Our body is the machine that makes everything possible, we must fuel our bodies. Creating a healthy relationship with food might be hard in this fast-moving society, however, we must make time to give ourselves the nutrients we need to develop a healthy lifestyle.
The World Health Organization claims that a healthy diet must include:
Fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
At least 400 g of fruit and vegetables per day
Less than 5 g of salt per day
Less than 10% of energy intake from sugars
Less than 30% of energy intake from fats
Fruits and Vegetables
Consuming at least 400 g of fruits and vegetables per day ensures a good dietary fiber intake.
Fats
Consuming a healthy amount of fats helps prevent massive weight gain. Fat intake can be reduced in many ways such as:
Steaming or boiling instead of frying foods
Replacing ingredients rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean, canola, corn, and sunflower oils
Consuming reduced-fat dairy foods
Salt, sodium, and potassium
People tend to consume high-sodium foods and not enough potassium. Which might lead to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and strokes. Most of the salt we consume comes from processed foods which makes us unaware of our high sodium intake. To reduce our sodium intake:
Limit the number of high sodium condiments
Limit the number of processed foods
Limit the amount of salt and sauces when eating
Choose foods with lower sodium
Sugar
The mass consumption of sugar might lead to tooth decay, unhealthy weight gain, change in blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Sugar intake can be reduced by limiting our consumption of high-sugar products.
How to create balanced meals?
A healthy meal should consist in dividing your dish into equal parts of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, and a small amount of fat. High-protein foods contain of amino acids which allow the body to build and repair muscles. Moreover, protein is used as an energy source for the body. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body. They are broken down by our organisms into glucose, which is a type of sugar that fuels cells, tissues, and organs inside our bodies. Vegetables contain fibers that slow the rate at which sugar is absorbed in the bloodstream. Moreover, it also fills us up which prevents overeating. Lastly, fat is a source of fatty acids that allow our bodies to absorb vitamins.
Next time you sit down to eat, make sure your meal contains all of these nutrients that will fuel your organism. Creating a healthy diet will not only give you good health, it will most definitely allow you to reach your fitness goals. Choose to make the right choice and give your body what it needs.
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