Balanced diet menu for a week in Nigeria + How to make Nigerian food timetable

Balanced diet menu for a week in Nigeria + How to make Nigerian food timetable.

Welcome to this page… Let us talk about balanced nutrition in the Nigerian way and how to draw up a practicable Nigeria balanced diet timetable, food menu and meal plan for both growing children, adults and elderly.

??????????

How To create A Balanced Diet Plan For A Week Using Nigerian Food Menu and meal plan

Most persons I know have given up on a balanced Nigerian diet because they are confused on how to combine homemade food like eba or amala, pounded yam, fufu, yam, rice, okra into their diet plan. Eating a balanced diet has nothing to do with affluence..

Eating a meal with the “six” classes of food is not as expensive and capital intensive as most people ignorantly think, rather the drawing up, getting the right food source and implementating the Nigerian diet meal plan to have the semblance of a balanced diet is where the work and difficulty actually is.

To create a Nigerian diet menu for the week or month or a year, you need to understand the classes of foods (nutrients) enumerated below….in primary and secondary school, we were told we had 6 classes of food….it is actually more than that, fibre rich foods are actually a class of food on its own.

The classes of food that make up a balanced diet in Nigeria:

*Carbohydrates*

They are an excellent source of energy and should comprise sixty percent or more of a person’s diet.

Sources of carbohydrate in Nigeria include: Wheat, maize, corn, millet, oats, unripe and ripe plantain, garri, rice, flour, pasta or noodles, cocoyam potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, sugar, eba, amala, pounded yam popcorn and so on.

*Vitamins*

Vitamins are the most sought after and essential food especially in this era of coronavirus pandemic. There are so many essential vitamins today, but your focus should be directed on the intake of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin D.

Sources of vitamins: Pumpkin leaves (ugu), carrots, mango, agbalumo, pineapple, bananas, soursop, orange, sugarcane, pawpaw, watermelon, tangerine and other fruits are major sources of vitamins. Vitamins especially vitamin C are very essential for wound healing.

*Minerals*

Minerals aid with the release of energy from food items, plus they interact with the organs to promote growth. For example, iron helps with red blood cell production and prevents anemia, while calcium works towards bone and teeth development but the most important ones in the diet are zinc, selenium, iodine, potassium, sodium, etc. Zinc and selenium are essential micro-nutrients given to covid patients in isolation centres… They promote the regeneration of the damaged lung tissue and airway re-epithelization.

Sources of minerals: Milk, carrots, watermelon, cucumber, iodized salt, red meat, unripe plantain is rich in iron, fish, potatoes, rice and other foods are primary sources of minerals.

*Unsaturated fats*

Many people avoid fat thinking they cause weight gain, but this is far from the truth. Healthy fats or those derived from good sources are dairy products, meat, and fish, yoghurts etc

Unsaturated fats regulate the body temperature, the absorption of vitamins and help with slow energy release which is perfect for long-distance runners and persons doing menial jobs.

Sources of unsaturated fats: Salmon fish, palm oil, olive oil, skimmed milk, Banga soup, avocado, peanut butter, sardines and many more.

*Protein*

Proteins are an body building food. Proteins are good for growing children and for wound healing. Protein comes mainly from meat, but dietary recommendations suggest that you get it mostly from lean meat sources. They primarily help with the development of skin, hair, and muscles. There are both plant protein and animal proteins in Nigeria..

Sources of protein: Meat, fish, egusi, nuts, eggs, beans, milk, pork, yoghurt are important readily available sources of protein.

*Fibre*

This class of nutrition helps to keep your cholesterol levels in check and aids with proper digestion. Fibre rich foods are a good addition to your weight loss regimen.

Sources of fibre-rich food: Oatmeal, roughage of orange, vegetables, brown rice, banana, apples, mango, and potatoes are all sources of fibre.

*Water*

Fizzy drinks, coffee, tea, and juice drinks cannot provide the same goodness as water. Soft drinks and minerals can never satisfy thirst… Only water quenches thirst and revitalize the tissues. Suggested intake of water is at least eight glasses (3 litres a day for adults) a day to help keep the body well hydrated. Good water intake prevents kidney stones.

Proposed Nigerian balanced diet plan for a week

*Sunday*

Breakfast: Boiled yam, vegetable, fish stew, beverage and water.

Lunch: Jollof rice, plantain, meat/chicken in fried pepper and water.

Dinner: Sweet potatoes, egg with vegetables and water.

*Monday*

Breakfast: Bread, peanut butter, tea and water.

Lunch: Jollof spaghetti with vegetable and chicken/meat.

Dinner: Yam pottage with vegetables and fish.

*Tuesday*

Breakfast: Pancake, beverage and water.

Lunch: Eba/amala/garri, soup (okro/ewedu/ugwu), meat/fish and water.

Dinner: Irish potatoes (grilled), fish stew and water

*Wednesday*

Breakfast: Bread, sardine and water

Lunch: Pounded yam, soup (ogbono/egusi), shaki/meat and water.

Dinner: Spaghetti and corn beef stew

*Thursday*

Breakfast: Breakfast cereal, milk and water

Lunch: Beans pottage with boiled yam and water

Dinner: White rice, vegetable sauce, plantain and chicken

*Friday*

Breakfast: Bread, pepper stew, meat/chicken and water

Lunch: Concoction rice with shredded fish or saki or pomo, water and apple

Dinner: Yam pottage with vegetable and meat/turkey

*Saturday*

Breakfast: Moin moin, pap, water and watermelon/pineapple

Lunch: Pounded yam or semi, and ofe nsala and water

Dinner: Spaghetti or Macaroni with mixed vegetables, meat/fish, water and any fruit like orange.

The key to eating a balanced diet is by incorporating each class of food as much as possible in your daily meal. Just try and meet up according to your pocket and purchasing power…. Very achievable

This article Balanced diet menu for a week in Nigeria is the intellectual property of naijaonpoint.com