The «balanced plate»: A simple formula for a healthy diet

A balanced diet promotes an optimal supply of energy and nutrients and thus makes a significant contribution to health. This is the aim of the Swiss dietary recommendations, which were updated last year and visualized with the food pyramid. Now the second graphic element of the nutritional recommendations has also been revised: the plate model.

A healthy menu for every lifestyle thanks to a simple formula

The «balanced plate» illustrates how to put together a healthy main meal - whether breakfast, lunch or dinner. It contains at least one vegetable or fruit, a source of starch such as potatoes or cereal products and a protein-rich food such as dairy products, tofu, eggs, meat or fish. The rule of thumb for the optimum ratio is a simple formula: 2/5 vegetables and fruit, 2/5 carbohydrates, 1/5 proteins. The more colorful and seasonal the plate, the healthier and more sustainable the main meal. Recipe examples for different diets provide additional inspiration and show what a healthy menu can look like. This raises awareness of a balanced diet that suits every lifestyle.

The «balanced plate» is published in joint cooperation between the Swiss Society for Nutrition SGE, Health Promotion Switzerland and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO). With the Swiss dietary recommendations, the FSVO is fulfilling its mandate to actively promote health. In order to make them more widely known to the general public, the federal government will be implementing digital information measures over the next three weeks.

Swiss nutritional recommendations - The «balanced plate» at a glance

• One or more drinks: Consume unsweetened drinks such as tap water, mineral water, herbal and fruit teas.
• 2/5 Vegetables and fruit: Don't see vegetables as decoration, but enjoy them generously: colorful and seasonal, raw and/or cooked, as a side dish or main course. The portion of vegetables can be supplemented or replaced by a portion of fruit, for example at breakfast.
• 2/5 Cereal products and potatoes: Choose a variety of starchy foods such as potatoes and cereal products (e.g. flakes, pasta, rice, bread, couscous, quinoa) and give preference to whole grain products.
• 1/5 Dairy products, pulses, eggs, meat and others: Plan a protein-rich food for every main meal. This can be a dairy product such as milk, yoghurt, quark, cottage cheese or cheese twice a day. Once a day, another protein-rich food such as pulses, tofu, eggs, meat or fish is recommended.

Link: The balanced plate

Source: Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office