As a guide to healthy eatingThe Indonesian Ministry of Health has implemented a food pyramid with balanced nutrition. What foods are recommended and how do you apply them?Check out the explanation here.
The food pyramid is a nutritional guide for planning a healthy balanced nutritious diet (not excluding certain types of nutrients), by dividing the portions of various food groups in the form of a pyramid.
Understanding the Contents of the Food Pyramid with Balanced nutrition
The following is the order of the contents of a nutritionally balanced food pyramid, from the bottom to the top of the pyramid, along with its application in the daily diet:
1. Eat a variety of staple foods
Staple foods are carbohydrates that are consumed daily as the main food. The types of staple foods in each region may vary, including rice, corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, and sago. Even so, try to vary your staple food, by eating more than one type of carbohydrate food a day.
2. Mconsume more fiber food
Eating vegetables and fruits is an important part of realizing a balanced nutritious diet. The reason is, besides being rich in fiber, these two food groups also contain lots of vitamins and minerals.
The portion of vegetables and fruit that should be consumed in a day is 400 grams. For simplicity, in 1 plate of food, half should be fruit and vegetables. The recommended portion of vegetables is more than fruit, which is 2/3 of the total vegetables and fruit.
3. Eating food tall protein as side dishes
Side dishes are a group of food sources of protein, consisting of animal protein and vegetable protein. You are recommended to consume both types of protein, because each has advantages and disadvantages, so they can complement each other.
Some foods that contain a lot of protein are beef, chicken, fish, and nuts, such as soybeans. Consume 2-4 servings of side dishes a day, where 1 portion is equivalent to 1 piece of chicken.'
4. Limiting consumption of foods that contain sugar, salt, and fat
Foods that contain sugar, salt, and fat are at the top of the nutritionally balanced food pyramid, so they should only be consumed in small amounts. As we know, consuming these foods in excess is at risk of causing various health problems.
In accordance with the Minister of Health Regulation No. 30 of 2013, the government designed special guidelines with the term “G4-G1-L5” regarding the limit of sugar, salt, and fat consumption per day. Here is the explanation:
- G4 means 4 tablespoons of sugar per day.
- G1 means 1 teaspoon of salt per day.
- L5 means 5 tablespoons of fat or oil per day.
Tips for Supporting the Contents of a Balanced Nutrition Food Pyramid
For maximum benefits, do the following tips in implementing a balanced nutritional food pyramid:
- Enjoy a variety of foods, ranging from staple foods, vegetables, fruits, to side dishes.
- Do not skip breakfast, because breakfast will give you energy to think and do various activities after you wake up in the morning.
- Drink enough water, at least 2 liters or 8-10 glasses a day, to meet the body's fluid needs.
- Get in the habit of reading food product packaging labels before buying or consuming them. Pay attention to the nutritional composition and expiration date.
- Wash hands properly before eating or preparing food, to clean them from germs that can cause infection
- Do exercise regularly, for at least 30 minutes per day.
If you want to achieve certain goals by implementing this food pyramid, such as losing weight, or if you have certain medical conditions, consult a nutritionist first. That way, the portion and type of food can be adjusted to the goals and conditions of your body.
