation. For example, sweet potatoes increase adiponectin (a protein hormone involved in regulating glucose levels and fatty acid breakdown) in the body. Increased levels of adiponectin is associated with increased insulin sensitivity.
4. Healthy Fats
Nutrient Absorption - Dietary fats help absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. So, if you're having salad, cooking dark leafy greens, or cruciferous vegetables, have them with a source of fat! Not only will it make them taste great (ex. steamed, plain broccoli vs. roasted broccoli with olive oil), but it will make them more nutritious.
Satiety - Vegetables help us feel full, but protein and healthy fats help keep us satiated for hours. If you are hungry 1-2 hours after a meal and you had adequate protein and portion sizes, make sure your are adding enough healthy fats as well.
Blood Sugar Regulation - Healthy fats digest very slowly, so overdoing them could result in feeling sluggish after meals. Because of this slow breakdown, however, fats help slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, preventing extreme spikes in blood sugar.
I mentioned blood sugar regulation as an important factor for each of these components of a meal, why?
Blood sugar regulation is important for everyone, not just those with diabetes. Whether you're looking to lose weight, gain energy, support a specific health condition, or improve overall health, keeping blood sugar levels steady is vital.
When blood sugar drops, it sends a signal to our brain that we need glucose to raise it back up to its happy place. If this is a shallow drop (think rolling hills), then instead of needing to eat something, our bodies will utilize stored energy to keep our blood levels steady. If this is a deep drop from a blood sugar spike (think peaks and valleys), however, the signal to our brain will be "we need energy NOW!" (enter, hangry feelings), which often motivates us to eat something sugary, giving us immediate energy. This causes a release in insulin. Now, we discussed before that insulin is good, but we don't want it released all day long.
Insulin is our energy storing hormone. If insulin is constantly working all day, our energy levels are also fluctuating all day (high energy when blood sugar spikes, low energy when it drops). Additionally, we aren't burning stored energy since we're too busy storing it, which means we aren't losing weight either.
So, the goal of a well-balanced meal is to keep us energized and satisfied for hours until the next meal. And when the next meal comes we want to feel hungry, but not cranky, or "hangry".
Okay, so how do we put these components together to make a meal?
Here are some examples:
You can really make anything into a balanced meal, just be aware of what components you have and what their portion sizes are. Additionally, not every meal is going to look like this, and that's okay!
For example, pasta, especially whole grain pasta or that made from beans, is not an unhealthy food as many people often think it is. But, it becomes less balanced when there isn't much else with it.
So, to make pasta a balanced meal, add to it:
Pasta is going to be your complex carbohydrate.
Does it have enough protein? If so, it can count as your protein source. If not, add one. Shrimp goes really well with pasta.
Next, choose a non-starchy vegetable. Spinach, kale, tomatoes, or mushrooms all go well with pasta dishes too.
Then all you need is a healthy fat. Cook the veggies and and shrimp with olive oil and drizzle a little extra on the pasta if needed and voila! Balanced meal.
This strategy can be applied to pretty much all foods and meals. Pizza lacking a non-starchy vegetable? Saute up some spinach and onions and throw them on each slice. Make lasagna balanced by using whole grain pasta and adding cooked veggies into a sauce. Smoothie missing some protein? Add Greek yogurt or have hard boiled eggs alongside. These are just a few examples.
What are the serving sizes*?
In general, there's a few rules of thumb to go by:
Non-starchy vegetables Have as many servings as you'd like, but aim for at least one or two per meal
Protein - Aim for about 20-40 grams per meal: Meat: About the size of your palm (generally about 3-6oz) Dairy/Plant-Based: 1/2-1 cup (generally 20-25g) Eggs: 2-3 egg = 14-21g + egg white(s) (1 white = 7g) This is general, protein intake truly depends on age, gender, activity, etc.
Complex carbohydrates - Aim for about 15-45g per meal: 1/2-1.5 cups or 1 handful per meal This is general, amount really varies depending on activity level, preference, and many other factors
Healthy fats - Aim for about 15-25 grams per meal: 1-2 Tbs oil (14-28g) 2 Tbs nut/seed butter (16-18g) 1/4 cup nuts/seeds (15-20g)
*It is very difficult to make general recommendations for serving sizes as this really depends on age, gender, height, weight, activity level, preference, overall eating pattern, etc. If you're seeking more guidance for personalized recommendations, I encourage you to work with a dietitian, whether with me or another professional you trust.
Stay tuned for part II on building balanced snacks!
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