HEALTHY LIVING I

EATING A BALANCED DIET HELPS IN STAYING HEALTHY

Eating a balanced diet implies taking the right classes of food in their right quantities. A diet refers  to the food we eat in a 24-hour time, or a month. a good diet promotes a healthy living.

There are a lot of factors that must be taken into consideration when healthy eating is concerned! Such factors include:

1. WHAT WE EAT
What we eat affects our health in a lot of ways. For instance, breakfast is a very important meal in a day and must be taken accordingly. This helps in controlling body weight and so on. Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel explain in the journal, Obesity that a big breakfast (one containing about 700% calories) is better for weight loss and also lowers the risk of developing a heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes. the research also went further to stress that the rice we consume matters as well as what we eat.
The most important part of healthy eating is the balanced diet.
What we eat can be subdivided into five main groups as posited by nutritionists. The five main groups are whole grains, fruit and vegetables, protein, dairy products, and fat and sugar.

A. WHOLE GRAINS:
Whole grains are rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins. A whole grain still has the bran and the germ attached whereas the refined grain has not (because of being refined). According to the US Department of Agriculture, one should consume at least three ounces of whole grains per day. 
Whole grain products include breads, pastas, corn, brown rice, whole wheat, cereals, oatmeal, spelt, wild rice,  
To be sure you are buying the right food, check the label and the list of ingredients must include wholegrain or whole.

B. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
These are rich in vitamins, minerals as well as fiber. They have a high fiber, vitamin and mineral content which are vital to our well-being. A good intake of fruits and vegetables may protect from incidence of heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer. It is recommended that we consume five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits can be consumed either fresh, canned, frozen, dried or as veggies. a portion here implies either one large fruit, such as an apple, mango, banana, or three heaped tablespoons of vegetables. It could also include one glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice.


C. PROTEIN
Protein are body-building food. They also help in repairing worn out tissues in our body. Our food should be made up of at least 20 to 25% of proteins. Protein containing foods include meat, poultry, eggs, fish, beans, nuts, soya, etc. Essential minerals such as magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin B also contain protein. 
However, care should be taken in the processing of protein containing foods because some packaging processes like canning, etc deprive the food so processed from proteins.


D. LEGUMES
Legumes help in the improvement of glycemic control. Legumes are plants that produce pods and these slit open naturally. Common sources of legumes include soy, peas, peanuts, lentils, beans, alfafa, carob, etc. According to research, eating plenty of legumes help improve glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. It also helps in reducing the risk of developing coronary heart disease.


E. DAIRY PRODUCTS
Dairy products are good sources of calcium which helps in healthy bones and teeth. Sources of dairy products include cheese, yoghurts, milk, etc. For healthy living, low fat dairy products should be consumed. However, people who do not consume animal sourced foods can go for cabbage, soya milk, brocholi, and yoghurts for added calcium.


F. FATS AND SUGARS
There are two basic types of fats. These are the saturated and unsaturated fats. Foods such as margarine, cream, fried foods are rich in saturated fats. On the otherhand, vegetable oils, oily fish are rich in unsaturated fats. Saturated fats consumpton should be minimally consumed because excessive consumption increases the risk of developing heart diseases. Fats and sugars are found in cakes, chocolates, sugar, biscuits, mayonaise, non-diet sodas, etc. Every sugary foods and drinks like some sodas and sweets should be kept to the minimum because they are high in calories and bad for the teeth.