Selecting healthful food provides energy and nutrients needed for optimal wellbeing, and may help protect against chronic diseases and extend your lifespan.
A healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds as staples of nutrition, while being free from processed food and added sugar. Such an approach to eating provides plenty of protein as well as essential vitamins and minerals for overall wellbeing.
Protein
Protein is one of the body’s essential building blocks and an integral part of healthy development and maintenance. Protein can be found in foods like meat, fish, dairy products, poultry, nuts and seeds; and is an important source of leucine which promotes muscle protein synthesis. Certain proteins are referred to as “complete,” meaning they contain all 20+ types of amino acids needed by humans for new protein formation, while others lack essential amino acids (which must come from food). Although animal-sourced proteins tend to have greater biological value for overall health benefits; plant foods also play their part for health benefits – both contribute significantly towards overall wellbeing.
Seafood
Seafood is an essential source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and other vital vitamins and minerals essential to good health, such as cardiovascular disease or depression. By including seafood as part of a balanced diet plan, it may reduce risk factors associated with chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease or depression.
Seafood, like other protein-rich foods, can assist with weight control by providing a feeling of fullness and stimulating metabolic rates. Furthermore, seafood is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA for optimal brain development and cardiovascular health.
Fish contains nutrients known to improve mental function, decrease heart disease risks, and protect against inflammation-causing illnesses – yet many Americans don’t consume enough fish.
Fruits
Fruits offer numerous health advantages, from protection against cell damage to providing essential vitamins such as potassium and vitamin C that may otherwise be hard to come by in other foods.
The recommended daily fruit consumption varies based on age, gender, height, and weight. Whole fruit over 100% fruit juice provides more fiber, potassium and vitamin C benefits – so try different fruits until you find ones you enjoy!
Vegetables
Vegetables are essential components of a balanced diet. Not only are they low in fat and calories, they’re high in dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – nutritionists recommend eating five or more servings daily!
Vegetable is an uninformative term, as technically it refers to only certain parts of herbaceous plants like lettuce leaves, stalks (celery), stems (broccoli), roots (carrot), tubers (potato) and seeds (tomato). Fruits or nuts would technically fall under this definition instead.
Diets rich in vegetables and fruit have been linked with lower rates of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer as well as improved weight management.
Nuts
Nuts are nutrient dense foods packed with bioactive components such as high quality vegetable proteins, unsaturated fats, minerals and phytochemicals. Epidemiological studies have linked nuts with reduced risks of gallstones and heart disease among both men and women.
Make an impactful statement between meals with nuts as an afternoon snack to stave off hunger pangs or add them to salads and pasta dishes as an additional protein and fibre source. Soaking nuts overnight will reduce phytates that inhibit nutrient absorption and improve their digestibility; raw unsalted and roasted varieties offer less sodium intake.
Whole Grains
All grains begin as whole grains, but during the milling process that refines them into flour or refined products, important parts are lost. By eating whole grains instead, you are getting all of their fiber, iron, B vitamins and phytochemicals found in their bran, germ and endosperm layers – as well as additional key benefits found within.
Studies of people who eat more whole grains have consistently demonstrated a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and colorectal cancer as well as lower body weights and calories overall consumed overall. Furthermore, their consumption may help lower cholesterol and slow starch breakdown which helps keep their blood sugar stable.
Seeds
Seeds are powerhouses of nutrition, packed with an abundance of essential vitamins and minerals as well as heart-healthy fats. Plus they add texture and crunch to many meals, snacks and beverages!
Seeds such as chia, hemp, flax, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower will increase protein consumption as well as provide essential fatty acids like omega-3. They’re also packed with fiber, minerals and phytochemicals; however, due to high levels of phytic acid they may prevent absorption of some essential vitamins such as calcium, iron and magnesium; therefore those with compromised immune systems should consider forgoing these nutritional powerhouses.
