In this day and age, in the hustle and bustle of this busy life, it is very crucial to maintain a healthy diet. Intaking nutritious food will not only help you in enjoying a healthy life but also in increasing your lifespan. To be precise, the importance of nutrition cannot be overemphasized. For your body to function with full energy in an optimal manner, it is very important to have a well-rounded diet. This blog post will act as a comprehensive guide for you to help pick out the most important nutritious foods in your diet.
Fruits
Fruits play an important role in providing necessary nutrients to your body. They provide the required vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the body to function effectively. Fibre is a requisite for our body to perform digestion and control diabetes and lowers the risk of heart failures. Antioxidants are required for the body to balance between production of free radicals and antioxidant defence that protects the body from chronic diseases and damage of tissue cells in the body. Many fruits like oranges have water content in them which helps to maintain water level in the body and maintain hydrated level. They only add low calories and help to maintain weight. Fruits provide nutrients that are essential for improving the immunity of our body or best food for liver. Vitamin C provided by fruits helps against wrinkles and avoids premature ageing thus, paving the way for healthy skin cells. Fruits that can be taken on a regular basis are:
- Apples: They are rich in vitamins and help to supply antioxidants to the body.
- Bananas: Helps in maintaining potassium level and healthy muscles.
- Oranges: Oranges are abundant in Vitamin C that helps to maintain a healthy immune system.
Vegetables
Vegetables are inevitable for your balanced diet. Many vegetables provide different nutrients that are required to build and maintain a healthy body in and out. Some vegetables that should be included in the diet and their benefits are listed below:
- Spinach: Spinach is a green leafy vegetable. Leafy vegetables play a vital role in providing necessary iron content to the body. Same way spinach is rich with iron and also composes vitamins like C and K which is required to maintain calcium level in the body and improve immunity.
- Carrots: Carrots contain natural sugar content helps in maintaining sugar level in the body. And it is a source of vitamin A which is necessary for vision.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes provide antioxidants to the body and help in maintaining a healthy heart and in certain cancer treatments.
- Sprouts: Sprouts are rich in protein and fibre that helps in hair growth and skin care and helps in increasing the amount of good cholesterol in the body.
Whole grains
Whole grains are important to be included in the diet to make it a balanced one with required nutrients for a healthy body. Whole grains to be included in your daily diet are:
- Barley: Barley is a whole grain that is rich in various fibres that helps in reducing cholesterol and blood sugar level.
- Brown rice: Brown rice acts as a best alternative for white rice on a daily basis. Brown rice helps in controlling sugar level in blood.
- Oats: Oats can help in maintaining the number of free radicals in the body and helps to keep your heart healthy. Oats are also best for bringing down your sugar level and controlling diabetes.
- Millets: Millets are a powerhouse of proteins. They are best to include in your diet if you’re intent to lose weight.
Dairy and Dairy products
Milk and milk products are a great source of protein and calcium which are requisites for healthy bones and teeth. You can shift to less fat items with the same amount of nutrients. Some of these products are listed below:
- Skim milk: Skim milk is a fat removed milk but all nutrients in milk are available in skim milk too which is a best replacement.
- Low fat yoghurt: Regular yoghurt is processed to reduce fat but essential proteins, probiotics and vitamins are retained.
- Fat free cheese: Fat free cheese is made from skim milk or part skim milk. It may not have the same taste and richness but it contains the necessary number of proteins and minerals required for a healthy body. For more information about your health visit Plan My Medical
- Low fat buttermilk: Processed form of regular buttermilk with the same amount of calcium and other nutrients. It can be used as a lighter alternative for regular buttermilk in cooking various recipes with the tangy flavour.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds can be made as a part of your daily diet.You May intake them as a part time snack. Nuts play an important role in helping you maintain your heart health, brain health and also helps in managing your weight. Various nuts and seeds and their benefits are listed below:
- Almonds: Almonds are a rich source of vitamin C and magnesia. They can be taken to maintain a healthy heart and control cholesterol level.
- Cashew nuts: Cashew nuts provide useful fats for the body and are rich in zinc and iron.
- Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds contain omega 3 fatty acids and requisites for maintaining a good digestive system.
- Pumpkins seeds: Pumpkin seeds contain high amounts of iron, magnesium and zinc helps to promote peaceful sleep.
Conclusion
The key to a healthy life is inarguably following a balanced diet. Nothing can beat the importance of a nutrition rich food in our lives. However, each body and its requirements are different. So, if you feel the need of an expert guidance, you can definitely seek the help of a nutritionist and get personalized advice. This will definitely bring gradual but huge changes to your overall health and lifestyle.