HEALTHY FOODS are those foods which are good for your body. The word “food” in the word “meal” is derived from the Greek word “giftos” that means giving or offering. A healthy meal gives the body of necessary nutrients: macronutrients, fluids, carbohydrates, and sufficient food energy. Therefore, it is necessary to eat healthily. In order to be able to do so, it is suggested that we should follow the following steps.
Eating a balanced, healthy meal can be achieved by eating the recommended five food groups (sweet foods, grain products, fresh fruits, vegetable protein, legumes, and whole wheat) together with two to three servings of vegetables each day. This can be done through substituting simple white flour products (breads, muffins, rolls) with whole wheat products like whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, etc. and with avocados and other high quality nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. Also, eliminating hydrogenated oils, butter, fried foods, junk foods, sugar, salt, and other additives can help us achieve the best healthy results.
HEALTHY EATING starts with the idea that the food that we eat can have a huge impact on our health and consequently on the other aspects of our life. Thus, it is necessary to develop the habit of healthy eating as part of our everyday routine. Developing the habit of healthy eating is not difficult if we take into account the following important points: First, we need to be aware of what we are eating. The key here is to choose a wide variety of healthy eating choices. Second, we need to balance the amount of nutrients (such as calories, fats, proteins, carbohydrates) and other elements in the different kinds of food that we eat.
Third, we should choose healthy foods according to their nutritional value. This means that we should avoid eating foods that are high in saturated fats, salt, sugar, and other components that can lead to unnecessary weight gain and other health problems. Fourth, we should make sure that we get enough vitamins and minerals. Vitamins play a vital role in the development of our cells and tissues. Our cells and tissues grow and multiply when they receive the right kind of nutrients. In this regard, it would be reasonable to believe that lack of vitamins and minerals may lead to poor health and disease.
Getting sufficient amount of calcium is one way to obtain the right amount of vitamin D. In this way, calcium can support healthy bones and teeth. Furthermore, the combination of fruits and vegetables, including soy milk, can provide a source of several other important nutrients. Soy milk is known to contain high levels of calcium, protein, and several other nutrients that are good for our health. The reason why soy milk is considered to be one of the healthiest foods is that its calories are very low compared to other types of milk, especially those high in fat. In this way, there will be no overeating, no tendency to eat the wrong types of food, and no risk of gaining weight or becoming obese. Moreover, soy milk is easily digested by the body and does not cause gas formation.
Last but not least, it is important to consider fruits and vegetables in our diet as healthy and delicious snacks. There are several healthy fruits and vegetables available in the market today. Some of these include mangoes, papaya, watermelon, oranges, kiwis, bananas, strawberries, and many more. Furthermore, they are easy to prepare and tasty to eat. With all these benefits provided by fruits and vegetables, it would be really difficult for anyone to imagine eating anything else but fresh foods.