Nutritious Foods for Healthy Living
Healthy nutrition requires all the essential nutrients to be balanced
We are not generally talking about increasing your protein intake or cutting the carbs.
Healthy nutrition is more about maintaining a balance of all the elements our body requires.
The human body is a combination of several different internal systems, which perform their specific tasks differently than each other. Each system has its own set of processes that consume different amounts of energy and nutrients. To the surprise of weight-watchers, some of your internal processes even require fat and sugar. That is why you must take a diet that contains a balanced amount of essential nutrients for healthy nutrition.
Knowing Your Food Sources For Healthy Nutrition
To balance your nutritional intake, you must learn about the major food groups and the amount you should include in your diet.
Here are the five major food groups essential for a nutritional diet.
• Carbohydrates and Starch
• Fats and Sugar
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Proteins
• Milk and Dairy
Let’s investigate these major groups and find out how each contributes to providing essential nutrients for your body.
Healthy Carbohydrates and Fibre
Cutting carbs is the most pathetic diet tip from the eighties. Before avoiding them altogether, here are some healthy nutrition facts about carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are essentially the fuel for your body, giving you the energy to perform all activities. A proper amount of carbohydrates becomes even more important for athletes and people with an active lifestyle.
Most nutritionists believe that one-third of your diet must be comprised of carbohydrates. However, ensure you opt for unrefined carbohydrate-rich food as it contains more healthy and natural fiber.
Some important sources of carbohydrates include bread, whole grains, rice, pasta, and starch-rich vegetables such as potatoes.
Nutritious Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables, especially in their raw organic form, have the most vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and compounds that help digestion and blood circulation.
One of the most healthy nutrition facts about fruits and vegetables is that they help build and strengthen your immune system. Research suggests that at least five portions of fresh vegetables and fruits daily will protect against chronic diseases such as cancer. This is because most of them have super antioxidant properties.
Essential Proteins For Healthy Nutrition
Proteins are counted as one of the most essential nutrients for healthy nutrition. It is common to hear about athletes and fitness-conscious people eating a protein diet. Protein helps muscle-building and benefits your body on a cellular level. They are responsible for the growth and repair of cells and tissue. So, where will you find them?
Primary dietary protein sources include meat, fish, egg, and poultry. However, the amount of protein you require is smaller than the number of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. You can supplement your proteins with beans and pulses if you are on a vegetarian diet.
Milk and Dairy Products
Milk and dairy products are essential for healthy bones and teeth. These products are rich in calcium, accelerating the calorie-burning process and balancing your metabolism rate. A moderate amount of these products must be included in your everyday diet. Usually, one serving per day is enough.
However, milk and dairy products contain a high amount of saturated fat. This makes them an unfavorable option for weight watchers. You can substitute it with low-fat and low-calorie products in the market.
Fats and Sugars
Other than carbohydrates, sugar, and fat give you more energy than other food groups. Sugar and fat contain high calories, but unfortunately, these calories lack nutrients. So, eating a lot of sugar will give you many calories to burn but almost no nutrition. Problem is, if you cannot burn these calories, you will gain more weight.
This does not mean you should completely abandon sugar and fat altogether. Consume them, but occasionally and in smaller portions.
Balancing Essential Nutrients for Healthy Nutrition
Now that you know what your diet should comprise. Here are a few tips to help you maintain a balance.
• Go for variety. Each meal should contain a portion of each food group, with fruits, vegetables, and grains taking the most space in your plate, and fats and sugar must be avoided as much as possible.
• Each meal should be different than another. For instance, eat bread for dinner if you have rice for lunch.
• White meat is always a healthier option as compared to red.
• Drink a lot of water in between your meals. This will cleanse your body of unwanted toxins.
If you balance the essential nutrients for a healthy nutrition then you will be able to enjoy healthy living and live your life to the fullest.