A healthy diet includes foods rich in essential vitamins and minerals. A well-rounded diet also provides protein from meats and dairy products as well as fiber from whole foods.
A diet rich in fibre and nutrients includes foods from many categories: vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein-rich sources like beans, nuts and fish.
Vegetables
Vegetables are a key component of a nutritious diet. Not only do they provide essential nutrients, they may also protect against heart disease. Vegetables contain plant chemicals called phytochemicals which have anticancer and other health benefits.
Vegetables can be enjoyed raw, frozen or canned. Ideally it’s best to consume both veggies and fruits in their natural state rather than opting for processed vegetable juices which often contain excessive amounts of sugar.
Tomatoes may technically be fruits, but in culinary parlance they are considered vegetables because of how they are prepared and used. All fruits and vegetables should be included as part of an everyday diet in order to receive all their beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Fish
Fish offers high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, helping low-income households meet daily nutrition requirements.
Regular fish consumption has been associated with lower rates of heart disease, depression and dementia as well as improved diabetes management and eye health. Consuming fish during pregnancy or breastfeeding mothers needs DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid).
This article investigates the nutritional value of fish and its by-products to reduce disease burden worldwide. Specifically, this includes emphasizing effective therapeutic potential of fish in combating human illnesses.
Meat
Meat is an excellent health food. It provides your body with high-quality proteins to build muscle mass. In addition, meat also provides other important nutrients like fats that provide energy. The quality of the meat can depend on its processing and whether or not it was fed grain or grass for feeding, making sure it is safe to consume before being cooked thoroughly to make sure its safety for consumption.
“Meat” refers to the flesh of mammals and birds consumed by humans for sustenance. It typically consists of muscle tissue, fat deposits, connective tissues and organs such as livers, kidneys and hearts that humans ingest as food.
Fruits
Fresh or frozen, whole fruits are a nutritious food choice that provide essential vitamins and minerals, such as potassium and vitamin C. Plus they’re low in fat and sodium content – not to mention cholesterol-free!
Fruits are an excellent source of fibre, which can help regulate cholesterol levels in the body and provide antioxidants that may fight disease while keeping skin and hair healthy. Fruit is also an easy snack that pairs perfectly with main courses, desserts or even as an hydrating beverage!
Whole grains
Whole grains are an integral component of a nutritious diet. Studies have provided compelling evidence that regular whole-grain consumption decreases total and LDL cholesterol while reducing type 2 diabetes risk. Further dietary intervention studies are necessary to better understand relationships between whole-grain intake and other outcomes such as colorectal cancer or heart disease.
Whole grains include wheat, rice, oats, barley, quinoa and millet. All contain essential fiber, phytochemicals and vitamins and minerals for good health; opting for whole grain foods over refined ones is one way to increase disease-fighting fiber in your diet.
Milk
Milk is an animal food produced to nourish young until they can digest solid foods, providing calcium, protein and other essential nutrients such as colostrum (the first milk produced). Colostrum may contain antibodies and immune-modulating components which may protect newborns.
Milk with fat provides water-soluble vitamins A, D and E as well as minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, but also contains cholesterol and saturated fat, which may increase your blood pressure. Dairy foods in general, including fermented ones like yogurt with live cultures, can be nutritious. A 2022 review discovered that people who regularly consumed dairy products were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t consume dairy products.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) are an important food that combines the health benefits of both fruit and vegetable eating, offering abundant sources of fiber, vitamin C, potassium and folate as well as numerous health-enhancing phenolic compounds with antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial and other health promoting properties (1).
Tomatoes contain lycopene, an excellent cancer-preventing carotenoid. In addition, tomatoes also offer vitamins C and E as well as quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin and chlorogenic acid for healthful benefits.
These phytochemicals offer multiple health-promoting activities, including lowering cholesterol and inflammation levels, speeding exercise recovery, strengthening immune response and decreasing infertility risk. Tomatoes can even serve as natural diuretics which may help lower high blood pressure (2).
