About healthy diet

Find out what a healthy diet is and what you can do to ensure good health for you and your family.

What is a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is not just one that will help you lose enough weight so that you can fit into a pair of skinny jeans. A healthy diet is one that contains all the essential nutrients necessary for the healthy development and maintenance of the human body. These essential nutrients can be obtained from the essential elements that should be present in every diet.

The essential elements of any diet are as follows.

Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fats
Trans-fats
Saturated fats
Fiber
Sodium

Not all diets suit everybody. Your diet has to be based on a number of factors such as your metabolic rate, activity level, environment, genetic make-up and overall state of health. For instance, people who are overweight will be interested in a diet that will help them lose weight. People suffering from malnutrition, or the effects of starvation, will require a diet rich in nutrients. Athletes interested in building muscle mass will need a diet rich in proteins. Pregnant and lactating women require a nutritious diet that will enable the healthy development of the baby. A diet that is considered healthy for an individual of normal health could actually turn out to be lethal for someone suffering from a disease like diabetes or cancer. Therefore, the definition of a “healthy diet,” varies from individual to individual.

In order to qualify as a healthy diet, your diet has to be a well-balanced one. A healthy, well-balanced diet contains all the essential nutrients your body needs to function properly. These nutrients will enable you to reach or maintain an optimal level of health.

Generally, a healthy diet has to contain;

·sufficient calories for a person’s metabolic rate and activity level; for most healthy adults the normal calorific allowance is about 2000calories.

·sufficient dietary fiber

·a good carbohydrate to lipid ratio

·sufficient fat; including monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat and sufficient omega-6 and omega-3 lipids

·sufficient essential amino acids (proteins)

·sufficient vitamins and minerals

A healthy diet is also one that excludes;

·excessive calories

·excessive saturated fat

·excessive trans-fat

·substances or foods that can turn toxic at high levels, like ethyl alcohol for example

·excessive salt

·excessive refined carbohydrates

·carcinogenic substances that can cause cancer

A healthy diet has numerous benefits. A diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains and moderate amounts of lean meat will provide you with all the essential nutrients you need. These nutrients will help your body combat illnesses like cancer and heart disease. Once you start following a healthy diet plan, you’ll also find that it’s easier to keep in shape. Your skin too will start to respond positively. This means that your self-esteem gets a boost as well. Research has shown that a healthy diet helps slow down the effects of aging and increases longevity.

The importance of a healthy diet cannot be stressed enough.

“When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no ‘I’ll start tomorrow.’ Tomorrow is disease”
~V.L Allineare