What it means to “Eat Healthily.”
Healthy eating is eating foods that provide the body with the necessary nutrients required to maintain health, feel good, and provide energy. Our bodies need to be well-nourished to remain healthy and promote well-being; therefore, we need to make better personal choices about our nutritional status. In addition to clean water, medical care, and education, we need nutritious food. Malnutrition leads to health problems, which later affects the activities of daily living. Healthy foods include fresh and minimally processed foods that have lots of nutrients and have health-promoting benefits.
Fundamentals of healthy eating
Healthy eating is among the best approach to preventing illness. The most important is to limit caloric intake to maintain a healthy weight. Utilizing healthy dietary patterns such as emphasizing whole-grain foods, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. On the other hand, limiting starches, red meat, full-fat dairy products, and avoiding drinks or beverages with high added sugars.
What is a well-balanced diet?
A well-balanced diet includes nutrients from protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. A balanced diet contains the recommended energy and nutrients within the desirable range. It involves sufficient fluid intake, recommended caloric intake, and consuming a balanced distribution of nutrients. Use diet plans supported by scientific evidence, and patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease need to discuss their diet with their physician.
Why is it important to eat healthily?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy diet protects against malnutrition and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and hypertension. Eating healthy plus physical activity promotes health and well-being.
How can I start eating healthier?
Many factors influence an individual’s diet, for example, affordability and availability, preference, and beliefs, as well as cultural and environmental factors. Hence, it is important to promote a healthy food environment that includes a healthy and balanced diet. Focus on the quality of fat and carbohydrates. A diet should not focus on individual preference and behavior only, but dietary recommendations. Furthermore, individuals should focus on conscious cooking and eating meals in pleasant environments. Choose the right foods and plan to ensure that the eating pattern is healthy.
Planning a meal will allow seeing where fat or cholesterol or excess salts are coming from. Be concerned with the average nutritional content rather than a single food. Also, meal planning saves time and money, and it will prevent you from eating junk.
Principles of eating healthy
- To eat a balanced diet to maintain healthy body weight.
- To eat more plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables.
- To find out where the food you eat comes from and how it was produced.
- To choose fish obtained from sustainable stocks while considering seasons and capture methods.
- To moderate meat consumption
- To limit milk and dairy products and to seek out plant-based proteins.
- To drink tap water
- To limit foods high in fat, sugars, and salt.
In conclusion, eating healthy practices should start early in life to promote healthy growth and cognitive development and promote longer-term health benefits.
References
BreastCancer.Org. (n.d.). What Does Healthy Eating Mean? https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/nutrition/healthy_eat
Eating well for good health: Lessons on nutrition and healthy diets. (n.d.). http://www.fao.org/3/i3261e/i3261e02.pdf
Garnett, T., & Strong, M. (n.d.). The principles of healthy and sustainable eating patterns. www.foodsecurity.ac.uk
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Diet and Health; Woteki CE, Thomas PR, editors. Eat for Life: The Food and Nutrition Board's Guide to Reducing Your Risk of Chronic Disease. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. Chapter 10, Making The Change To The New Eating Pattern. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235009/
Lim, S. (2018). Eating a balanced diet: A healthy life through a balanced diet in the age of longevity. Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome, 27(1), 39-45. https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes.2018.27.1.39
Skerrett, P. J., & Willett, W. C. (2010). Essentials of healthy eating: a guide. Journal of midwifery & women's health, 55(6), 492–501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmwh.2010.06.019
WHO. (2015). Healthy diet. https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/nutrientrequirements/healthydiet_factsheet394.pdf