Last week the Health Council published her new guidelines good nutrition. The last version of 2006 needed updating, so now we have the 2015 version. The largest improvement, in my opinion, is the shift from ‘substance-thinking’ to nutrition- and food pattern-thinking.

In addition moderation of meat consumption and increase of the consumption of vegetables and fruit is being implemented. Also further moderation of the consumption of alcohol is being advised, and drinking of sugar containing beverages is being discouraged. Fine advice as far as I’m concerned. The advice to specifically eat legumes (I’m in favor!) and also daily a sufficient amount of nuts (also in favor!) I found surprising. I wouldn’t have thought the Health Council would take it that far, simply great.

The margarine-thinking (instead of limited butter) and the recommendation of 90 grams of wholegrain bread (don’t get me wrong; always better than white bread) to my opinion are less conveniently formulated. This also goes for the use of food supplements (I am in favor of D, Magnesium, extra Omega 3 and a multi-vitamin pill for the sentiment) and the advice concerning dairy. But I think that’s just a bridge too far. An advice like this is always intertwined with political considerations, and deviating too far from the 2006 guidelines or from what is customary in The Netherlands could be inconvenient, they must have thought at the Health Council.

Just because it’s a dreary Saturday and inspired by my friend Ralph during an app-session last night, I thought: “What could the advice of the Health Council look like in 10 years’ time?” I expect that advice to migrate more in the direction of #softpaleo (or #hormonalfactor or #paleo 80/20). With a smile I therefor give you a proposal for the Guidelines good nutrition 2025:

The advice 2025 in short

In this advice the Health Council outlines which foods and food patterns lead to health gains. To this purpose the Council has systematically assessed the scientific knowledge about the relation between nutrition and chronical illnesses among which auto-immune illnesses and metabolic syndrome. Foremost we have spoken with experts from the field among which lifestyle coaches. Based on this the new Guidelines good nutrition are formulated:

• Become a flexitarian, in short eat (fresh) vegetal food and sufficient proteins (animal, vegetal, fish, eggs) food pattern – also called #softpaleo or #hormonalfactor – according to the following guidelines
• Eat daily at least 300 grams of colored vegetables. 400 grams would be even better.
• Eat daily about 200 grams of fruit, much more isn’t necessary.
• Eat legumes a few times a week.
• Eat daily a limited amount of potatoes or other carbohydrate-rich tubers.
• Stop eating bread, pasta, rice and other customary carbohydrate sources.
  Modern humans have no need for a big amount of empty-energy sources anymore.
• Eat about 15 grams of unsalted nut-mix per day.
• Take a few portions a week of (fermented) fat and protein-rich dairy products.
• Eat fish once a week, preferably fat fish.
• Drink daily three cups of tea. And drink more water every day.
• Use vegetal oil (like olive oil) or fat (like coconut fat), and don’t use margarine. A little butter once in a while won’t do any harm.
• Replace unfiltered coffee with filtered coffee.
• During the week alternate the consumption of red meat with white meat and meat substitutes. Limit the consumption of processed meat.
• Don’t drink sugar containing beverages. One glass a week at a personal feel-good moment is allowed.
• Don’t drink alcohol, or at least not more than one glass a day.
• Limit the use of common salt (sodium chloride) to a maximum of 6 grams a day.
• There is no need for the use of food supplements, yet it is recommended.
  A daily extra dose of vitamin D (2000 IE), Omega3 and magnesium is fine. And a multi-vitamin pill is unnecessary, but won’t harm you either.
• Love your partner. Kiss on a daily basis and make love several times a week. Grant each other some space and avoid stress. Inspire and support each other. Be positive.
• Take sufficient exercise on a weekly basis, preferably outdoors. Ride your bike, go for a hike or play sports. Even better: go to the seaside or a lake.
• Don’t become a health freak or preacher, but inspire your circle: after all you also wish a long and healthy life for your kids, parents and colleagues.
• Dare to sin against these sensible Guidelines healthy nutrition and occasionally enjoy small portions of scrumptious products.

For comparative purposes you’ll find below a summary of the new advice published by the Health Council last week.

Summary of the 2015 advice according to the Health Council

In this advice the Health Council outlines which foods and food patterns lead to health gains. To this purpose the Council has systematically assessed the scientific knowledge about the relation between nutrition and chronical illnesses. Based on this the new Guidelines good nutrition are formulated:

• Follow a more vegetal and less animal food pattern according to the following guidelines.
• Eat daily at least 200 grams of vegetables and at least 200 grams of fruit.
• Eat daily at least 90 grams of brown bread, whole-wheat bread or other whole-wheat products.
• Eat legumes every week.
• Eat at least 15 grams of unsalted nuts per day.
• Take a few portions a day of dairy products, like milk or yoghurt.
• Eat fish a few times a week, preferably fat fish.
• Drink daily three cups of tea.
• Replace refined wheat products by whole-wheat products.
• Replace butter, hard margarine and cooking fats by soft margarine, fluid cooking fats and vegetal oil.
• Replace unfiltered coffee with filtered coffee.
• Limit the consumption of red meat and especially of processed meat.
• Drink as little sugar containing beverages as possible.
• Don’t drink alcohol, or at least not more than one glass a day.
• Limit the consumption of common salt to a maximum of 6 grams a day.
• The use of food supplements is not necessary, except for people belonging to a specific group with a supplemental nourishment advice.