A healthy diet is not just a trend; it's a cornerstone of overall well-being. It's essential for good health and nutrition, protecting you against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars, and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats are essential for a healthy diet.
What Constitutes a Healthy Diet?
A healthy diet comprises a combination of different foods, including:
- Staples like cereals (wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rice) or starchy tubers or roots (potato, yam, taro, or cassava).
- Legumes (lentils and beans).
- Fruit and vegetables.
- Foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, and milk).
The Benefits of a Healthy Diet
Following a healthy diet has many benefits, including building strong bones, protecting the heart, preventing disease, and boosting mood. A healthy diet typically includes nutrient-dense foods from all the major food groups, including lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables of many colors.
Breastfeeding Babies and Young Children
A healthy diet starts early in life. Breastfeeding fosters healthy growth and may have longer-term health benefits, like reducing the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing noncommunicable diseases later in life. Feeding babies exclusively with breast milk from birth to 6 months of life is important for a healthy diet. It is also important to introduce a variety of safe and nutritious complementary foods at 6 months of age, while continuing to breastfeed until your child is two years old and beyond.
Eating Plenty of Vegetables and Fruit
Vegetables and fruits are important sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, plant protein, and antioxidants. People with diets rich in vegetables and fruit have a significantly lower risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.
Limiting Fat Intake
Fats and oils are concentrated sources of energy. Eating too much, particularly the wrong kinds of fat, like saturated and industrially-produced trans-fat, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Using unsaturated vegetable oils (olive, soy, sunflower, or corn oil) rather than animal fats or oils high in saturated fats (butter, ghee, lard, coconut, and palm oil) will help consume healthier fats. To avoid unhealthy weight gain, consumption of total fat should not exceed 30% of a person's overall energy intake.
Limiting Intake of Sugars
For a healthy diet, sugars should represent less than 10% of your total energy intake.
50 Healthy and Delicious Foods to Include in Your Diet
Many foods are both healthy and tasty. By filling your plate with fruits, vegetables, quality protein sources, and other whole foods, you’ll have meals that are colorful, versatile, and good for you. Here are some foods to include in your diet:
Fruits and Berries
Fruits and berries are popular health foods. They are sweet, nutritious, and easy to incorporate into your diet because they require little to no preparation.
Apples: Apples contain fiber, vitamin C, and numerous antioxidants. They are very filling and are a good snack if you’re hungry between meals.
Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run
Avocados: Avocados are different from most other fruits because they contain lots of healthy fat. They are not only creamy and tasty but also high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Swap mayonnaise for avocado as a salad dressing, or spread it on toast for breakfast.
Bananas: Bananas are a good source of potassium. They’re also high in vitamin B6 and fiber and are convenient and portable.
Blueberries: Blueberries are both delicious and high in antioxidants.
Oranges: Oranges are well known for their vitamin C content. They’re also high in fiber and antioxidants.
Strawberries: Strawberries are highly nutritious and low in both carbs and calories. They provide vitamin C, fiber, and manganese and make a delicious dessert.
Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution
Other healthy fruits and berries include cherries, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, mangoes, melons, olives, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, and raspberries.
Eggs
Eggs are highly nutritious. Experts used to think they increased cholesterol, but now see them as a useful source of protein that may have various benefits.
Lean Meats
Lean, unprocessed meats can be included in a healthy diet.
Lean beef: Lean beef is an excellent source of protein if you consume it in moderation. It also provides highly bioavailable iron. Bioavailable means your body can absorb and use the iron more readily.
Chicken breasts: Chicken breast is low in fat and calories but high in protein. It’s a great source of many nutrients, including potassium and B vitamins.
Lamb and mutton: Sheep are usually grass-fed, and their meat tends to be higher in omega-3 fatty acids compared with omega-6.
Nuts and Seeds
Although high in unsaturated fat and calories, nuts and seeds may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other health issues. They are a satisfying snack that could help those managing their weight by helping them feel more satiated after eating them. They also require almost no preparation, so they’re easy to add to your routine. They can also add texture to salads and other dishes. However, they are not suitable for people with a nut allergy.
Almonds: Almonds are a popular nut that contains vitamin E, antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber. A 2021 review found that almonds may contribute to weight loss, support the gut microbiota, improve thinking, manage heart rate when a person is under stress, and prevent skin aging.
Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a nutrient-dense addition to the diet. A single ounce (28 grams) provides 9.75 grams of fiber and significant amounts of magnesium, manganese, calcium, and various other nutrients.
Coconuts: Coconuts provide fiber and fatty acids called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
Macadamia nuts: Macadamia nuts are tasty and higher in monounsaturated fats and lower in omega-6 fatty acids than most other nuts.
Walnuts: Walnuts are highly nutritious and rich in fiber and various vitamins and minerals. Pair them with feta cheese to dress a salad.
Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are nutrient-rich and have a smooth, buttery texture. The nutrients they contain support thyroid function and are a good source of the mineral selenium.
Vegetables
Calorie for calorie, vegetables are among the most concentrated sources of nutrients. Many of these varied nutrients also give vegetables their colors, so eating a wide variety of vegetables in different colors is a good way to ensure you get a diverse range of nutrients.
Asparagus: Asparagus is a popular vegetable that is low in both carbs and calories and rich in vitamin K.
Bell peppers: Bell peppers come in several colors, including red, yellow, and green. They’re crunchy and sweet and are a great source of antioxidants and vitamin C.
Broccoli: Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that tastes great both raw and cooked. It’s an excellent source of fiber and vitamins C and K and contains a decent amount of protein compared with other vegetables.
Carrots: Carrots are a popular root vegetable. They’re sweet, crunchy, and loaded with nutrients such as fiber and vitamin K. They’re also high in carotene antioxidants, which have numerous benefits. Put a few carrot sticks in your lunchbox or use them to eat guacamole and other dips.
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a very versatile cruciferous vegetable. You can add it to curries, roast it with olive oil, or use it raw in salads or for dipping.
Cucumber: Cucumbers make a refreshing snack. They are low in both carbs and calories, consisting mostly of water. They also contain small amounts of vitamin K and other nutrients.
Garlic: Garlic is a healthy and tasty addition to salads and cooked savory dishes. It contains allicin, which has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Its nutrients may also reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Kale: Kale is high in fiber, vitamins C and K, and other nutrients. It adds a satisfying crunch to salads and other dishes. You can also add it to stir-fries or bake it in the oven to make crunchy kale chips.
Onions: Onions have a strong flavor and are found in many recipes. They contain a number of bioactive compounds believed to have health benefits.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are usually categorized as a vegetable, although they are technically a fruit. They are tasty and provide nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C. For a bit of fun and extra flavor, try growing tomatoes on your windowsill.
More healthy vegetables: other vegetables worth mentioning are artichokes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, eggplant, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, radishes, squash, Swiss chard, collard greens, turnips, and zucchini.
Fish and Seafood
Fish and other seafood can be healthy and nutritious. They’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids and iodine. Research suggests that eating oily fish can boost a person’s heart and brain health.
Salmon: Salmon is an oily fish that is tasty and high in nutrients, including protein and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains some vitamin D.
Sardines: Sardines are small, oily, and highly nutritious fish. They provide many nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D.
Shellfish: Shellfish are nutrient-dense and make a tasty light meal. Edible shellfish include clams, mollusks, and oysters. Be sure to get them from a reputable source to ensure they are fresh and toxin-free.
Shrimp: Shrimp is a type of crustacean related to crabs and lobsters. It tends to be low in fat and calories but high in protein.
Trout: Trout is another type of delicious freshwater fish, similar to salmon.
Tuna: Tuna tends to be low in fat and calories and high in protein. It’s a good option for people who need to add more protein to their diets but keep calories low.
Whole Grains
Whole grains play an important role in your diet because they are healthy carbohydrates and provide a variety of micronutrients, fiber, and fuel for your body. They may also help with weight management.
Brown rice: Rice is a staple food for much of the world’s population. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice, with decent amounts of fiber, vitamin B1, and magnesium.
Oats: Oats provide nutrients and powerful fibers called beta-glucans. Glucans provide numerous benefits, including helping lower cholesterol and feeding beneficial gut bacteria.
Quinoa: Quinoa is a tasty grain that’s high in nutrients such as fiber and magnesium. It is also an excellent source of plant-based protein.