Active And Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. It protects you against many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars, and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats, are essential for a healthy diet.
The guidelines will give you the basics of a healthy diet. Use them to build your own food plan, factoring in specific nutritional requirements based on your age and gender. This summary guide is basic Dietary Guidelines, and tips which can be followed :
Eat a wide variety of foods from the five food groups:
Plenty of colorful vegetables, legumes/beans fruit, grain (cereal) foods mostly wholegrain and high fiber varieties lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, milk, yogurt, cheese or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat. (Reduced-fat milk is not suitable for children under the age of two years.) Drink plenty of water.
Limit foods high in saturated fat, such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips, crisps, and other savory snacks.
Replace high-fat foods containing mostly saturated fat with foods containing mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Swap butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut, and palm oil with unsaturated fats from oils, spreads, nut butter and pastes, and avocado.
Limit foods and drinks containing added salt, and don't add salt to foods in cooking or at the table. Limit foods and drinks containing added sugars, such as confectionery, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks, vitamin waters, energy, and sports drinks.
Fruit and vegetables (and legumes):
Fruit, vegetables, and legumes all provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and nutrients. Most are low in calories and can help you to feel full longer. Legumes are also made up of protein, so they're a useful substitute for meat. Choose from split peas, kidney beans, baked beans (navy beans), soybeans, chickpeas, Lupin, and lentils, among others.
Eating lots of color choices from this food group will give your body different nutrients. It can also protect against chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers.
The following guide will help you work out your daily requirements:
A vegetable standard serve is 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables.
Fruit A standard serve is 150 grams, for example, a medium apple or banana, or two kiwifruits or plums. Try to eat whole fruit and not fruit juice.
Legumes/beans (as a source of protein) A standard serve is 1 cup of cooked or canned lentils, chickpeas, or split peas, or 170 grams of tofu.
Grains
Wholemeal or whole-grain foods, such as wholemeal and wholegrain bread, brown rice, quinoa, and oats, are better for you than refined grain (cereal) foods because they provide more dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whole grains may protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, excessive weight gain, and some cancers.
Grain (cereal)
Foods that are high in saturated fats, added sugars and added salt, like cakes, muffins, pies, pastries, and biscuits, are 'extras' or 'sometimes foods' in this food group.
In Grain foods, A standard serve one slice of bread or cup cooked porridge. At least two-thirds of choices should be wholegrain varieties.
Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes/beans - Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans are all rich sources of protein. Eating a variety of these foods each day will provide the protein you need, as well as a range of other nutrients, including iodine, iron, zinc, vitamins (especially B12), and essential fatty acids.
Dairy:
Milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich sources of calcium and other minerals, protein, and vitamins. They can protect against heart disease and stroke, and reduce the risk of high blood pressure, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
Dairy is also good for bone health - Choose varieties low in saturated fat and added sugar. If you prefer to avoid dairy, go for alternatives with added calcium, such as calcium-enriched soy or rice drinks. A standard serve is a cup of milk or a cup of yogurt.
Timing your food intake is an extremely important part of healthy eating habits:
When you eat also plays a part in a healthy diet. The biggest food timing tip is to eat breakfast. Breakfast literally means 'to break the fast' from your last meal at night to your first meal of the following day.
Breakfast skippers are more likely to be tempted by unhealthy choices later in the day and to eat bigger servings at their next meal. Children who skip breakfast generally have poorer nutrition and poorer performance at school.
You must be logged in to post a comment.