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The food habits of culturally developed so-
cieties such as ours has evolved from the
traditional Mediterranean diet to diets origi-
nating in northern Europe, characterized by
the greater contribution of animal fat to the
total caloric intake instead of complex hy-
drocarbons and vegetable fibre. Moreover,
Benefits of a
healthy and balanced
diet
because of the increasing consumption of
pre-cooked rather than fresh food and the
habit of eating outside rather than at home,
we are shifting away from the traditional
and healthier Mediterranean diet.
According to a study of Spanish society re-
lating to obesity in Spain, two out of three
individuals are overweight and one out of
six are obese.
The food pyramid shows the proportion and the frequency of
foods in our diet. The foods at the bottom of the pyramid (carbo-
hydrates, fruits and vegetables) are the ones that should be eaten
more often.
The way we serve and prepare food should not be monotonous
and these dishes should be delicious and served attractively.
Candy, buns, sugary beverages, and others should be consu-
med on exceptional occasions rather than on a normal basis. As
a preference, we should use olive oil. The total amount of food to
be consumed depends on each person and their characteristics.
These recommendations are for healthy people.
The seven groups of foods are as follow:
Group 1:
Milk and dairy products.
Plastic function. Contribu-
te to the formation and maintenance of various structures of our
organism. These are protein-rich foods and their caloric power
depends on the amount of grease that comes with the proteins.
Group 2:
Meat, fish, and eggs.
Plastic function. Include protein
with a high biological content, iron and B vitamins. The protein in
beef is just as necessary as that of fish although the latter is con-
sidered healthier because it is rich in Omega 3 fats. Eggs are also
rich in essential nutrients.
Group 3:
Potatoes, legumes, dry fruits.
Plastic and energy
function. Contribute a high amount of energy thanks to their car-
bohydrate content. Legumes contribute vegetable proteins and a
high biological and fibre content. Dry fruits contribute monosatu-
rated and polysaturated fats as well as B vitamins.
Group 4:
Vegetables and green vegetables Regulating
function.
The Spanish Food Code indicates that vegetables are
any type of edible herbaceous plant that can be served raw or
cooked whereas green vegetables are the green parts (leaves,
stems, flowers. They contribute a large amount of vitamins, mine-
rals, and oligoelements, fibre (particularly soluble fibre) in addition
to a high percentage of water, few calories because of the low
proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat.
In the past 40 years, food habits in Spain
have shifted away from a healthy diet. At
present, 61% of the caloric intake of Spa-
niards is from highly processed foods and
71% of them can be classified as leading a
sedentary life.
The food pyramid