Women's Health - UK (2019-07)

16 | JULY 2019 Photography | ELLIS PARRINDER

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How do I create

a perfectly

balanced plate?

When it comes to building a healthy plate,

getting the balance right is about as clichéd as its

namesake hashtag. Laura Tilt offers up her advice

Pie charts. If they call to

mind a middle manager

named Dave talking you

through the sales figures

from the last quarter, they

come into their own in the

make-up of your plate. In

the UK, a visual portrayal

of a healthy diet is delivered

to us not by Deliveroo,

but in the form of the NHS Eatwell Guide.

And while Dave’s financial nous may be

questionable, you’re in safe hands with this

lot – the guide is based on advice from both

the World Health Organization and the

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.

The guide is designed to show you what

a healthy diet looks like over a period of a

day or a week, rather than for each meal,

because there are times when it’s useful

to favour a particular macronutrient –

a protein-rich breakfast has been shown

to support weight loss, while carb-heavy

meals post-workout can speed up recovery.

According to the guide, a third of your diet

should come from fruit and veg, and the NHS

advises eating at least five portions a day.

Notice the ‘at least’ – evidence is mounting

for benefits of up to 10 portions, or 800g,

a day. As for the rest of your plate, it isn’t

too prescriptive. Instead, we’re told to ‘base

meals on starchy foods’, eat ‘some’ dairy,

beans, pulses, fish, meat and eggs and

consume unsaturated oils only in ‘small

amounts’. It’s intentionally vague – the ideal

portion size depends on your individual body

size, activity levels and weight goals. But the

figures behind the guidelines do suggest that

half of your daily calories should come from

carbs. Of this figure, less than 5% should

come from added sugars, and your choices should help

you reach the recommended intake of 30g of fibre daily.

Overwhelmed? Join the club. In 2016, scientists from

the British Nutrition Foundation explored the real-

world feasibility of these recommendations. They

found that it was possible to eat this way, but only if all

meals were based on starchy foods (mainly wholegrain),

daily fruit and veg intake amounted to eight portions

and snacks were high-fibre. As for protein, a palm-sized

portion at each meal (plant or animal) will meet the

recommended 0.8g per kilo of body weight per day,

but there may be times when it’s beneficial to consume

more, such as during weight loss or muscle gain. And

if you’re eschewing carbs in favour of protein, you

might want to rethink, as low-carb diets are lower in

fibre, the very stuff that protects against bowel cancer,

heart disease and type-2 diabetes, as well as fertilising

your microbiome. For cooking and flavour, fats from

olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds are best.

Ready to build that plate? Start with two portions

of fruit and veg (whole fruit, not juice, because #fibre).

Next, add whole grains. Start with a cupped handful and

increase portion sizes pre and post-exercise ( between

0.8g and 1g per kilo of body weight after an intense

workout). Add protein (larger portions at breakfast and

post-workout) and finish with some dairy or a drizzle

of healthy fat. And that, friends, is a pie chart worth

paying attention to. Sorry, Dave.

A DAY OF

BALANCE

THE EXPERT

Laura Tilt, registered

dietitian and founder

of tiltnutrition.co.uk

DINNER

Salmon with freekeh,

butternut squash and

stir-fried greens. Oily fish

twice a week ticks off

your omega-3 needs.

BREAKFAST

Eggs, wholegrain toast,

avocado and spinach. The

balance of protein, carbs

and fat should keep your

energy levels up till lunch.

LUNCH

Mixed bean and quinoa

salad with chicken or tofu.

The balance of grains and

protein will ward off the

afternoon slump.

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