Do you have a healthy diet? Did you know that existing data indicate that, in Portugal, poor eating habits are the third main risk factor that most contributes to the total number of years of healthy life lost (together with diabetes and tobacco smoking). The DGS – Directorate General for Health even considers that around 300,000 years of healthy life could be saved if the Portuguese people improved their eating habits.

But, between work and family, it often becomes difficult to find time to prepare healthy dishes and follow a balanced diet. 

To help, here are some tips on how you can eat a healthy diet, effortlessly, and still manage to save time to socialize with friends and family:

1 - Bet on light and regular meals (every three hours). Thus, it becomes easier to control hunger and benefits fat burning and blood markers (such as total cholesterol and insulin);

2- Avoid skipping breakfast. And remember that breakfast should consist of dairy products, cereals (and derivatives), fruit and water;

3 - Drink plenty of water. Recommendations point to drinking between 10 and 12 glasses of water per day. If you wait until you're thirsty, most likely you won't drink enough water! Food provides two to four glasses of water, leaving six to eight glasses of water to drink. If, for example, you drink two glasses of water right when you wake up, then just drink two in the middle of the morning, two more in the middle of the afternoon and two before dinner;

4 - Drink less alcohol and soft drinks and reduce sugar consumption;

5 - When you go to the supermarket, choose whole grains instead of refined ones;

6 - Pay attention to the choice of protein present in your meals, even if you follow a specific diet such as vegetarianism or veganism. Protein consumption is essential for the proper functioning of our body.

7 - Did you know that the new Food Wheel is made up of 7 food groups of different sizes, which indicate the proportion of weight each of them should be present in the daily diet. Each of the groups has specific functions and specific nutritional characteristics, so all of them must be present in the daily diet and must not be substituted for each other. Try to include them in your daily diet for healthier eating.

• Cereals and derivatives, tubers - 28%
• Vegetables - 23%
• Fruit - 20%
• Dairy products - 18%
• Meat, fish and eggs - 5%
• Legumes - 4%
• Fats and oils - 2%

Ingredients

• 300ml water
• 100g ice
• 50g green apple

Preparation

Blend the apple with the peel, ice and water in a blender. Is ready!
Alternatively, you can also use spinach or watercress leaves.

Enjoy it!