The Third Pillar of Nutrition: Variety
Disclaimer: This article does not replace the treatment of a medical professional. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.
Variety is one very important thing to keep in mind when we are building and planning meals. This is the third pillar of nutrition to be discussed on my blog. The first pillar, Adequacy, can be read here. And the second pillar, Balance, can be read here.
When it comes to meeting our nutrient needs, eating a variety of foods is what will give us higher chances of eating different essential nutrients. This is because there is no single food that provides all the essential nutrients. By eating a combination of different foods, we are increasing our essential nutrient intake.
For example, eating only chicken and the same two vegetables for every meal for weeks and months and even years will not provide all the essential nutrients necessary for health. It may provide some, but not all macros and micros and eventually a nutrient deficiency will arise. When you build a nutrient-dense meal you want to ensure you are getting macronutrients and micronutrients. This will only happen with a plate that has several foods on it.
Not every meal has to be perfectly varied with all three macros and all micros present, the human body has amazing adaptive mechanisms for fluctuating intake. But within one day all meals together should provide macros and micros. And this takes learning which foods you like will carry which nutrients. (You can look at my lists here). It's okay if you are not perfect every day, those adaptive mechanisms will helps us.
Why is it important to get our nutrients from our food when we can just take 10 supplements every day? Yes different essential nutrients can be supplemented through different supplements that can be purchased. However, when these nutrients are isolated from the components that accompany them in their full form, their impact is also diminished. For example, eating an orange that contains vitamin C allows more vitamin C to be utilized by the body than intaking isolated vitamin C from a powder. This isn't to say it's pointless to take supplements, and of course they are necessary to take when a nutrient deficiency has been identified. But supplements should not be our main or only source of essential nutrients, if it can be helped.
Eating a variety of whole foods allows us to eat essential nutrients as well as all the other components in those foods that assist with utilization of essential nutrients. So in order to increase our intake of essential nutrients without solely relying on supplements, we can increase the variety of foods we consume and consequently increase our intake of the different essential nutrients they generously provide.
Some people may have experienced a time when they ate one of their favorite food a bit too much and realized they had gotten tired or disgusted with eating the same food so frequently. This is a normal biological response the body has to ensure a variety of foods are eaten and therefore increasing the chances of intaking all essential nutrients; macros and micros.
This does not mean that people cannot eat the same meals frequently. I love having my weekly pasta nights and tacos multiple times a week. What makes this work is that I try to add different foods to one meal. My tofu pasta with tomato sauce will sometimes have broccoli and mushrooms and other times it will have spinach, zucchini, and carrots, depending on what I have on hand in my fridge. Other times I eat the exact same meal but it's nutrient-dense and still provides a variety of essential nutrients. Every week I eat a rice bowl and it is always the exact same; white rice, pinto beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, lettuce, corm, and bell peppers. Even though it's the same meal frequently, within the meal there is tons of variety. This allows me to eat my safe foods while also adding increasing my chances of meeting my nutrient needs.
One way to start implementing the three pillars of nutrition is by looking at your favorite meals and seeing if they have all three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats? Do they contain micronutrients: vitamins and minerals? One meal that can provide all three macronutrients and some micronutrients is considered to be nutrient-dense.
