The plate method, or healthy plate, is a technique that consists of dividing and organizing what is eaten on a plate in a visual way and with the nutritionally recommended proportions. This had its origin in the Harvard University School of Public Health (United States) in 2011, where a tool very similar to the well-known Nutritional Pyramid was discovered, with which we will know the amounts that we should ingest of a healthy way.
It should be noted that this method (in no case is it a diet), is a guide to always have a balanced diet and have an idea of what we should buy.
Imagine a plate and draw 2 imaginary lines on it that will give rise to 3 portions. It is about dividing the plate into 2 halves and dividing one of them again into two equal halves. With the Plate Method you can easily see how much space each food group should occupy in a main meal, as if it were a “single plate”. If you prepare a first and second, the total proportion should be the same. Vegetables and vegetables (50%) will go in the first half, protein foods (25%) in the next half and carbohydrates (25%) in the other.
dessert and drink
It is recommended that for dessert, provided there is no contraindication, a piece of fruit is consumed. To drink, the best choice will be water, trying to consume between 1.5 and 2 liters a day. Fruit juices, including the natural ones made at home, should not be a substitute for water or fruit, since they provide fast sugars due to the fact that much of their fiber is eliminated in the process of squeezing them.
The plate method away from home
The plate method can also be used to organize meals away from home.
What you should do is, when you have in front of you the possibilities offered by the corresponding menu or menu of the day, design a menu that follows the proportions of the dish method as exactly as possible (50% vegetables + 25% protein + 25% carbohydrates).
A simple way to do it would be to choose a first vegetable dish such as salad or vegetable cream and a second protein dish + carbohydrate garnish.
A good hydration to complete the plate method
In addition to distributing the food well on the plate, it is necessary to ensure that there are good complementary hydration guidelines. At this point many people falter, since there are quite a few who are accustomed to accompanying main meals with soft drinks or alcoholic beverages.
Both options are harmful to health. Alcohol is a toxic substance regardless of the dose in which it is consumed, especially in the brain. Soft drinks have simple sugars that have a negative impact on metabolism
Prescriptions
1. Chicken Pasta Salad
A simple dish is pasta with chicken because it allows you to follow the method of the dish without too many complications thanks to its quick preparation. To make it, boil a cup of pasta, sauté the chicken in a pan with cherry tomatoes, mix everything together and dress the salad with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Sautéed vegetables with quinoa and meat
Prepare a dish made up of a quinoa garnish, a sautéed mushroom, onion, broccoli and carrot along with a piece of white meat. You can add soy sauce to season it.
3. Spinach with egg and bread
Sauté the spinach with cherry tomatoes, then add an egg and leave it until it is well cooked. In the carbohydrate portion, toast bread to accompany the recipe.
4. Steamed hake and potatoes
Prepare steamed hake, season it with a splash of oil, salt and oregano. Accompany the dish with potatoes and onion.
5. Full stew
A stew recipe is also possible in this feeding method. Prepare a stew with chickpeas, chicken, potatoes and vegetables such as carrots.
Benefits
Durable
This tool allows you to choose from a wide variety of foods, depending on your tastes and priorities, so it can be kept indefinitely without falling into boredom.
Healthy
The ideal combination of the different food groups is the great bulwark of the plate method, since when done well, it allows you to control your calorie intake and can even help you lose weight. «In addition to the information on the plate, this tool is accompanied by indications about the healthiest foods in each group, variety is promoted as an important characteristic in a balanced diet, and advice on hydration and physical activity is added.»
Educational
Part of the success of this option is its educational and didactic facet, since it allows to know in a very fast and visual way what the appropriate proportion of food should be in an easily identifiable portion such as a plate.
For the entire family
This food model is suitable for the whole family, from children to grandparents, since it is based on a varied and very complete diet. «However, in case of belonging to an age group with special needs, such as pregnant women, nursing mothers or the elderly with previous or chronic pathologies, the recommendations of the method must be adapted to the specific situations and needs, being periodically evaluated by the specialist».
Additional Information
- The plate method is used for main meals (lunch and/or dinner).
- The portions of each food are only approximate. Remember that each person needs a different amount of food depending on factors such as age, weight and height, exercise, etc. Standard measurements are based on a medium-sized dinner plate: approximately 23 centimeters in diameter or just over a foot.
- The visual distribution of the food on the plate is approximately: 50% vegetables, 30% carbohydrates and 20% protein. Review which group the main foods belong to.
- The dish is accompanied by water to drink and fruit or yogurt for dessert.
- You must exercise.