General advice
- Avoid large meals, preferring small and frequent meals (4-5 per day)
- Reduce or avoid the intake of foods rich in fats.
- Eat slowly and chew well your food.
- In case of overweight or obesity, it is advisable to gradually reduce weight and waist circumference through a balanced diet, associated with regular exercise.
Carbohydrates
| Food allowed | Food not allowed/ to reduce | Tips/other info |
| -Plain chapatti of flat bread without yeast.
-Breakfast cereals such as: Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Special K, rice porridge, All- Bran, Weetabix, muesli, oat porridge. -White rice, basmati or jasmine rice, pasta and noodles, sweet potatoes and potatoes, cous cous, semolina, polenta, quinoa, buckwheat, wholegrain rice and noodles. |
-Bread crumbs, highly leavened industrial foods including toast bread. White or brown bread, sourdough bread, English muffin, bagels, pitta bread, naan bread, plain crackers or breadstick. | -Avoid foods that are made with a significant amount of yeast, like bread and all bakery products. |
Vegetables
| Food allowed | Food not allowed/ to reduce | Tips/other info |
| – Cooked or raw vegetables. | – Some vegetable may increase uric acid levels: legumes (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas), spinach and mushrooms.
– Vegetables with fatty sauces, cream, cheese, bacon or lard. |
Fruits
| Food allowed | Food not allowed/ to reduce | Tips/other info |
| -Cooked or raw fruit.
-Nuts, seeds, nuts spread. |
-Avocado |
Milk and dairy products
| Food allowed | Food not allowed/ to reduce | Tips/other info |
| -Low fat milk and dairy. | – Full cream milk and dairy products with high fats: whole cream milk, cream, sour cream, fatty cheese like brie, burrata, mozzarella bufala or other cheese with added cream, brie, camembert, etc.. |
Meat and alternatives
| Food allowed | Food not allowed/ to reduce | Tips/other info |
| – Poultry (choose leaner cuts), fish, eggs. | – Red meat like beef, pork, bacon, lamb, mince meat, meat ball.
– Internal organs: kidney, liver, intestines, meat gravies, meat extracts, fish roe, tongue and brains among others. – Tough meats with fat and smoked or cured deli meats, stews, goulash, boiled meat, ragout. Skin of the chicken, fatty meat, processed meat or fish. – Broth made from red meat, like meat soup or dumpling filled with meat and broth. – Certain fishes to be avoided: sardines, mussels, scallops, herring, mackerel, shrimps and anchovies, sushi, crabs and oysters. – Legumes (beans, lentils, red lentils, peas, chickpeas, soya beans). |
– Cook the meats without adding sauces or other fatty gravies.
– Remove all the visible fat before cooking, especially the skin of the chicken and fish. |
Snack, Sweets, Condiments and Beverages
| Food allowed | Food not allowed/ to reduce | Tips/other info |
| -Water (1,5-2 liters/day), including herbal tea, light barley coffee, chamomile, fresh vegetables/fruit juices, coconut water.
– Salt, herbs (like oregano, sage, thyme, basil leaves, rosemary, coriander, etc..), ginger. -Oils (olive oil, avocado oil are good options) and olives. |
-Alcohol especially beer, carbonated beverages, soft drinks, coffee, black tea, citrus juices.
-Chocolate, cocoa, chewing gum, candy sweets in general, foods sweetened with sugar like sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol. -Fatty food like: fried food, coconut milk or cream, sauces, sauces with cream, oily foods, margarine, butter, lard, desserts with creams, broth high in fat. |
– Use low fat cooking methods like boil, bake, grill, steam and stir-fry (max few times per week).
-Avoid foods that are made with a significant amount of yeast like beer or other fermented beverages. |
How does my plate look like?
Portion size
Half plate of vegetables
- Take 1 portion of vegetables in every main meal
- Take 1 portion of fruit as a snack during middle morning and/or afternoon. Prefer the whole fruit instead of fruit juices.
A quarter plate of grains
- Depending on your age and gender, take 4-6 portions a day
A quarter plate of protein to choose among:
Eggs
- Use not more than 3-4 egg yolks per week. If you want to exceed the consumption, you can take egg white
- Portion size: 2 eggs or 1 egg + 1 white.
Poultry and meat
- Limit red meat like beef, pork, mutton, duck to 1-2 times per month. Prefer chicken and turkey.
Fish and seafood
- Consume fish 3-4 times per week.
Dairy Products
- Use 1 portion of low-fat milk or yogurt per day (preferably during breakfast or snacks)
- Use not more than 1-2 portions of low fat cheese per week.
Legumes
- You can have lentils, red lentils, chickpeas, peas, firm or plain tofu 1-2 times per month after a long soaking and boiling.
- Portion size firm or plain tofu 120 – 140 g.
Healthy fat
- Use one portion of nuts, seeds or nuts spread for breakfast or as a snack.
- Use 3-4 tablespoons of good oils per day.
Source pictures: www.healthhub.sg; www.eatrightontario.ca
