What is Healthy Food?
Healthful Vitality | 10/27/2021 | What is Healthy Food?
Despite being such a common term, there is no universally accepted definition of healthy food. However, it generally means a food that is rich in nutrients, provides energy, and helps the body stay healthy for longer.
Healthy food contains three macronutrients: carbs, lipids, and proteins (might be called four if water is included) and micronutrients (primarily vitamins and minerals). Macronutrients are needed in large amounts a day and provide calories, too. Micronutrients do not provide calories, but they are still used in body structures and help accelerate metabolic processes.
Understanding the concepts of what is healthy food?
Understanding the underlying concepts of healthy food may help plant daily diet without engaging in some severe restrictive diet forms.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates primarily provide energy to the body. This energy is used both for physical movements and creating body structures. Generally, most calories should come in the form of carbohydrates. However, one should avoid fast-absorbing carbs like sugary drinks and starches, as they cause sudden upsurge in blood glucose level, resulting in insulin resistance. In addition, the human body may convert excessive carbs to fats for later use. Thus, high carb intake is also associated with obesity.
Lipids
Fats are an excellent source of energy and are also used to create cell structures. Most dietary recommendations say that about 30% of energy should come from fats. However, one should limit the intake of saturated fats to 10% of the total calorie intake. It is not harmful to consume fats; essential is to choose healthy fats like those rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Proteins
Proteins are building blocks of the body, though they may also provide energy. Therefore, one should consume at least 1 gram of protein per kg of body mass or more. For most individuals, 1.5 g per kg of body weight would be more than enough. However, consuming too many proteins may also cause obesity and undue stress on the liver and kidneys.
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for health. Vitamin deficiency may cause severe diseases as they are needed for specific metabolic processes like the production of energy, building proteins, DNA, and much more. In addition, they are needed in very small amounts, usually in a few milligrams a day. There are numerous vitamins that the body needs. Some are water-soluble like group B vitamins, others fat-soluble like A, E, or D.
Minerals
Minerals are also needed in small and large amounts. For example, calcium is relatively abundant in the body and is necessary for healthy bones, heart, mind, nerve conduction, electrolyte balance. Potassium is another example. Sodium is essential for maintaining nerve conductivity and electrolyte balance; however, its access intake causes hypertension and other disorders.
Final Thoughts
Healthy food means consuming foods that have all the above elements in the right amounts. It generally means mixing various food items like cereals, dairy products, meat products, lentils, fruits, vegetables, and much more.
It is also about drinking an ample amount of water. Further, one may also need to consume foods that are good for gut health, like fermented foods or those rich in dietary fiber. Finally, a healthy diet is about learning more about foods and making healthy choices to stay healthy for longer.