Why this V-word is the Key to a Healthy Diet
Many people get stuck in rut where they limit their choice of food. This leaves their body unbalanced with an excessive amount of certain nutrients while lacking in others. No one likes to eat the same thing every day, but sometimes we do it for the sake of convenience.
Variety is one of the things that nutritionists stress the most. Health Promotion Board developed a Healthy Diet Pyramid recommending eating from a wide variety of foods, with a higher ratio in grains, vegetables and fruits, moderation in meats and lesser amounts of fats and oils.
Why variety is important for your diet
Variety is important for both nutritional and psychological reasons. A varied diet is essential for a person to maintain good health and to maintain good psychological well-being. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that people who have similar diets to that of the food pyramid have better health as well as a 40 percent lowered risk of heart diseases.
Eat from the four major food groups each day. The Health Promotion Board identifies these food groups as:
Rice and Alternatives (five to seven servings per day)
Vegetables and Fruits (two servings each per day)
Meats and Alternatives (three servings per day)
Fats, Oils, Sugars and Salts (small amounts)
By combining these food groups, you are ensuring that your body is receiving the necessary nutrients. This helps to maintain proper levels of nutrition.
Healthy choices
(photo: epSos .de)
Simply eating from these groups is not enough. There are a variety of foods in these groups that would not necessarily be considered healthy such as ice cream or doughnuts. The four food groups may be represented, but they do not do you much good if they are coated in sugar. Choosing wisely from these groups is important as well.
Choosing healthily means that you want to look for foods that are not cooked with excess fat or sugar. It also means choosing meats from the lean section and removing the fat and skin from chicken. By doing this, you will eliminate unnecessary calories and fats.
When you choose breads and cereals, you should choose whole grains over the refined and sugared variants. By replacing highly processed grains for nutritious whole grains you will find that you are consuming more nutrients. Many of your highly refined foods are stripped of the nutrients and they do you little good in terms of a healthy diet. Therefore, it is important that you get these nutrients in their natural form.
Many foods are also enriched with calcium and folic acid. These help to ensure that bones and teeth stay strong. Folic acid is also essential in preventing birth defects.
Substitute unhealthy meals with healthy alternatives. For example, you can substitute dark meat with skinless white meat chicken. This is a good way to maximize nutrition without losing taste.
It is important you continue to eat foods you enjoy, but in moderation. Instead of giving up fried chicken, eat less while adding more vegetables to the plate. The same is true for desserts and sweets. Making minor changes to your diet like tweaking the ratio of foods you normally eat will create healthier diets that are easy to sustain.
Combine Foods For Optimum Nutrition
How can you choose a combination of foods that provide you with optimum nutrition? Combine foods such as meats, beans, dairy, vegetables and whole grains to form a well-rounded meal. All of these foods combined together will provide you with the different nutrients that your body needs.
If you are unsure of the nutritional value of a food item, look at the nutritional labels. Labels are required on all packaged foods and can be helpful to those who are looking to eat healthier. Not only do the labels tell you about the calories, fat grams and other nutritional information of the food product, but they also provide detailed information on the type of vitamins and minerals present.
When choosing healthy foods, small changes can make a big difference. When you exchange fresh and low fat meals for high fat meals you will feel more energetic. The Centre for Human Nutrition conducted a study which suggested that participants taking high fat meals feel less alert, more fatigued and had lower energy.
The importance of cooking techniques
(photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Cooking techniques are important. Do not cook with high fat oil, and avoid consuming unnecessary fats in the form of oil. If you cook vegetables for too long, you may actually be losing significant amounts of nutrients. For example, if you over boil broccoli and then slather it in butter and cheese, you are losing the nutrients and replacing them with fats. To prepare vegetables, you are better off quickly steaming them over the stove. Cook them in as little water as possible, using just enough to keep them from becoming scorched.
When you cook potatoes, it is a good idea to include the skin. The skin contains a lot of fiber, nutrients and minerals. You can also make baked potatoes in the microwave or grill them to give it better flavor. By using these methods, you will soften the skin and minimize the need to add butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon. Healthier alternatives include a little bit of nonfat cottage cheese or nonfat yogurt.
Via HealthMatters.sg, a Singapore Health and Fitness blog that aims to help you lose weight, keep fit, and live healthy. Click here to get our free guide “Eat Your Way to Health – Secrets of a Healthy Diet”.
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