Quality and Quantity

While your caloric intake is what primarily affects your body weight and energy, many factors come into play in relation to eating for your health, such as:

  • Satiety from Food

  • Nutrient Absorption

  • Gut Health and Digestibility

  • Cravings and Preferences

So that is why when you are choosing and tracking your foods, you must think about the QUALITY and the QUANTITY to both fit it into your daily caloric goals and also gain nourishment and satisfaction from your foods.

I like to use this Quality & Quality Quadrant Tool to highlight which foods fall into which aspect. This helps you to become more aware of which foods can be eating in large quantities, and which can be eaten in smaller quantities, which have plenty of nutrients and which are nutrient devoid.

QUALITY = The amount of micronutrients, fibre and water per weight

QUANTITY = The amount of calories per weight

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High Quantity, High Quality Quadrant Foods are full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients but tend to be quite calorie dense (higher in carbs, fats or protein compared to water and fibre content), so must be portioned. These foods tend to be satisfying, filling and nourishing and should be incorporated into your meals, within portion sizing.

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Oils

  • Rice, Quinoa, Potato

  • Fatty Meats


High Quality, Low Quantity Quadrant Foods tend to be high in micronutrients, fibre and/or water and lower on calories, or less macros, per weight. They can be eaten in larger amounts per calories, and are more volumetric so fill your stomach up on less calories.

  • Vegetables

  • Lean proteins

  • Fruits


Low Quality, Low Quantity Quadrant Foods are usually processed “low fat” or “low sugar” foods. I only recommend these as a volume filler, or in an emergency and you are out. While low in calories, the nutrients are so low and the foods are often very processed meaning that they are not great for gut health, satisfaction or health. They can be eaten in moderation.

  • Low sugar lollies

  • Low fat puddings

  • Low calorie bars or artificially sweetened treats

  • Sugar free soft drink


High Quantity, Low Quality Quadrant Foods are “sometimes” or 10% foods. These are very calorie dense, very palatable and low in nutrients. They tend to be very high in fat and carbohydrates. These should be eaten in moderation. I would also call “pseudo” health foods sneaking into this quadrant because they are lower in nutrients than they claim, and higher in calories. They aren’t as healthy as they masquerade to be.

  • Pizza

  • Cookies

  • Cake

  • Chips


80/20 RULE

Reading through the quadrant, while some foods are better for your health than others, a perfectionistic mindset will not get you to your goal. Life is about moderation and enjoyment as well as driving towards goals. If you know your daily intake from Ratios, then you can fit many types of food into your days. I would recommend a Ratio of 80% High Quality Foods (within portion sizing and calories) and 20% Low Quality Foods (within portion sizing and calories).

You can do this on a daily basis, or a weekly basis, whatever suits your lifestyle, but exercising balance and moderation will mean that you are more likely to have a healthy lifestyle, rather than over restricting or overeating Low Quality foods.


MACRONUTRIENT QUALITY

Another great way to make better decisions is understanding what foods within the macronutrients are better options than others. The quadrant still applies, but when you are researching foods it is better to understand the foods rather than relying on marketing or what the media are portraying.


FATS

Better fat choices are those high in monounsaturated fats and preferably whole food sources. Moderate saturated fats and have minimal processed polyunsaturated fats. Try and avoid processed, hydrogenated and trans fats on a regular basis as they do not serve your health at all and are hard to digest.

MONOUNSATURATED FATS

  • Avocado

  • Olive

  • Nuts, Seeds

SATURATED

  • Animal Fat

  • Butter

  • Coconut Oil

HYDROGENATED/TRANS

  • Vegetable Oil

  • Processed Seed Oils

  • Margarine

 
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CARBOHYDRATES

Choose wholefood carbohydrate sources with plenty of fibre over processed and refined carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can increase blood sugar and the insulin response in the body, and fibre slows this process down.

WHOLEFOOD CARBOHYDRATES

  • Sweet Potato

  • Potato

  • Rice

  • Rice Cakes

  • Quinoa

  • Buckwheat

REFINED CARBOHYDRATES

  • Processed pasta

  • Bread

  • Crackers

 
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PROTEINS

Leaner proteins are better, you can eat red meats and higher fat meats but try to keep them within your portion and calorie budget. Take into account some fatty meats have almost as much fat as protein in them. Try to reduce eating highly processed or deep-fried proteins.

LEAN MEATS

  • White Fish

  • Chicken Breast

  • Lean Beef

  • Lower Fat Mince

  • Egg Whites

FATTY MEATS

  • Salmon

  • Pork Belly

  • Chicken Thigh

  • Steak

  • Bacon

  • Egg

  • High Fat Mince

 
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VEGETABLES

Vegetables are incredible. They are high in micronutrients, fibre, water and vitamins. Vegetables can be eaten in abundance. Your portion size of a fist at each meal is so you get at LEAST a fist size!

  • Broccoli

  • Zucchini

  • Cucumber

  • Spinach

  • Lettuce

  • Tomatoes

  • Capsicum

  • Onion

  • Carrots

Kirsty HolmesEducation