The Basics Of Eating Healthy
To make sure you get the most out of life, a healthy diet should include the following elements:
A variety of foods, including lots of breads, cereals, grains, pasta, vegetables and fruits.
A moderate amount of lean meat, poultry, fish, pulses, eggs, nuts, cheese, milk and yoghurt.
Controlled fat intake and small amounts of sugar and salt, butter, margarine and oil.
A limited amount of alcohol.
Plenty of water.
If you eat a lot of take away and ready packaged meals, chances are your diet is high in fat, salt, sugar and lacking in essential dietary fibre. These foods are often low in nutrients our bodies need. In a healthy diet, nothing has to be banned, but some foods should be eaten more often than others.
In a healthy, low-fat diet you need to increase your intake of plant based foods as they can fulfil most of your nutritional needs and they are rich in compounds that decrease the risk of problems such as heart disease and various cancers. Fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses (lentils, bean, peas), nuts, seeds and wholegrain products are all good sources of dietary fibre.
Dairy products are an excellent source of calcium(which is lacking in many modern diets). Look out for the low fat versions which have added calcium.
Seafood is very beneficial for your body, and poultry and red meat(eaten a couple of times a week) are good sources of iron, protein, zinc and many their vitamins and minerals. When you are buying meat, make sure you choose the less fatty, trim cuts.
Foods that are high in complex carbohydrates(like rice, pasta and potatoes) are full of nutrients and fibre and provide your body with steady energy. They are excellent diet foods because they keep away the hunger pangs and are nutritious.
Sugar has no essential nutrients, it makes food taste good and often takes the place nutritious foods in your diet. So sugar-rich foods should only be eaten occasionally (although there is no reason to cut them out altogether).
A high salt diet can lead to high blood pressure, so its a good idea to cut back your salt intake. This will also allow you to appreciate the natural flavours of your food.
The Truth About Fats
Not all fats are a problem(some are actually good for you). However, all fats have the same calories per gram and all have the same potential to increase body weight. Saturated fats are bad fats and you dont need them in a healthy diet, so try to keep them at a minimum. They are also a special risk factor for heart disease because they increase the amount of cholesterol deposited in the cells and decrease the bodys means of removing cholesterol from the artery walls and returning it to the liver.
Foods high in saturated fats include:
Fatty meats
Some dairy products like butter and cheese
Some margarines
Palm and coconut oils
Chocolate
Most fast foods
High cholesterol is usually linked to a high intake of saturated fats, found in animal fats, the palm and coconut oils used to fry fast foods and in many processed foods. Reducing your saturated fat intake is a very effective way of reducing blood cholesterol.
Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats are essential to a healthy diet. The foods monounsaturated fats are found in include:
Vegetable oils like olive and canola
Olives
Avocados
Peanuts and peanut oil
Eggs
Chicken
Some fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna)
Macadamia nuts and hazelnuts
Polyunsaturated fats are also essential to a healthy diet as they lower cholesterol in the blood. The foods they are found in include:
Vegetable oils
Polyunsaturated margarines
Soya beans
Tofu
Fish
Nuts and seeds
Tips For Low-Fat Living
Its important to remember that many of the foods we eat contain fat as well as other valuable nutrients. Red meat, for example, is rich in iron and zinc and dairy products are a good source of calcium. So while fats shouldnt be eliminated altogether from your diet, you need to watch your fat intake. Fat should make up no more than 20 to 30 per cent of your daily calorie intake.
(ref. Low Fat Foods Fast, Lee Gold)
