How to choose your personal healthy diet by Dr. Sarah Schenker

Meals 500-700 calories, 30-40g protein

Choose your protein food – approximately fist sized

  • 150g poultry – chicken, turkey, lean duck
  • 150-200g white fish – e.g. cod, haddock, coley, sea bass, hake, pollack, (no more than 150g for tinned and fresh tuna)
  • 150g oily fish – salmon, trout, sardines, pilchards, herrings, mackerel
  • 150g shellfish – crab, mussels, prawns
  • 125g red meat – lean beef, lamb, pork
  • 125g dairy – plain yogurt, milk, lower fat cheeses such as feta, ricotta, cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 150g tofu or other soy products (TVP)
  • 150g cooked beans, lentils, mycoprotein (Quorn)

Choose your vegetables

  • 3-4 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 100g cooked butternut squash, pumpkin
  • 100g cooked aubergine, courgette, asparagus
  • 100g cooked root vegetables – carrots, parsnips, celeriac, swede, turnips, leeks, onions, fennel, beetroot,
  • 1 corn on the cob
  • 100g peppers, tomatoes
  • 100g cooked peas, green beans, mange tout, sugar snap peas

Then add unlimited

  • Green leafy veg – spinach, broccoli, cabbage, kale, pak choi, cauliflower
  • Salad veg – lettuce, leaves, cucumber, celery, radish
  • Mushrooms

Choose your healthy carbohydrate

  • 1 thick slice or 2 thin slices of wholegrain breads (approx. 50-60g)
  • 40g porridge oats or sugar free cereal
  • 5-6 wholegrain or oat crackers
  • 1 wholemeal thin – bagels, tortilla wraps, pitta
  • 150g cooked potatoes – white, sweet
  • 1500g cooked plantain, yam, cassava
  • 150g cooked brown rice and other wholegrains – quinoa, barley, bulgar wheat, coucous
  • 2 medium pieces or a handful of fruit *choose half a portion from the above and add 1 piece of fruit

Choose your healthy fat

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Half an avocado or 2 tbsp guacamole
  • 1 handful of nuts or 2 tbsp nut butter
  • 2 tbsp hummus and tahini

Add flavour

  • Handful of fresh herbs
  • 1 tsp spices
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • Chopped tbsp. of chilli, lemongrass, ginger, garlic
  • 1 tsp mustard, horseradish and hot sauces
  • Sprinkle of vinegar

Examples

20g porridge oat with milk, handful of berries, celery stick and peanut butter dip

Wrap with sliced chicken, avocado, rocket leaves and a squeeze of lemon

Spicy baked salmon with red peppers on brown rice wilted spinach

For meals 300-500 calories, 20-30g protein

Choose your protein food – approximately fist sized

  • 125g poultry – chicken, turkey, lean duck
  • 150g white fish – e.g. cod, haddock, coley, sea bass, hake, pollack
  • 120g oily fish – salmon, trout, sardines, pilchards, herrings, mackerel
  • 120g shellfish – crab, mussels, prawns
  • 100g red meat – lean beef, lamb, pork
  • 100g dairy – plain yogurt, milk, lower fat cheeses such as feta, ricotta, cottage cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 120g tofu or other soy products (TVP)
  • 120g cooked beans, lentils, mycoprotein (Quorn)

Choose your vegetables

  • 3-4 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 100g cooked butternut squash, pumpkin
  • 100g cooked aubergine, courgette, asparagus
  • 100g cooked root vegetables – carrots, parsnips, celeriac, swede, turnips, leeks, onions, fennel, beetroot,
  • 1 corn on the cob
  • 100g peppers, tomatoes
  • 100g cooked peas, green beans, mange tout, sugar snap peas
  • Unlimited green leafy veg – spinach, broccoli, cabbage, kale, pak choi, cauliflower
  • Unlimited amount salad veg – lettuce, leaves, cucumber, celery, radish
  • Unlimited amount of mushrooms

Choose your healthy carbohydrate

  • 1 slice wholegrain bread
  • 3-4 wholegrain or oat crackers
  • ½ wholemeal thin – bagels, tortilla wraps, pitta
  • 75g cooked potatoes – white, sweet
  • 75g cooked plantain, yam, cassava
  • 75g cooked brown rice and other wholegrains – quinoa, barley, bulgar wheat, coucous
  • 1 medium piece or a handful of fruit

Choose your healthy fat

  • 1 tbsp oil or1 tsp of butter
  • Half an avocado or 1 tbsp guacamole
  • 1 handful of nuts or 1 tbsp nut butter
  • 1 tbsp hummus and tahini

Add flavour

  • Handful of fresh herbs
  • 1 tsp spices
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • Chopped tbsp. of chilli, lemongrass, ginger, garlic
  • 1 tsp mustard, horseradish and hot sauces
  • Sprinkle of vinegar

Examples

Half a toasted bagel with a poached egg, asparagus spears and walnuts

Beetroot and feta on mixed leaves with 3 oat crackers and hummus

Herby chicken with corn on the cob, broccoli and a slice of water melon

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