Eating is the most basic need of all living organisms, and in humans it serves multiple purposes including social ones. Eating can be done individually or in groups and is also the only source of energy in humans. We eat when we are hungry, angry, depressed, happy, or for no reason at all.
The consumption of food starts in the mouth and ends in the colon. Throughout this journey, multiple processes take place to convert food and make it easily absorbable to the blood. Eating can be beneficial or harmful depending on how, what, and when you eat, and in this article, we will discuss tips to help make your most primal biological process as healthy as possible,
1) Know What To Eat
Knowing what to eat is perhaps the most important part of healthy eating. Our bodies have complex needs and need equally complex diets consisting of all the minerals and food elements needed to keep a healthy body. Overall, you should try to eat home-made food with fresh vegetables and fruits while avoiding overly processed food which has little to offer except for a lot of calories.
A balanced meal should contain carbohydrates, proteins, a good amount of healthy fats, and your bodily needs of minerals and vitamins. It is agreed that the best form of diet is represented in servings and a healthy diet should include:
- Fruits and vegetables where at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits should be consumed daily. Be careful not to eat starchy fruits or vegetables in those servings including potatoes and sweet potatoes. The main purpose of eating vegetables is to ensure a good supply of vitamins for your body
- Meat and proteins, where animal products tend to be rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins. The most commonly eaten animal products include meats, eggs, milk, and dairy products. They should represent around 30% of your daily caloric intake. One of the best sources of animal protein is fish as they tend to be low on calories, easily digestible, and with a multitude of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Carbohydrates, mostly in the form of whole grains. One of the most common problems in modern diets is that they lack whole grains. Whole grains are those that contain all the parts of the grain without removing the coat. They can be found in brown rice, oats, and brown bread. The main advantage is that they tend to offer more for their caloric intake and are rich in fiber and vitamin B.
- Less than 30% of the caloric intake from fats. Fats come in different forms, and they include saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats tend to be the worst and are found in processed and deep-fried foods as well as hydrogenated fat (artificial butter). Saturated fats increase your risk of atherosclerosis and heart attacks. This is because they raise what we call the “bad cholesterol” or LDL-C. On the other hand, polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, fish, and nuts. They protect against atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes by raising the level of the “good cholesterol” or HDL-C.