How to Eat a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet provides your body with all the nutrients it needs to function optimally. It emphasizes whole foods over processed and prepackaged products, and it is low in added sugars, salt, and saturated and trans fats. It includes a variety of proteins from seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans and nuts. It also has plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fortified dairy products. It’s also important to drink a lot of water and limit high-calorie beverages such as soda, juice, and candy. You can still enjoy comfort foods, but eat them less often so you don’t overdo it. For example, instead of having fried chicken and French fries every week, have them once or twice per month. Try to switch recipes that call for frying fish or breading chicken with healthier variations. Broiling, grilling, roasting and steaming are great alternatives to frying. Eat a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need, but focus on eating the best choices more often. For example, make sure that your meals and snacks include a serving of fruit and veggies (preferably fresh, frozen or canned), whole grains, and protein sources from fish, legumes, tofu, eggs and nuts. Also, choose low-fat or nonfat milk and yogurt. Eating a balanced diet can help you control your weight, lower your risk for heart disease, and manage other health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It can also help prevent diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. There is no one-size-fits-all diet that experts have deemed as the healthiest. However, there are some eating patterns that have been linked to a lower risk of disease: Avoid heavily processed foods. These are typically high in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats. Instead, choose foods that are minimally processed: Use spices and herbs to add flavor to your food instead of salt. It is recommended to limit your intake of sodium to less than a teaspoon daily. It’s essential to eat the right amount of calories for your age and activity level. For example, younger adults need more calories than older adults, and active individuals need more than those who are sedentary. Aim for about 2,000 calories a day. When dining out, consider splitting an entree with a friend or choosing a small plate to control portion sizes. It takes a while for our brains to register fullness, so eat slowly and stop when you feel satisfied. A good tip is to chew each bite about 20 times before swallowing. This slows down eating and helps us better appreciate our food. It also allows our bodies to digest foods more easily. Lastly, don’t skip meals or eat on the go. These eating habits can lead to unhealthy snacking and binge-eating in the future. Try to eat three to five meals and two to four snacks each day.