Unlock Incredible Health and Energy with These Surprising Benefits of Healthy Eating!

A healthy diet is essential for overall well-being, offering a wide array of benefits that span from preventing chronic diseases to boosting mood and cognitive function. It's not just about limiting processed foods, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats; it's about embracing a variety of nutrient-rich foods that nourish the body and mind.

Foundations of 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), fruits and vegetables, and foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, and milk). Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars, and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats are essential for a healthy diet.

Breastfeeding for 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.

Combating Chronic Diseases

One of the most significant advantages of a healthy diet is its ability to protect against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Reducing the Risk of Serious Disease

Eating healthier, like following the produce-and-fiber-rich Mediterranean diet or DASH diet, may lower your risk of serious disease. These diets emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while limiting processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats.

Heart Health

The foods people eat can reduce their blood pressure and help keep their hearts healthy. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet includes plenty of heart-healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. It limits saturated and trans fat intake, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products, as well as drinks and foods that contain added sugars. Restricting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day - ideally 1,500 mg daily - and increasing consumption of potassium, magnesium, and calcium are also key components. Limiting certain types of fats can also improve heart health. For instance, eliminating trans fats reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of a heart attack and stroke.

Cancer Prevention

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans to support overall health and potentially reduce the risk of developing cancer. While some believe that antioxidants in these foods play a key role in preventing cancer, human trials remain inconclusive, and doctors advise against using these dietary supplements without consulting them first.

Diabetes Management

A healthy diet may help a person with diabetes manage their blood glucose levels, keep their blood pressure and cholesterol within target ranges, prevent or delay complications of diabetes, and maintain a moderate weight. People with diabetes must limit their intake of foods with added sugar and salt. They should also consider avoiding fried foods high in saturated and trans fats.

Boosting Immunity

Eating all those fruits and vegetables, along with other fiber-rich foods and healthy sources of protein, may help you maintain a healthier immune system. That means you’ll be able to fight off the germs that cause colds and flu, and you’ll likely recover more quickly if you do get sick. Of course, food can’t do that alone.

Sustaining Energy Levels

Your body and brain need fuel to power you through your day. Sure, a candy bar will give you a quick burst, but you’re more likely to crash once the sugar rush disappears. A better idea is to eat meals and snacks that combine protein and unsaturated fats with unrefined carbs like whole grains. Those foods raise blood sugar slowly, which your body converts into energy.

Improving Sleep Quality

Eating lots of processed foods that are low in fiber and high in saturated fats can interfere with deep sleep, which is the stage of sleep that allows you to feel your best when you wake up. For a better night’s sleep, get plenty of fiber from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources and go for foods that are high in B vitamins, which may help regulate melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Sharpening Brain Function

Kids need healthy foods to fuel their growing brains, but older adults need to continue eating healthy foods to keep their brains sharp too. Those foods are highlighted in the MIND diet, which includes whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, beans, berries, poultry, and fish, with fat mainly coming from olive oil. The Mediterranean, Nordic, DASH, and MIND diets are associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Strengthening Bones

You need calcium to build strong bones and keep them that way, but you also need many other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamins K, C, and A. Food is the best way to get these nutrients. A diet with adequate calcium and magnesium is important for strong bones and teeth. Keeping the bones healthy can minimize the risk of bone issues later in life, such as osteoporosis. Dairy products, kale, broccoli, and canned fish with bones are excellent sources of calcium. Food manufacturers often fortify cereals, tofu, and plant-based milk with calcium. Magnesium is abundant in many foods, and some of the best sources include green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Protecting Vision

Eating foods rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids can be good for your eyes. You can lower your risk of serious eye conditions that can cause blindness, such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Reducing Inflammation

The Mediterranean diet offers plenty of anti-inflammatory foods. They are rich in antioxidants and vitamins that can help ease joint pain and improve other symptoms of arthritis. Those include fatty fish rich in omega 3s (like salmon), unsalted nuts and seeds, and beans.

Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run

Boosting Mood

Some evidence suggests a close relationship between diet and mood. Diet can affect several factors which, in turn, may impact a person’s mood. These include blood glucose levels, immune activation, and the gut microbiome. Certain diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, may be linked to better mental health, while diets with high amounts of red meat, processed foods, and high-fat foods may have the opposite effect.

Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a moderate weight can help reduce the risk of chronic health issues such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, stroke, hypertension, certain mental health conditions, and some cancers. Many healthy foods, including vegetables, fruits, and beans, are lower in calories than most processed foods. Maintaining a healthy diet can help people stay within their daily limits without monitoring their calorie intake.

The Role of Healthy Benefits Programs

Access to fresh and healthy foods, critical for preventing chronic disease, is often shaped by social determinants of health, including factors like economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. The strides in healthy benefits and the "Food is Medicine" movement represent major milestones in addressing these challenges.

