The Ingredients of a Healthy Diet

What belongs on a healthy plate

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Dani Hofstetter

Dani Hofstetter

Food Scientist | Owner Performance Nutrition

Food Scientist | Owner Performance Nutrition

Dani Hofstetter

Dani Hofstetter

Food Scientist | Owner Performance Nutrition

Food Scientist | Owner Performance Nutrition

The most important thing

25% of the average diet consists of highly processed foods, which disrupt the feeling of fullness and lead to overeating.
43% of the population is overweight; nutrition and exercise have to be considered together.
Four levers for a better diet: unprocessed products, enough dietary fibre, three colours on your plate, mindful eating.
The waist-to-height index (waist circumference/height) is more meaningful than BMI; from 0.5 the health risk rises significantly.
The ideal plate: approx. 50% vegetables/fruit, 25% starchy sides, 25% protein and healthy fats.

Starting point: nutrition in Switzerland

On average, 25% of the Swiss diet consists of highly processed foods. They are particularly tasty and easy to prepare because the industry deliberately uses three levers:

a high fat content
lots of sugar
highly processed, very palatable fat

This combination disrupts the feeling of fullness, which leads to overeating. Together with additives (colourings, sweeteners, emulsifiers), it also damages the metabolism.

Consequences: excess weight and health costs

43% of the population is overweight – often the result of overconsumption and lack of exercise at the same time. Nutrition and physical activity always work together; that is exactly why the DESKAPE challenge combines activity minutes with building good habits.

Around 80% of healthcare costs in Switzerland are largely due to lack of exercise and poor nutrition.

Four simple levers for a healthy diet

Buy products that are as unprocessed as possible – unpackaged or with the shortest possible list of ingredients. This increases nutrient density and keeps you fuller.
Eat enough dietary fibre (formerly called “roughage”). It stabilises blood sugar, keeps you full for longer and feeds a diverse microbiome.
Three colours on your plate – a variety of fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables (not ketchup or the napkin).
Eat mindfully – for around 20 minutes without your phone, laptop or TV. Chewing with concentration promotes healthy eating habits and a better sense of when you are full.

Measuring body composition: the waist-to-height index

Instead of the (somewhat outdated) BMI, Hofstetter recommends the waist-to-height index: the ratio of waist circumference to height.

With a poor diet and too little exercise, the body prefers to store fat around the middle – sensible from an evolutionary point of view, but a health risk today. If the ratio of waist circumference to height exceeds 0.5, the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression and type 2 diabetes rises significantly.

If you exceed this threshold, you can step it up a little in the DESKAPE challenge or discuss the topic with your doctor.

The ideal plate

Approx. 50%: colourful and fresh – fruit, vegetables, salad
Approx. 25%: starchy sides, energy for activity and work – not just pasta, potatoes and rice, but also more exotic carbohydrates
Approx. 25%: building blocks – protein and healthy fats