What is a Healthy Diet?
A healthy diet is a rather vague concept that can be hard to pin down. There are so many different diets out there, and some of them are healthy while some of them are not. Most diets do certain things better than others, like helping you to lower cholesterol or to regulate your weight. But all diets are supposed to keep you properly nourished and in general good health. The key to recognizing a good diet is making sure that it stays true to some core concepts. Primarily, a healthy diet needs to be balanced, meaning it has the proper amount of various nutrients and gives you energy, because eating food is how we provide energy to our body. Below are some things every diet should emphasize.
Eat a variety of healthy foods
Your diet should not stick to one particular food or one food group. Eating a wide variety of healthy whole foods is the only way to ensure that you are not overlooking healthy benefits. Eating the same foods daily will limit your nutrition intake. Eating a variety of foods also helps limit your exposure to harmful food irritants and toxins.
Eat Foods High In Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber needs to be a key component of any diet. It is found most noticeably in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, but it is also present in other foods. Fiber helps to slow the absorption rate of carbohydrates which correspondingly lessens the effect of blood sugar and insulin. It also helps you to regulate your weight and leads to satiation.
Eat lots of protein
No matter what type of diet you have, you need to make sure it includes significant amounts of protein. Your body cannot function without protein. It is needed for cellular reproduction and repair. It also helps to give you energy, improve heart health, and regulate your weight. Vegetarians and vegans especially, need to make sure to emphasize protein in their diets.
Limit sugary foods, beverages, and refined grains
Eating too many sugary and refined foods like white bread, refined sugar, and baked goods can lead to insulin resistance. It can also cause cardiovascular disease and increase your risk of becoming diabetic. These foods also have empty calories; eating them can result in unhealthy weight gain.
