What you eat determines your body structure and your health status. Thus, the adage, “You are what you eat,” is very true. For example, you cannot eat fast food and other junk food daily and remain healthy. It is in this light that we briefly take a deep review of the importance of eating healthy.
It is important to eat foods that have high nutritional value, rich in vitamins and minerals, and high in protein so as to build up the body’s defense system and keep you active. These items are healthy foods and should make up the vast majority of our diet.
Eating a low carbohydrate diet is excellent for weight loss and improves health. Low carb diets avoid the consumption of carbohydrate foods such as sweets, pasta, bread, and others. These diets are usually high in protein and healthy fats. There are many different types of low-carb diets.
What Healthy Foods Can Do to the Body
- Eating a variety of fiber foods is important for bowel function. They reduce symptoms of chronic constipation and hemorrhoids and may lower the risk for heart disease and cancer. Foods that contain fiber are whole grain breads and cereals, beans and peas, some vegetables and fruits.
- Low sodium consumption helps in regulating body fluids and blood pressure. Sodium is an essential composition of sodium chloride which is well known as table salt. In essence, it reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure if consumed in moderation.
- Knowing which foods contains a high amount of saturated fat and those that do not is the best way to make good choices when it comes to planning a healthy diet. Unsaturated fats are known to lower cholesterol levels better than saturated fats. While it seems impossible to eliminate saturated fat from your diet completely, unsaturated fats should be about two thirds of your fat consumption.
- Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats have heart-health benefits and reduce LDL cholesterol that usually clogs in the arteries. These fats help in decreasing blood sugar and insulin thus bringing down risks of type 2 diabetes. The reason we need to reduce our cholesterol levels is that high cholesterol increases the risk of heart diseases.
- Monounsaturated fats are one of the best options as they have healthy nutrients and act as an anti-inflammatory. On the other hand, polyunsaturated fats are composed mostly of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids are responsible for cell growth and brain function. Omega-3 is crucial for a healthy heart.
Full-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, and cream as well as most meat and meat products are high in saturated fat. Foods high in unsaturated fat include vegetable oils, oily fish, nuts, avocado, and seeds. Unsaturated fats are observed to reduce cholesterol level more than saturated fats.
In order to stay healthy and fit, one should consider eating healthy foods in an overall balanced diet. Remember, you are what you eat. Eat healthily to build resilience to fight diseases and stay fit.