A healthy lifestyle is linked to a great many factors. While there have been repeated discussions on this very topic in recent years, there is a basic consensus that healthy eating plays a major role. And although the importance of healthy eating is on everyone's lips, it is often difficult to implement.
There are a number of things you can do right at breakfast time to start the day healthily. That's why we've put together the 10 most important tips for a healthy diet and for your healthy breakfast in today's blog post.
Get your healthy breakfast now
1. Make sure you eat a balanced diet
A healthy and balanced diet is the be-all and end-all. And that in more ways than one, because the right nutrition ensures increased vitality, keeps us alive and prevents many illnesses. In addition to regular exercise, nutrition is largely responsible for our well-being. That's why you should definitely pay attention to a certain balance when choosing your food. Above all, the right ratio of macronutrients is important here.
Macronutrients as an important part of a healthy diet
Macronutrients are the substances that provide the body with energy. That's why when we talk about macronutrients, we usually mean carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They are considered the building blocks of life. Mixed food is broken down in the digestive tract and supplies the body with vital energy. From the digestive tract, the substances reach the cells where they are finally consumed.
The distribution of macronutrients is the most important part of a balanced diet. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends 55% carbohydrates, 30% fats and 15% proteins. With an average basal metabolic rate of 2,000 calories, this corresponds to 264g carbohydrates, 66g fat and 72g protein.
2. Breakfast is one of the most important meals for a healthy diet.
For us at Verival, breakfast is of course the most important meal of the day. But we are not the only ones who think so; many experts also support this view. For example, many studies assume that people who eat breakfast live healthier lives and are less likely to be overweight. According to the DGE, breakfast is particularly important for children. Especially for school, you should be well rested and strengthened.
Healthy breakfast with the right fillers
Seeds and nuts are a real enrichment for every breakfast with their unsaturated fatty acids. That's another reason why you shouldn't do without them. Chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, almonds, cashews – all these foods have one thing in common: they are incredibly filling! That's why nuts and seeds are so good for people who want to lose weight. Because: if you are full, you automatically lose weight! We would recommend our delicious strawberry chia organic porridge for your healthy breakfast, which you can then perfectly round off with nuts as a topping.
More about our Verival porridges
Healthy eating with a warm breakfast
Breakfast comes in many different varieties and these also vary from person to person. However, there is one thing you should definitely take to heart, because a warm breakfast is a real game changer.
Your body needs less energy if you provide it with breakfast at ‘operating temperature’, so it doesn't have to warm it up first and therefore needs less energy. Porridge is a great way to start the day. Fibre, minerals and healthy satiety make porridge a real hit. If you want to buy our organic porridge, you can easily do so in our online shop.
3. Incorporate wholegrains into your diet
There has been a real boom in wholegrain products in recent years. The term ‘wholegrain’ refers to grains that retain their bran (husk) and germ. These products are guaranteed to offer health benefits because, unlike refined grains, wholegrain products contain a lot more fibre and minerals.
That's why you should try to incorporate whole grain products into your diet as much as possible. Wholemeal bread, wholegrain muesli and porridge for breakfast – wholegrain pasta and wholegrain rice for other meals during the day. Quinoa and bulgur are also wholegrain products and are perfect for a variety of meals.
The local superfood: oats
Oats should not be missing when talking about healthy wholegrain cereals, because oats are considered the local superfood! The flakes are rich in biotin, vitamin K, iron, zinc and manganese. They also contain a lot of complex carbohydrates, keeping you full for a long time and your blood sugar level stable. This helps to prevent food cravings. What's more, oats are usually grown locally, which makes the grain's carbon footprint extremely good. That's why oats are the local superfood!
4. Lots of fruit and vegetables emphasise a healthy diet
Of course, fruit and vegetables should not be missing from any healthy diet. Fruit and vegetables should be on the menu every day – this applies to both children and adults. Experts recommend eating about 400 grams of vegetables and 250 grams of fruit.
Low energy density, important nutrients
Vegetables have a particularly low energy density (few calories per gram of food), which is another reason why they are perfect for losing weight. Despite their low energy density, vegetables are packed with important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibre and proteins.
You can incorporate vegetables into your diet at any time of the day. A morning smoothie with fruit and vegetables is perfect as breakfast. For lunch and dinner, vegetables can be perfectly incorporated into a wide variety of recipes as a side dish or even as a main course.
