ICMR released Dietary Guidelines for addressing unhealthy diet practices, health issues, mislabelling and its impact on the food and beverage industry. It is a dedicated diet chart for working women and mothers with the key highlights on healthy food options.
ICMR Diet Chart
ICMR diet chart for Breakfast:
Doctors suggest having breakfast with at least 470 kcalories to fuel your day with protein that provides adequate energy and also helps you to stay full for a longer time. You should have:
- Grains like chana, moong dal, lobi or rajma 30g
- Nuts 20g
- An egg
ICMR diet chart for Lunch:
Your lunch should have at least 740 calories with a wide range of food that includes cereals, yoghurt, seasonal vegetables, dal and chapatis with whole wheat for protein and carbohydrates.
- Katori of dal 80g
- Green leafy vegetables 50g
- Bowl of curd 150ml
- Seasonal fruits 50g
ICMR diet chart for Dinner:
The last meal of the day should be light and yet nutritious. It should have at least 470 calories with the focus on protein and vitamins. So you should have:
- A big bowl of vegetable or chicken soup 50g
- Salad with seasonal vegetables and paneer, tofu or chicken and fish 50g
- Bowl of dal 60g
- Sauteed paneer
How to balance a diet?
The ICMR shows the importance of consuming a host of foods from varied food groups to ensure the balanced intake of essential nutrients. There are a 7 days balanced diet chart, to get customised balance of diet:
| Days | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snacks |
| Day 1 | Bowl of oats, Glass of milk | Roti, Dal, Veggies, Curd | Brown rice, Dal, Green salad | Nuts, fruits, seeds, smoothie, yoghurt |
| Day 2 | Omelette stuffed with veggies, Glass of milk | Brown rice, Chicken/paneer curry, salad | 2 multigrain roti, Dal, salad | Smoothie, nuts, fruits, seeds, yoghurt |
| Day 3 | Namkeen dalia, fruit | 2 Bajra roti, dal, veggies, curd | Brown rice, dal, salad | Smoothie, nuts, fruits, seeds, yoghurt |
| Day 4 | Moong dal Cheela, glass of milk | Brown rice, salmon fish curry/soya bean, salad | 2 roti, dal, salad | Smoothie, nuts, fruits, seeds, yoghurt |
| Day 5 | Besan Chilla, glass of milk | 2 Jowar roti, dal, veggies, salad | Brown rice, dal, salad | Smoothie, nuts, fruits, seeds, yoghurt |
| Day 6 | 2 Brown bread with an omelette, glass of milk | Brown rice, dal, veggies, salad | 2 multigrain roti, dal, salad | Smoothie, nuts, fruits, seeds, yoghurt |
| Day 7 | Poha, glass of milk | 2 Roti, mixed vegetable, roasted chicken, dal | Brown rice, dal, salad | Smoothie, nuts, fruits, seeds, yoghurt |
Benefits of ICMR Diet Chart
To follow the ICMR diet charts reduces risks of disease related to nutrition such as obesity, diabetes, cardiac health, cancer and high blood pressure.
It manages health conditions that require diet as an important part of the treatment such as food intolerances and allergies, anemias, diabetes, heart conditions and kidney disease.
- The diet for a person who is physically active and healthy should consist of nutrient dense low fat foods.
- The diet to improve productivity and disease prevention related to diet and the support pregnancy
- The diet for adolescent growth spurt maturation and bone development during this stage of the body requires body building food to protein and protective food like vitamins and minerals.
- The diet for growth and development and to fight infections.
- The diet for growth and appropriate milestones.
- Meet the nutritional demands of the body and then prevent malnutrition.
- Keep up the energy levels and maintain the normal body functions.
- Boost the immune system and optimise cell repair.
- Strengthen bones, muscles, skin, teeth and eyes.
Tips for the Healthy diet
According to the ICMR diet chart, a few important things you must keep in mind:
- Basing your meals on higher fibre starchy and carbohydrates.
- Eating lots of fresh food.
- Cutting down on saturated fats and sugar.
- Eating less salt and no more than 6gm a day for adults.
- You can substitute salt with herbs and spices.
- Getting active and exercising daily for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
- Hydrate and drink lots of water.
- Never skip breakfast.
- While planning your daily meals, make sure that you eat more vegetables than foods that contain refined carbohydrates or packages.
- Eat more lean protein because it hardly contains any fat and is very rich in protein.
- Obtain a nutrient dense snack.
- Use very loose oil while cooking and only use the most healthy oil.
- Quit eating sugary foods.
- For evening snacks they can consume milk of 35 kilocalories.