Diet’s importance is often underestimated, and a lack of education around the topic exacerbates the issue. We all need to eat, and making conscious food decisions is very important.
General Information
Nutritional standards are essential for promoting healthy growth of children and adolescents and preventing diseases such as type 2 diabetes for all ages.
The primary source of ails due to diet come from consuming high calorie, low nutrients foods. These foods include most things from fast food restaurants and sodas. Dietary recommendations can be seen below. A wide variety of macro nutrients is also essential, and these are not very well known. Recommended amounts of macro nutrients can be seen here.
How to Improve
Realistic Goals
Setting realistic goals for your diet is important to actually succeed and to not make the experience painful. If you make gradual changes to your diet, you will only reap the benefits as opposed to a drastic change where you feel withdrawal like symptoms of sudden decrease in sugar or fats. An example of these gradual changes would be if you eat fast food every day, try to reduce it to every other day. Fill up those other days with similarly delicious foods such as pasta or grilled chicken. By the end of the month try to move towards only having fast food on Friday, as a reward for a long week. Trying out different dietary programs is a helpful but not essential way to help you eat right or at least understand the types of foods you need to be eating.
Healthy Substitutes
Healthy proteins include chicken, seafood, beans, nuts, and dairy. Limited amounts of red meat is also fine. Healthy carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, and pasta. The most important thing here is to watch the amount of calories you eat because these delicious foods make it easy to rack up calories. Most foods have sugar and fat in them, so just be aware of the amounts each specific food has and try not to go above recommended limits.
Take Away
The most important part of eating healthy is being actively conscious about the food you eat. Understanding that, for example, you need to eat less fats and more proteins is the first step towards a healthier life.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are healthy foods such as apples, berries, citrus, cabbage, etc. They are the foods that are in the produce section of the grocery store and are also found at farmers markets.
Fruits and vegetables contain important micronutrients such as vitamins A, C, and E. They are also low in fat, salt, and sugar, which means they are a healthy addition to any meal. They help you maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.
Try and eat the fruits and vegetables that are in season right now to ensure freshness and lower costs. Going to a local farmers market will help you get fresh fruits and vegetables, and here, they often use less pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
Protein
Meat is an excellent source of protein, which is essential for a healthy diet. It helps build and repair muscle and strengthen bones. Consuming large amounts of red meat consistently can lead to cardiovascular problems. Prefer white meats such as chicken or pork over read meats such as steak. Grilled meats are also healthier than other preparation methods such as fried meats.
Grains
Grains are an alternate source of protein while also containing many other macro nutrients such as fibers and Vitamin B. Those who regularly consume grains have a decreased risk of chronic diseases. Implementing grains into your breakfast or snack is a great way to stay healthy!
Sugar
Prolonged intake of sugar can lead to an increased build up of fat and therefore increase risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Reducing sugar intake is as simple as reducing the amount of unhealthy foods that you consume such as sweets. Reducing sugar intake to minimal levels can help you lead a prolonged and healthier life.
Dairy
Dairy is a great source of calcium, which is important to strengthen your bones. Dairy products include milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. Drinking a glass of milk or eating yogurt at breakfast is an easy way to get some dairy for the day and can help prevent bone fractures.