Eating healthy: is there a right way?

“You need to eat whole wheat bread for the fiber,” “The color of the bread doesn’t indicate the amount of fiber,” and “You shouldn’t eat bread at all.” These and other statements by nutrition experts are often contradictory, but they each contain a kernel of truth. What is usually not said is that nearly all experts agree on a significant number of dietary guidelines. So, what do they agree on?

Fresh, More Vegetables, Variety, and Fats

Freshness Matters: Every processing step food undergoes decreases its nutritional value. Cooking with fresh, unprocessed products is healthier and offers significant benefits. So, avoid pre-packaged meals and opt for fresh ingredients!

More Vegetables: On average, people in the Netherlands eat only 130 grams of vegetables per day, while the minimum recommended amount is 250 grams. Therefore, increasing your vegetable intake is crucial. Try adding vegetables to your lunch for an extra boost.

Variety is Key: The next benefit lies in variety. People tend to be creatures of habit, buying almost the same groceries every week. Use the three-day rule: if you’ve eaten something, wait three days before eating it again.

Balancing Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates often make up more than 50% of our total energy intake, but 35-40% is sufficient. A high intake of carbohydrates causes significant blood sugar fluctuations, impacting the intake of necessary fats and proteins. Easily adjust this by halving your portions of pasta, rice, or bread and supplementing with other foods like fatty fish or additional vegetables.

Nice, But How?

More important than knowing what to apply is knowing how to do it. Trying to change everything at once is unsustainable and leads to a quick return to old habits. This is not a “mistake,” but a consequence of how our brains work—they prefer patterns and avoid wasting energy on decision-making.

Choose one of the “V’s” (fresh, more vegetables, variety, and fats) to work on. Be specific about what you will do, how, and when. Remind yourself in a friendly and achievable way. Have you succeeded for a month? Then choose a new “V.” This way, you gradually work towards a healthier diet.

Make Eating Important Again

Eating is not just a necessity but also enjoyable and tasty. Make eating important in your life again: cook (with someone you love), visit new (local) stores and markets, or start a small vegetable garden. Enjoy your food and don’t feel guilty if it doesn’t go perfectly every time or if you eat something “wrong.” With a healthy foundation, your body can handle an occasional indulgence!