How Much Food Should I Eat - My Plate of Healthy Meals

If your body doesn't get enough food, it will become weak and sick; and you won't be able to perform your duties properly. The human body needs food for growth and also for being able to keep oneself healthy and active. So, proper food is essential for the body. You need to eat healthy food that consists of all the required nutrients in a good combination. To get all kinds of nutrients, we need to consume sufficient quantities from each and every class of the five food groups like grains/cereals, pulses/legumes /nuts, vegetables, fruits, and milk products.

How Much Food Should I Eat in a Day

The quantity and calories of the food requirement for our body depend on many factors like your age, sex, height, weight, body size, the level of activity (working, retired, sportsperson, labor, sitting staff, sales personnel, and other jobs). It may also vary according to your level of fitness exercises, physical health, and medications. So, all these factors should be considered for deciding how much food is required for your body.

The planning of daily food intake should consider all these below-mentioned factors and figures.

Minimum Prescription of Food For an Average Healthy Person

As per prescriptions of medical professionals, your daily food consumption should consist of the following minimum serves of all these food items.

• Grains and cereals two times daily.
• Vegetables two times daily (Quantity preferred one-third of the plate of meals)
• Fruits once or twice daily (one cup to two cups as snacks or after meals)
• Meat or Lentil/ legume/pulses/nuts (1 to 2 cups of cooked ingredient daily with meals - nuts may be taken as part of snacks also)
• Milk and milk products (Two cups with meals or as part of snacks)

Food Requirement in Calories for Average Healthy Person

• Males require a bit extra calories than females of all age groups.
• Children in the age group of 2 years to 10 years may require anywhere from 1000 calories to 2000 calories depending on their age and activity. You should increase the calories with age and activity levels so that one with no activity will start from 1000 calories whereas that child with much activity will start with 1500 calories. A non-active child at the age of 10 can reach only up to 1500 calories whereas the active child can reach up to 2000 calories.
• Grown-up children between 10 to 18 years will need in between 1600 to 2400 calories according to their age; whereas those with much activity may need above 2000 to 3000 calories according to age.
• Adults between 18 years to 58 years may need 2500 calories in the case of inactive males and only up to 2000 calories in the case of inactive females.
• Active male adults in the age range of 18 - 58 years will require up to 3000 calories, whereas female adults may require only up to 2400 calories under normal health conditions.

Calculation of Food Serves Per Day Per Person

I am providing the figures here as per my own opinions and experiences combined with some research on the internet. But you may calculate according to your requirements after taking help from Doctors and medical professionals.

My cups are as follows:-

Milk or alternatives 1 cup = 200 ml

Meat/ lentil/legumes  1 cup = 100 grams after cooked (50 grams raw for legumes)

Grains/cereals          1 cup = 100 grams after cooked (30 to 40 grams raw)

Fruits & vegetables   1 cup = pieces (raw) filled in one cup

Age range      Fruits & Vegetables   Grains/Cereals   Meat/lentil/legume   Milk/alternative

2 to 8 years        1 to 2 cups              1 to 2 cups         0.5 cups cooked      1 to 2 cups

8 to 13 years       2 to 3 cups              2 to 3 cups          1 cup cooked       2 to 3 cups

14-18 (male)       3 to 4 cups               3 cups               1.5 cups cooked     3 to 4 cups

14-18 (female)     3 - 3.5 cup              3 cups                1 cup cooked       3 to 4 cups

19-50 (male)       4 to 5 cups               4 cups               2 cups cooked      2 to 3 cups

19-50 (female)     4 cups                    3- 3.5 cup           1 to 1.5 cup          2 cups

above 50 (M)      3 to 4 cups                3 cups               1 to 1.5 cup          2 cups

above 50 (F)       3 to 4 cups                3 cups                 1 cup                 2 cups

Important Points to Remember While Choosing Your Plate of Food

• Do not rely only on calories for determining how much should I eat.
• Calorie intake should include all kinds of nutrients that are needed for your body.
• A complete ideal food should include adequate quantities of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins that are essential for the growth and maintenance of a healthy body.
• Include various types and combinations of fruits and vegetables of different sizes, shapes, and colors each day to derive all kinds of nutrients.
• Include some greeny leafy-vegetables and fibrous ingredients in your daily intake.
• Avoid fatty and starchy foods as far as possible.

Plan Your Plate of Meals

The following figures provide the quantity and calories for each item of food (collected from various resources) so that you can choose your combination of how much should you eat.

cooked rice 4 cups        = 500 calories

wheat flour 100gm        = 360 calories

lentil /dal 2 cups cooked = 400 calories

fruits 2 cups                 = 200 calories (2 apples or pears or banana)

veg 4 to 5 cups             = 300 calories (200gm potato, 200gm broccoli, 100gm beans, 

                                                          100gm.tomato, 50gm.green onion, kale, lettuce)

fish 100 gram                = 150 calories

meat 100 gm.                = 250 calories

cheese 50 gm                = 200 calories

milk 2 cups                   = 250 calories

curd 100 gm                 = 70 to 100 calories

butter 10 grams             = 70 calories

sunflower oil 10 grams   = 90 calories

TOTAL                       = 3,000 calories (roughly)