‘Healthful eating’ implies a balanced diet which provides the nutritional needs of persons (www.tipsandtreats.com). The consumption of healthful foods substantially reduces the threat of chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and also cancers. Diets high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in saturated fat and salt can make big differences in health. (New York Department of Health) A healthy and complete diet is essential for maintaining well being and good health. A healthy diet will include the important foods rich in nutritional value such as breads, potatoes, along with cereals and fruits and vegetables.
It is crucial to note that no solo food is capable of providing all the vital nutrients to meet the body needs. It is thus important to include an extensive range of foods in order to supply the body with sufficient ingestion of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, all of which are extremely essential for the health and well being of a person (www.britishnutrition.org). Consuming healthy foods has tremendous benefits, not only physically but also psychologically and provides tremendous benefits such as:
- Longer life – it has been proved by researchers that consumption of less saturated fat and processed foods enable people to have a long and improved life.
- Happiness – the intake of healthy foods facilitates feelings of goodness and vitality in persons.
- Vitality – Healthy eating habits provide energy to go happily with regular work without feeling tired.
- Great Skin – the food that we want has a direct effect on our physical appearance and as such is reflected in our skin, hair, nails, teeth and the overall personality (‘The Benefits of Healthy Eating’, 2005).
On the contrary, an unhealthy diet along substantially increases the risks of heart diseases, some types of cancers, strokes, diabetes, problems of blood pressure, problems related to breathing, arthritis, disease of the gallbladder, osteoarthritis and numerous others. Studies and several researches have proved that healthy diets play a crucial role in averting several types of diseases. Diets that have low levels of fat and cholesterol and are high in fiber are related with a reduced risk of certain cancers, diabetes, digestive disorders, and heart disease. (British nutrition Website)
A 1992 study by researchers at Harvard Medical School in Epidemiologic studies has noted that high fiber intakes reduce incidence of colon cancer. Similarly, evidences have proved that a diet rich in high fiber has the potential to protect against breast cancer is equivocal. A healthy diet is known to restore digestive disorders which may have existed due to an imbalanced or unhealthy diet. Findings from a U.S. study of 43,757 male health professionals (some of whom were sedentary, overweight or smokers) suggest that those who ate more than 25 grams of fiber per day had a 36 percent lower risk of developing heart disease than those who consumed less than 15 grams daily.
These results indicate that high-fiber diets may help blunt the effects of smoking and other risk factors for heart disease. Since there is not one single food that potentially increases health, it is necessary to include several foods in the daily diet to fulfill the nutritional needs of the body. As such meal planning becomes necessary to see that almost all the foods are included in the daily dietary plan in order to attain and maintain good health.
The inclusion of Milk and Milk products is absolutely crucial when planning fro the daily nutritional needs of the body. Milk is important to the body because,
- It strengthens the bones and teeth.
- It aids to stop the bleeding in minor cuts and bruises.
- The mineral calcium, present in the milk helps the prevention of common bone diseases like osteoporosis.
Fruits and Vegetables are a must in any healthy diet because they contain the vital vitamins necessary for good health.
- Vitamin A in the foods helps to keep skin and eyes healthy.
- Vitamin B complex is necessary for providing energy and fighting several common diseases such as colds, coughs etc.
- Vitamin C helps in providing energy to the body and aids the healing process of cuts and bruises along with helping the body to fight infections.
- ‘Phytonutrients’ are compounds which are found in edible plants and have the potential to significantly reduce the risk of cancer (Farlow DC, Christine H., 2002-2006).
Along with the above the inclusion of Whole Grains, Carbohydrates, and white meats should form an important part of the daily meal planning.
Meat being an excellent source of protein helps in building strong muscles and bones, and the mineral iron in the meat produces red blood cells in the body and helps in providing energy and strength o the body. Meat is also an rich source of vitamins and minerals which are fundamental for fulfilling the everyday functions of a healthy person.
Healthy food intake should not be restricted to the home but must also be followed when eating out. Thus, when eating out, starters such as salad and broth or vegetable-based soup provides a feeling of fullness before the arrival of the main course. The menu should be a choice of healthy foods, which are cooked by grilling, steaming, broiling, baking, poaching, or roasting as these tend to contain less fat than foods prepared other ways. Foods that are fried, battered, creamy, or drenched in sour cream, butter, or au gratin sauces must at all times be avoided.
It is essential that in order to maintain good health, healthy eating habits must be developed which include,
- Eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods include bread fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods.
- Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
- Maintain a healthy weight as Excess body fat increases your chances for diseases and illnesses.
- Eat moderate portions.
- Eat regular meals.
- Snacking between meals is a good activity but the snacks should be nutritious and only taken to curb hunger, not become an entire meal.
A Structured Menu Plan ensures that the meals are wholesome and nutritious and do not become repetitive. Creating a meal plan, albeit a simple one, assists in creating more organized healthy meals besides ascertaining enjoyable family meals. The entire family can have a say to setting up the menu plan, enabling them to become health conscious and particular about the foods that they consume.
However emphasis must be laid on foods that must be avoided due to the ill effects they pose on the health. They include, processed junk foods, such as pizzas, steak, bacon, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, French fries, doughnuts, ice cream, chocolate, buttered bread, wine, chocolate dessert etc. Foods that are high in Saturated Fat content are Beef, Butter, Cheese, Coconut oil, Cream cheese, Eggs, Ice cream, Lamb, Milk, Palm oil, Pork, Sour cream, Yogurt etc.
Snacking is a healthy exercise since healthy snacks supply additional energy. The choice of a healthy snack between meals considerably prevents eating in excess, by decreasing the hunger at meal times. It is crucial to choose healthy, low-calorie snacks and skip the junk food.
Food additives are materials that have been added to the food to conserve its flavor or even improve its taste and appearance. Some common food additives found in the foods we eat
- BHA, which is used to preserve foods, like cereal, and should be avoided.
- Potassium bromate is found in brominated flour, often found in bread and is a possible carcinogen.
- Citrus Red No. 2 or FD&C Citrus Red No. 2 is also a possible carcinogen. Its use is limited to coloring orange skins.
- FD&C Colors are generally derived from coal tar. Coal tar is a human carcinogen.
- Smoked foods may contain nitrosmaines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), both of which can cause cancer.
- Trans Fats increase Your Risk of Heart Disease.
- MSG is monosodium glutamate, a flavor-enhancer added to most processed food to make it taste good kills the Brain Cells. (Carly, Young, 2007)
- Food additives are any substances or mixture of substances other than the basic ingredients that are present in food as a result of any phase of production, processing, packaging or storage and include ingredients as sugar, corn sweeteners, salt, and citric acid (Carly, Young, 2007).
References
British nutrition Website. Web.
British nutrition Website. Web.
New York Department of Health website. Web.
Carly, Young, 2007. ‘What’s hiding in your food? Top 10 Troublesome Ingredients.’ Web.
Farlow DC, Christine H., 2002-2006, Your Eating Habits. Website, ‘Healthy Eating Advisor’ Web.
Article ‘The Benefits of Healthy Eating’, 2005. Web.