Ditch fad diets, embrace ‘My Plate for the Day’ to meet all dietary requirements

Although the concept of My Plate for the Day is simple, it offers essential guidance on the precise proportions of different food groups for a balanced daily diet. By eliminating confusion, it empowers individuals to make informed dietary choices.

Hyderabad: Are you overwhelmed by the spate of conflicting online advice on diet? How to address the challenges of Hidden Hunger, which many Indians unknowingly suffer! If you are burdened by these questions, then Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) has created a valuable resource ‘My Plate for the Day’, which will give much-needed nutritional clarity to all Indians.

While the concept of My Plate for the Day is simple, it will provide much needed guidance to understand the exact proportions of various food groups for a balanced daily diet, cutting through the confusion, eventually empowering people to make informed choices, when it comes to diet.

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Developed under the guidance of former NIN Director, Dr R Hemalatha, the MyPlate for the Day is based on the ‘Dietary Guidelines’ and ‘Nutrient Requirements for Indians’ to promote healthy dietary practices.

My Plate for the Day” typically illustrates the proportions of foods from diverse food groups to provide a 2000 kcal/day diet, meeting the optimal nutrient requirements for Indian adults.

The ‘My Plate for the Day’ typically illustrates the proportion of foods from diverse food groups to provide 2000 Kcal/ day (energy/ day) diet for the optimal requirement of the nutrients of Indian adults.

In a policy brief on ‘My Plate for the Day’, NIN researchers advised different food groups in right proportions to meet the overall requirement of essential amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, proteins, vitamins and other bioactive compounds.

The food researchers, however, have cautioned health and diet enthusiasts on excess reliance on supplements to meet their daily nutritional needs. No vitamin or mineral supplements will provide the adequacy of all nutrients that can be met from a balanced diet as suggested in ‘My Plate for the Day’, they said.

Wholesome foods are also better absorbed and more bioavailable and provide unknown substances/ nutrients that cannot be met from supplements/ tablets/ capsules/ fortified foods. Also, routine consumption of certain nutrients as supplements will interfere with absorption of other nutrients, the paper said.

For individuals suffering from hidden hunger, which is a severe shortage of vitamins and minerals, My Plate for the Day will ensure adequate intake of all micronutrients, bioactive compounds, functional foods, antioxidants etc.

What should be a typical ‘My Plate for the Day’? (2000 kilocalories/ day)

Vegetables plus green leafy vegetables: 400 grams (raw weight); Cereals including millets: 260 grams; Fruits: 100 grams; Pulses/Eggs/ Flesh foods: 85 grams; Nuts and seeds: 30 grams; Fats and Oil: 27 grams Milk/Curd: 300 ml