Healthy eating is about balance and making sure that your body is getting the necessary nutrients it needs to function properly. Healthy eating habits require that people eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fats, proteins, and starches. Keep in mind that healthy eating requires that you’re mindful of what you eat and drink, but also how you prepare it. For best results, individuals should avoid fried or processed foods, as well as foods high in added sugars and salts.
A well-balanced diet provides all of the energy you need to keep active throughout the day, the nutrients you need for growth and repair, helping you to stay strong and healthy and help to prevent diet-related illness, such as some cancers Keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet can also help you to maintain a healthy weight.
Eating healthy means following a healthy eating pattern that includes a variety of nutritious foods and drinks. It also means getting the number of calories that’s right for you (not eating too much or too little). Deficiencies in some key nutrients – such as vitamin A, B, C and E, and zinc, iron and selenium – can weaken parts of your immune system.
Use your calories to eat a variety of healthy foods.
To eat healthy, be sure to choose:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- Fat-free or low-fat dairy products
- A variety of foods with protein, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products
Limiting Certain Nutrients and Ingredients
Sodium (salt):Sodium is found in table salt – but most of the sodium we eat comes from packaged food or food that’s prepared in restaurants.
Added sugars: Added sugars include syrups and sweeteners that manufacturers add to products like sodas, yogurt, and cereals – as well as things you add, like sugar in your coffee.
Saturated fats: Saturated fats come from animal products like cheese, fatty meats and poultry, whole milk, butter, and many sweets and snack foods. Some plant products like palm and coconut oils also have saturated fats.
Refined grains and starches: Refined grains and starches are in foods like cookies, white bread, and some snack foods.
Benefits of Healthy Eating for Adults
- May help you live longer
- Keeps skin, teeth, and eyes healthy
- Supports muscles
- Boosts immunity
- Strengthens bones
- Lowers risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers
- Supports healthy pregnancies and breastfeeding
- Helps the digestive system function
- Helps achieve and maintain a healthy weight
Benefits of Healthy Eating for Children
- Keeps skin, teeth, and eyes healthy
- Supports muscles
- Helps achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Strengthens bones
- Supports brain development
- Supports healthy growth
- Boosts immunity
- Helps the digestive system function
One of the most common side-effects of consuming junk foods is increased obesity. It’s composition of loads of sugar, calories and fats contribute to weight-gain. Obesity can cause many medical issues like diabetes, joint-pain and heart diseases. Consumption of junk food can lead to a lot of health problems, some of them are mentioned below:
Increased Obesity
One of the most common side-effects of consuming junk foods is increased obesity. It’s composition of loads of sugar, calories and fats contribute to weight-gain. Obesity can cause many medical issues like diabetes, joint-pain and heart diseases.
Loss Of Memory And Learning Problems
A study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that people who ate junk food performed poorly in cognitive tests. It concluded that junk foods can deteriorate your memory and can leave with you with a weaker brain. It causes a sudden inflammation in the hippocampus in the brain which is responsible for memory and recognition.
Lead To Depression
Junk foods are loaded with high sugar and fats that can cause certain chemical reactions in the brain which affect its functioning. By consuming too much of it, the body loses essential nutrients and amino acids. These symptoms eventually lead to inability of brain to deal with stress and can leave you feeling depressed.
Worsens Appetite And Digestion
Consumption of excess junk food leaves the brain in a dilemma. Excessive sugar intake can cause blood sugar level to fluctuate and makes the brain demand more food, which eventually leads to overeating. It makes it difficult for the body to digest excessive junk food.
Inadequate Growth & Development
Surviving on junk food causes deficiency of essential nutrients and vitamins required for the proper growth and development of the body. Unhealthy eating habits combined with imbalance of fatty acids and required nutrients can hamper the development of your brain and other body parts. Excess intake of soda and sugar also causes tooth decay and weakening of your bones.
While there is no substitute to proper eating habits and intake of a nutrient-rich food, it’s prudent to arm yourself with a health insurance policy to keep yourself secured against such diseases and maladies that can ruin your finances with high medical expenses. READ:What Are The 4 Types Of Food Contamination?
