How about similar foods for each meal? How does it affect health?

For dietary management purposes, some people consume only protein foods such as protein shakes or severely restrict carbohydrate intake while increasing fat intake, focusing on specific nutrients. For health, it is advisable to have a balanced meal composed of a variety of nutrients.

Be cautious of nutritional imbalance

Repeated consumption of a specific food item is an unhealthful nutritional choice. Experts agree that eating only foods with the same ingredients every day negatively impacts the balance of gut microbiota. Professor Deborah Cohen of the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition at Rutgers University in the United States stated, "A normal balance of gut bacteria can be maintained by consuming a variety of foods and nutrients." Registered dietitian Laura Bishop-Shimo from Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University said, "Repeating a diet composed of only certain ingredients prevents the intake of a balanced array of essential nutrients, leading to health problems such as nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and osteoporosis." For example, vegetables are rich in various vitamins and minerals, but lack nutrients like proteins and fats, so consuming only vegetables repeatedly cannot meet nutritional diversity.

◇Impact on mental health

Eating the same food repeatedly also affects mental health. Dr. Gail Soltz, a psychiatrist at Weill Cornell Medical College in the United States, said, "Being obsessed with eating the same food every day can cause stress, such as being unable to make meal plans or feeling intense guilt when eating different foods." Sometimes, eating the same food daily can be a sign of an eating disorder. Dr. Soltz explained, "Fear of eating foods outside of a set diet, obsessive control over weight management, and other factors can trigger eating disorders," and added, "If physical changes occur due to eating the same food, but the diet is not changed, or if there is a strong fear of weight gain, along with symptoms like vomiting or amenorrhea in women, it should be suspected as an eating disorder."

Eat a different meal at least once a day

If you usually eat the same menu for your meals, it is advisable to include a variety of ingredients at least once a day for nutritional balance. Bishop-Shimo Park said, "Take a moment once a week to simply plan what kind of food you want to eat," and "If it's difficult to think of a menu, you can choose one favorite vegetable, protein food, and carbohydrate food and eat them all in one meal." If you want to focus on protein intake, you can reduce the ratio of other nutrients and compose a meal that increases the proportion of protein intake. The basic nutrient ratio for a meal is 55-65% carbohydrates, 15-20% protein, and 30% fat.

<Source: Health Chosun>