Healthy Food Essentials For Every Diet

Healthy eating is about consistently choosing healthy foods. A diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, dairy, and nuts 韓国料理 名古屋市 can help lower the risk for disease.

Naturally sweet vegetables like carrots and beets offer a nutritious alternative to sugary desserts. Cooking vegetables in new ways adds flavor without adding calories.
1. Fruits and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. They are important to your health and should make up the majority of your daily food choices.

Fruits and vegetables are also low in saturated fat, sodium (salt) and added sugars. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can help to prevent certain diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. They can also help to decrease cholesterol and inflammation levels, and some are protective against cancers.

It is recommended that you consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. A portion is 80g, so aim to eat a rainbow of colours each day (for example, green, yellow-orange, red and orange vegetables, as well as citrus fruits and dark-green, white, purple or blue-purple coloured veggies).

All fruit and vegetables contain different nutrients, so it's important to eat a variety of types. Eating a mix of fresh, frozen and canned varieties can also be helpful as it means that you're getting all the different vitamins and minerals that are found in fruits and vegetables.

It is recommended that you try to eat fruit and vegetables that are in season when possible, as this is a great way of getting local produce and supporting local farmers. However, it's not always possible to get a variety of fruit and vegetables in season all the time, so it's a good idea to stock up on frozen and canned fruits and vegetables too. They are just as nutritious and can be a convenient way to increase your intake.
2. Whole Grains

Whole grains contain fiber, protein and key micronutrients. They also help prevent disease and promote health, including heart health, diabetes and weight loss. Choosing foods made with whole grains over those made from refined grains is an easy way to improve your diet.

Compared to refined grains, whole grains provide a greater amount of dietary fiber, more vitamin E and more niacin. They are also a good source of magnesium and folate. In addition, the bran and germ of whole grains contain phenolic compounds, which may have beneficial effects on the body’s metabolic and inflammatory processes.

The most commonly cited literature on whole grain health effects shows a strong trend toward research on the effect of dietary fiber, phenolic acids and bran components (blue in Figure 3A). Other hot topics include the role of whole grains on the metabolism of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and more, as shown by the use of VOSviewer software and author keywords (red in Figure 3B).

Researchers have found that people who eat more whole grain-rich foods have lower risk for high blood cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, cancer and other diseases. Whole grains can also help reduce risk for diabetes and improve overall gut health by promoting healthy bacteria.

Try adding whole grains to your meals by replacing refined foods with whole grain alternatives, such as switching white pasta for a higher-quality, 100% whole wheat variety or adding cooked brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat groats to your breakfast cereal. Look for the words “whole grain” or the specific grain in the ingredient list of food products to ensure that they’re actually whole grains (not a mixture of refined and whole). Also, read the nutrition facts label to check for added sugar.
3. Lean Meats

Lean meats are important for a diet because they provide protein and other nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins. Meats such as chicken, turkey and fish are rich sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. For heart health, dietary saturated fat should be limited, so eating lean meats and poultry is a good choice.

Fatty meats have higher fat content than lean meats, so if someone eats them too often they can increase their risk of heart disease and obesity. Experts advise limiting the amount of red and processed meat people eat because it increases their risk of early death, heart disease and colorectal cancer. Choosing lean meats such as beef sirloin and skinless poultry and pork helps someone to stay within the experts' guidelines for saturated fat intake and reduce their risk of chronic disease.

In general, meats and poultry are rich sources of protein (the University of Michigan Health System notes) that the body uses to build muscles, organs and bodily fluids. Protein also helps keep blood sugar levels stable. Lean meats have lower fat content than fatty meats and are therefore lower in calories as well.

For example, a 3.5 ounce (100 g) serving of lean pork tenderloin has less than 10 grams of fat and 4.5 g of saturated fat, as well as 95 mg of cholesterol. The same serving of lean ground beef has less than 5 g of total fat and 2 g of saturated fat. Poultry is also a source of protein and contains B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and niacin. In addition to a protein boost, poultry is a great source of selenium and choline.
4. Dairy

Milk, cheese and yogurt are essential foods for a healthy diet. Despite the claims of some celebrity fad diets, cutting dairy products out of your diet may cause more harm than good as these food provide many important nutrients and help keep our bones, muscles, heart, and brain healthy.

Milk and dairy are naturally high in calcium and protein. They are also an excellent source of vitamin D, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. The package of nutrients that these foods provide is a major reason why people who consume more dairy have a lower risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer.

Although a large percentage of the population does not meet their recommended intake of dairy foods, all age groups, starting at age 4, should strive to add nutrient-dense milk, cheese and yogurt to their daily meals. This is especially important for young people as they are at higher risk for developing chronic diseases later in life.

For those that do not meet their recommended intake, the USDA recommends consuming low-fat and non-fat milk options to satisfy their calcium and protein needs. In addition to meeting their dietary recommendations, these options are also budget friendly.

The traditional diet-heart paradigm posited that dairy fat raised cholesterol levels and thereby increased the risk of heart disease, but this position is no longer supported by scientific evidence. In fact, recent research has shown that dairy foods and specifically low-fat yoghurt have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Low-fat dairy foods also have unique properties that help support a healthy weight and blood pressure. These include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium as well as the amino acids proline, threonine, serine, lysine, and valine.
5. Nuts

Nuts are a versatile food packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Eating them regularly is beneficial for heart health and overall wellbeing, particularly when they are plain rather than coated in chocolate, salt or sugar. Nuts are also a good source of fibre and may help lower blood cholesterol levels.

A handful of nuts packs a punch of filling protein, fiber, unsaturated fats and important vitamins and minerals (especially potassium, magnesium and calcium). They are high in "good" fats that can reduce triglyceride levels and lower bad LDL cholesterol levels, as well as antioxidants and phytosterols. Nuts are also a source of vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant that may protect against cardiovascular disease.

Including a variety of nuts and seeds in your diet can ensure you are getting enough nutrients, but remember that some processed foods which contain nuts or seeds can cancel out some of the benefits by adding too much salt, saturated fat and sugar. It's best to eat unprocessed or minimally processed nuts and seeds (such as those that have been roasted in the shell) or include them in recipes such as nut butters, nut milks, homemade muesli bars or salad dressings.

Nuts are a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin B3, niacin, folate and vitamin E, as well as minerals such as iron, copper, zinc and manganese. They are a rich source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to support heart health. Research suggests that a regular intake of nuts may decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes by lowering levels of harmful cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as raising protective HDL cholesterol.