Health is the first thing that will remain your long-life partner. You have to survive with many different ailments in old age but a switch to a healthy diet from the very beginning is a fresh start needed for a disease-free body. You can start living a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Even you can get your diet chart planned by a nutritionist that will help you lose extra fat and gain a lot of enthusiasm and confidence in the long run. One must be able to distinguish between the foods that are good for your health and the others that are not.
What is a healthy diet and why is it important?
A healthy diet is a sum of all the nutrients and fiber content that provides the body with essential energy for daily tasks and also helps to develop immunity against disease-causing pathogens. It may include everything from fruits to vegetables and other dietary supplements. If you are looking to sustain your body with health and wellness, switching over to food with low fats, carbohydrates, high proteins and a good amount of roughage is the best.
A healthy low-carbohydrate diet is good for reducing weight as well as maintaining a beautiful figure. There are many foods that can be consumed for being healthy. But it all depends on the age of the person and their occupation that decides the list of foods to be included in the daily diet chart. A healthy diet can not only prevent malnutrition and overeating disorders of the individual, but it is also good to reduce the attack of many non-communicable diseases also.
If you ask any nutritionist who is an expert in planning your diet about the best and the worst foods to consume for a high-energy and disease-free lifestyle, the doctor will surely ask you to stop high sugar and salt/sodium food items. The rapid shift of people towards packed food items with high salt and sugar content leaves a bad impact on health. It is not a good idea to consume excess processed food items and deny whole grains and millet.
What foods should I eat for a healthy diet?
Good eating habits are important to keep us healthy and fit. A good healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, dairy and soy products, cereals, pulses, and protein sources. The calorie chart suggests that an adult person is supposed to eat around 2400 to 2800 calories per day. So, to fulfill the essential nutrition, a variety of food items can be eaten. The diet chart of an individual can be designed by looking at the body’s requirements for different types of foods. Age, gender, physical activity, and lifestyle can play a major role in finding the characteristic healthy diet for a person.
Let’s eat a balance of foods for a balanced and healthy diet:
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Fruits and vegetables.
All the natural foods that have vitamins and minerals in high quantities like fruits and vegetables must be consumed daily. They are the best source of vitamins A, B Complex, and C. The leafy veggies and colorful palette of fruits including broccoli, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and citrus fruits are recommended for children and adults and also pregnant women as they are the storehouse for disease-preventing and enhancing immunity.
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Dairy and soy products.
Milk and dairy items are essential sources of minerals and vitamins. Dairy products enhance bone development in children and improve bone density in adults. It is important to include four servings of milk, paneer, cheese, curd, yogurt, and puddings. Milk reduces all bone-related problems like osteoporosis in the future.
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Cereals.
Polishing our diet with carbohydrates is the most essential for growing kids and working adults. So, eat whole grains that are full of fiber and proteins. The major component of cereals and protein in the products like bread and multigrain porridge is not only carbs but sources of iron, vitamins, and fibers are also present. So, despite eating only refined grains like wheat and rice, one can also opt for oats and quinoa.
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Legumes and pulses.
Lentils, peas, beans, and sprouts are high-protein foods and are rightly called the “powerhouse”. These are not only excellent sources of vitamins but also iron and fiber. Consuming the right portions of legumes daily helps in the effective growth of nails, hair, and other vital organs. It prevents the body from many diseases and infections by strengthening our immune system.
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Protein-rich foods.
Non-vegetarian diets like eggs, chicken, and fish have high quantities of vitamin B and proteins in them. They are included in the healthy diet to polish the deficiencies of iron and proteins. These foods not only fulfill dietary needs but increase energy. Thus if you do physical work, feed your body with a protein-rich diet as it will keep fatigued and weakness at bay.
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Dried fruits.
Eating dry fruits provides the same amount of energy as a large fresh fruit. Potassium and iron are present in high quantities in these dry fruits. Almonds, Cashews, figs, dates, and raisins are highly recommended. Seeds from various plants like sunflower, melon, and pumpkin seeds are also excellent sources of minerals. They can be added to various foods and easily consumed like puddings and ice creams.
Conclusion
Life should not revolve around weight loss or weight gain but emotional well-being is also essential in keeping one healthy. A healthy diet with 4 regular meals filled with nutrition including vegetables, fruits and dry fruits, coconut milk and water, and millet and whole grains is the only way to keep your inner peace and outer joy at the same time. The body and the mind will be in sync with each other if you are feeding on a healthy diet.