5. The right fats are the key to a healthy diet
For many people, talking about different ‘fats’ is very often negatively connotated because ‘fats’ are considered unhealthy. However, this is wrong in most cases, because the body needs fats. They are a basic nutrient and are essential for good health and a healthy diet.
Healthy fats can be found in oils made from rapeseed, olives, flaxseed or even algae. Healthy unsaturated fatty acids can also be found in nuts and seeds. Omega-3 fatty acids should make up a large proportion of the polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Are saturated fatty acids really so bad for a healthy diet?
To put it simply, unsaturated fats are categorised as ‘good’ fats. Saturated fats are the ‘bad’ fats. They are found in convenience foods, animal products and butter, for example, and should be avoided as much as possible. Consuming too many saturated fats greatly increases the risk of heart disease.
Unsaturated fatty acids are usually the healthy fats. To achieve a healthy diet, you should incorporate as many unsaturated fatty acids with a high omega-3 content into your diet as possible. Oils and nuts can help you achieve this quickly.
6. Choose foods without added sugar
The devil is often in the detail. This also applies to sugar. For many people, the alarm bells probably start ringing as soon as they think of sugar. But it's not quite as simple as that, because not all sugars are the same.
When it comes to healthy eating, you should steer well clear of added sugars. Sugar is generally already present in many foods. Many foods are then sweetened with fructose. This makes your insulin levels skyrocket, and overconsumption leads to a form of diabetes being inevitable.
Basically, however, it can be said that sugar is the purest form of carbohydrate. 100 grams of sugar contains 100 grams of carbohydrate. Glucose is the most important source of energy for our body. That is why humans should not completely avoid sugar in their diet, as this would be almost impossible. It's the dose that makes it toxic!
7. Proteins – an integral part of your healthy diet
Along with carbohydrates and fats, proteins are among the three most important nutrients for our body. Protein is not only one of the most important sources of energy, but also a vital building block for the body. Our muscles consist largely of protein and we need protein for bones, hair, skin and our organs.
Each protein consists of individual amino acids. These are divided into essential and non-essential acids. In total, there are 9 indispensable amino acids that are very important for our body. By digesting food, the protein is broken down into the individual amino acids and the body uses them to build its own protein.
Vegetable proteins keep you full longer
The question of whether plant-based or animal proteins are better is not so easy to answer. A mixture of the two would be ideal, as this is how you achieve the highest biological values. According to some studies, however, plant-based proteins are easier to digest and keep you full for longer. This is because plant-based proteins are less similar to the proteins in our body than animal proteins are!
8. Drinking is an important part of a healthy diet
While the body can survive for several weeks without food, without water or fluids, it will start to break down after just a few days. That should be more than enough reason not to forget to drink.
In a healthy, balanced diet, you should drink at least 1.5 litres of water per day. This will keep your body sufficiently hydrated.
Staying hydrated for a healthy diet
Drinking enough water, in combination with the right nutrients from food, is an extremely important part of a healthy diet. If you don't drink enough, you'll quickly get headaches, and not enough water in your body can also cause constipation. Fibre, which is essential for a functioning diet, must be bound with liquid in order to be optimally excreted.
9. Avoid distractions when eating
A British study at the University of Bristol has shown that people who multitask while eating, such as watching TV or surfing the internet, consume more calories. The more distractions we have while eating, the less satisfaction we get from our hunger.
That's why it's important to focus on the essentials when eating. Eating slowly and, above all, chewing well helps you to feel fuller. Without distractions, you'll recognise more quickly when you're ‘full’. With distractions, this feeling often doesn't come because your body is already busy with other information.
10. Supplement your healthy diet with exercise and sports
A healthy diet is not just about eating the right foods and drinking enough. These are two of the basic building blocks for a healthier life. The third and final component is exercise. Sport and exercise are often underestimated. But the body needs a minimum amount of movement to function properly.
Sport keeps you physically and mentally fit
Exercise boosts your circulation and helps you to improve your mental health. It improves blood flow to the body and especially to the brain, strengthens your respiratory muscles, builds muscle and also trains your heart.
Mental health is a big issue for many people. Sport and exercise can help to improve your quality of life. The increased blood flow in the brain makes it easier for endorphins and serotonin to be released. So if you exercise, you'll be happier! And your body will thank you too.