Healthy Benefits Cards

Healthy benefits are increasingly being made available through health care providers, technology companies, employers, government agencies, and more. Many of these distributors offer benefits through cards that function like prepaid debit cards, allowing purchases of select grocery items or wellness products. However, what can and cannot be purchased depends on the specific rules set by each provider or retailer. Several healthcare plans, particularly Medicare Advantage plans, now include healthy benefits as part of their offerings, often on a quarterly basis. Health care technology companies are also playing a significant role in the healthy benefits space.

The Future of Healthy Benefits

The landscape of healthy benefits is rapidly evolving, especially as we move into a new calendar year and presidency. The upward trajectory of healthy benefits from a Medicare Advantage perspective is projected to continue expanding, creating unique opportunities for consumers and retailers to enhance health and well-being. According to FMI’s 2024 Food Industry Contributions to Health & Well-Being report, 41% of retailers surveyed accepted health-insurance provided cards, another 5% accepted company-provided cards, and 14% have plans to accept cards in the next year.

50 Healthy and Delicious Foods to Include in Your Diet

Eating various nutritious foods, including fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean protein, can help support your overall health. 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.

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.
Avocados: Avocados are different from most other fruits because they contain lots of healthy fat. They are also high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.
Bananas: Bananas are a good source of potassium and are high in vitamin B6 and fiber.
Blueberries: Blueberries are both delicious and high in antioxidants.
Oranges: Oranges are well known for their vitamin C content and are also high in fiber and antioxidants.
Strawberries: Strawberries are highly nutritious and low in both carbs and calories.

Other healthy fruits and berries include cherries, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, mangoes, melons, olives, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, and raspberries.

Eggs, Meat, and Poultry

Lean, unprocessed meats can be included in a healthy diet.

Eggs: Eggs are highly nutritious and are seen as a useful source of protein that may have various benefits.
Lean beef: Lean beef is an excellent source of protein if you consume it in moderation and provides highly bioavailable iron.
Chicken breasts: Chicken breast is low in fat and calories but high in protein.
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.

Almonds: Almonds are a popular nut that contains vitamin E, antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber.
Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a nutrient-dense addition to the diet, providing 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.
Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are nutrient-rich and have a smooth, buttery texture, supporting thyroid function and providing selenium.

Vegetables

Calorie for calorie, vegetables are among the most concentrated sources 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 and are a great source of antioxidants and vitamin C.
Broccoli: Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that is 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 that is sweet, crunchy, and loaded with nutrients such as fiber and vitamin K.
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a very versatile cruciferous vegetable.
Cucumber: Cucumbers make a refreshing snack and contain small amounts of vitamin K and other nutrients.
Garlic: Garlic is a healthy and tasty addition to salads and cooked savory dishes and contains allicin, which has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.
Kale: Kale is high in fiber, vitamins C and K, and other nutrients.
Onions: Onions have a strong flavor and are found in many recipes, containing a number of bioactive compounds believed to have health benefits.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are tasty and provide nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C.

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 and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and iodine.

Salmon: Salmon is an oily fish that is tasty and high in nutrients, including protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and contains some vitamin D.
Sardines: Sardines are small, oily, and highly nutritious fish that provide many nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D.
Shellfish: Shellfish are nutrient-dense and make a tasty light meal.
Shrimp: Shrimp is a type of crustacean that 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.

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.

Brown rice: 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.
Quinoa: Quinoa is a tasty grain that’s high in nutrients such as fiber and magnesium and is also an excellent source of plant-based protein.
Ezekiel bread: Ezekiel bread is made from organic sprouted whole grains and legumes.
Homemade low carb and gluten-free breads: Consider making your own if you’re looking for low carb or gluten-free breads.

Legumes

Legumes are a great plant-based source of protein, iron, and fiber.

Green beans: Green beans, also called string beans, are an unripe variety of the common bean.
Kidney beans: Kidney beans contain fiber and various vitamins and minerals.
Lentils: Lentils are another popular legume that are high in fiber and a good source of plant-based protein.
Peanuts: Peanuts are legumes, not true nuts, and are tasty and high in nutrients and antioxidants.

Dairy

For those who can tolerate them, dairy products are a healthy source of various important nutrients.

Cheese: An ounce of cheese may offer about the same amount of protein as an entire cup of milk.
Dairy milk: Dairy milk contains vitamins, minerals, protein, and calcium.
Yogurt: Yogurt is made from milk that is fermented through the addition of live bacteria.

Fats and Oils

Dietary patterns that include unsaturated fats and oils are considered very healthy.

Extra-virgin olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest vegetable oils, containing heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and high in antioxidants.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a saturated fat but contains MCTs and may have similar health effects to olive oil.

Tubers

Tubers are the storage organs of some plants and are called root vegetables.

Potatoes: Potatoes provide potassium and contain a little of almost every nutrient you need, including vitamin C.
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, beta carotene, vitamin A, and other essential nutrients.

Other Healthy Foods

Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar may help regulate post-meal blood sugar levels when consumed with a meal.
Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate contains antioxidants known as flavonoids that may help manage cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

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