Sound Eating Principles to Keep Office Workers Healthy

If you are so busy with work that you skip meals and neglect your nutrition, and your body is growing more tired and run down by the day, then it is time to make a change and protect yourself!

Sticking closely to sound eating principles will help you maintain lasting good health and strengthen your resistance to illness. In the article below, we share the importance of nutrition and the sound eating principles that office workers should apply every day.

Sound eating principles are good for the health of office workers

See also:

• A nutritional regime for people with diabetes
• A sound nutritional regime for lower secondary school pupils
• A look at a sound nutritional regime for factory workers

What role does sound eating play in our health?

Eating sensibly, with menus that cover all the nutrient groups, is the foundation that allows the body to function effectively. A balanced, sensible diet brings many practical benefits:

It supplies the energy and nutrients you need

Every meal is a source of nutrients that keeps the body going through its daily activities, from study to work. When you eat properly you will have enough energy to concentrate and work effectively, and you will feel mentally fresher. Well-planned meals with a balance of food groups supply the body with the micronutrients it needs without having to rely on outside supplements.

It strengthens the immune system and prevents illness

A diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from vegetables, fruit and wholegrain cereals helps the body build resistance and reduces the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and high blood pressure. At the same time it helps keep bacteria and viruses from entering the body and causing illness.

It maintains a healthy figure and weight

Sound eating also balances the nutrient groups you take in, avoiding weight gain or the weakness that comes from nutritional deficiency. A healthy, well-proportioned body also makes you more confident and more energetic in daily life.

It improves your state of mind and quality of life

Nutrition has a direct effect on mood and the ability to concentrate. A healthy diet helps you sleep better, reduces stress and gives you a more positive outlook every day.

Sound eating is therefore the golden key to protecting your health over the long term, helping you work effectively, live happily and enjoy life more fully.

Eating plays an extremely important role in everyone’s health

Eight sound eating principles that are good for your health

A healthy body does not come from exercise alone; it also begins with sound, balanced eating habits. Below are eight principles that are simple but deliver lasting benefits for your health:

Eat according to your body’s nutritional needs

Every person has different energy needs, depending on their sex, age, the nature of their work and their daily level of activity. If you take in too many calories, the body stores the surplus energy as fat, which over time leads to obesity, metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease. Conversely, if you eat too little you may suffer micronutrient deficiencies, a weakened immune system, fatigue and reduced performance at work.

Estimate your energy needs as an individual, then, so that you have neither too little nor too much. At the same time, adjust your portions to a specific goal such as maintaining weight, losing weight or building muscle. And most important of all, listen to the signals your body gives you; they are the most reliable guide to a healthy, balanced diet.

Eat from every food group

Carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals each play a different role in the body. Removing one group entirely – cutting out all carbohydrates, for example, or all fat – without a sensible replacement plan leads to micronutrient deficiency and an imbalance between the nutrient groups in the body, leaving you tired and unable to concentrate.

Building varied meals that cover all the food groups will therefore keep your body full of energy. Remember to eat three main meals a day plus one or two snacks, and never skip breakfast or eat too much in the evening.

Eat less salt

Consuming too much salt raises blood pressure and increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and chronic kidney disease. Many analyses show that reducing salt lowers blood pressure and cuts cardiovascular mortality. Although salt is an important and necessary seasoning, daily consumption should be kept under about 5g, the equivalent of one small teaspoon.

Children need even less salt, because their bodies are not yet fully developed and cannot excrete large amounts of it. A child who eats a lot of salt puts pressure on the kidneys, which then have to work continuously. Infants under one year old need no added salt in their food. Children aged one to two also need very little, only about 0.3–2.2g a day.

Besides seasoning in moderation, people should also limit foods such as pickled vegetables, pickled aubergine, fish sauces and pastes, and ready-made canned foods, because they contain a lot of salt and preservatives and are not good for health.

Cut down on sugar for better health and to prevent disease

Limit sugar

Sugar plays an important role in the body as the main source of energy that keeps the brain and muscles working. However, taking in too much sugar from soft drinks, sweets and cakes supplies “empty” energy with little or no essential nutritional content, which easily leads to weight gain, causes insulin resistance and results in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Excess sugar also raises the risk of dental problems.

A clear reduction in sugar helps control weight and lowers the risk of metabolic disease. The WHO recommends cutting sugar intake to 10%, and ideally to under 5%. To do this, you should replace refined sugar with natural foods such as fresh fruit, nuts and unsweetened yoghurt. Other options include replacing sugary drinks with water or home-made unsweetened smoothies, and cutting down on sweets and cakes.

Keep fat in moderation

Fat is needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and to build cell membranes, but not all fats are the same. Saturated fat raises cholesterol and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease when too much is consumed. Unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, such as those in olive oil, fish oil and nuts, are good for health and for the heart.

Limit animal fat and deep-fried food, and give preference to vegetable oils, oily fish and nuts.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

Whatever diet you are following, you need to give vegetables and fruit priority in your meals, because these foods supply fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant compounds that benefit digestion while leaving the body feeling light and the skin looking better. Choose vegetables and fruit in a variety of colours, as these generally contain more antioxidants, which help prevent cancer and premature ageing.

Avoid processed food as far as possible

Processed food usually contains high levels of salt, sugar and unhealthy fat, along with many additives. Studies show that eating a lot of these foods increases the risk of early death, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic problems. Production on a line and long storage also significantly reduce the nutritional content of ready-made food.

Give preference to fresh ingredients and home cooking; if you do use packaged food, read the label carefully and avoid products with many unrecognisable ingredients, a high sugar content or a long list of stabilisers.

Limit alcohol and stimulants

Limit alcohol and stimulants

Alcohol and tobacco are addictive stimulants that raise the incidence of many kinds of cancer, damage the liver and the heart, and affect sleep and state of mind. Stay away from these unhealthy pleasures in order to protect your own health and that of the people around you. In addition, set aside at least 30 minutes a day for sport and exercise in order to maintain lasting good health, strengthen your immunity and prevent illness.

We hope that the useful information above from STAVI industrial catering has given readers a clearer grasp of the sound eating principles that apply to office workers. Following these same principles, the meals at STAVI always ensure a balance of nutrients, with more green vegetables and less processed food, so that customers can feel entirely confident in the quality of the service.