What you read in this article
A healthy diet should include all food groups. Eating healthy foods prevents many diseases and is effective for heart and brain health.
Some people may think that having a healthy diet means eliminating all favorite foods and making fundamental changes in the diet. But eating healthy foods should be started gradually, so that they become a food habit. Eating healthy has countless benefits and can help maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, improve digestion, increase energy levels, increase brain function, strengthen the immune system, and improve mood and mental health.
What is healthy and unhealthy food?
It has probably happened to you that you decided to start a healthy diet, but you didn’t know which foods to include in the program and which ones to exclude. For a healthy diet in English, you must include a variety of foods from major food groups in your plan. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein, including legumes, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats are all healthy foods and should be included in your diet.
The only important point in defining a healthy diet is to determine the amount of food from each group correctly. Your diet should suit your taste, lifestyle and budget. Some diets are designed in such a way that they cannot be continued for a long time.
Unhealthy eating includes eating too much fast food and fatty foods. For example, potatoes are very useful for the body. But fried potatoes have high calories and introduce harmful compounds into the body.
Processed frying oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which are harmful to the heart. To avoid unhealthy eating, you should avoid these types of oils and use olive, coconut and avocado oil when preparing food.
Benefits of healthy eating (what are the characteristics of healthy food?)
Healthy food should provide enough calories to the body and contain a variety of nutrients. Some processed foods and some cooking methods cause the creation of toxins in the body and provide the basis for the development of various diseases. Healthy food includes useful fats that do not create such toxins and do not cause problems for the health of the heart and brain.
Healthy foods are very effective in keeping the body healthy. 80% of heart diseases and early strokes can be prevented through choices and life habits. A healthy diet has many benefits. including:
- Reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Improve blood cholesterol levels
- Lower blood pressure
- Body weight management and fitness maintenance
- Blood sugar control
How can we eat healthy? (list of healthy foods)
Some diets are quite extreme and cause many nutrients to be removed from the diet plan. To have a healthy diet and the best eating pattern, you must balance food groups including protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals in your diet. It is very wrong to eliminate a food group from your diet. You just have to choose the healthiest options in each category. Next, we explain each group of these foods.
1. Protein in the list of the best nutrition
Protein provides an important part of the body’s energy. Even mood and body function depend on the amount of protein consumption. Of course, consuming too much protein is harmful for people like kidney patients. Research shows that the body has a strong need for high-quality protein. This need increases especially with age.
The need for protein must not be met with animal products. In addition to consuming meat and chicken, you can also use vegetable products rich in protein.
2. Useful fat for proper nutrition
All fats are not bad fats and this group should not be excluded from the diet. Bad fat increases the risk of some diseases. But good fats protect the heart and brain.
Healthy fats contain omega-3 and should be included in the diet for the health of the body and soul. These types of useful fats improve mood, increase health and fitness. If you replace bad fats with good fats, your waistline will shrink over time.
3. Useful foods with fiber
Eating foods rich in fiber helps the health of the body, especially the health of the digestive system. Foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans are rich in fiber. Consumption of fiber reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It also improves skin condition and helps to lose weight.
4. Foods useful for the body such as calcium
Lack of calcium in the body leads to osteoporosis. In addition to this problem, not getting enough calcium causes anxiety, depression and sleep problems. It doesn’t matter how old you are. In any case, you should include calcium-rich foods in your plan. You can get advice from a nutritionist to know which foods reduce calcium and should be limited. Magnesium and vitamins D and K help calcium to work well in the body.
5. Carbohydrates and healthy eating routine
Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of energy for the body. To have a healthy diet, you should use complex and unrefined carbohydrates instead of refined carbohydrates and sugars. Foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains contain beneficial, unrefined carbohydrates. It is better to reduce the consumption of white bread, sweets, starch and sugar in your diet. These types of substances cause a rapid increase in blood sugar, mood swings and fat accumulation, especially around the waist.
Fitness and healthy nutrition for children and adults
Healthy nutrition has a great impact on fitness. Research shows that people who choose a healthy diet are fitter than people who follow an unhealthy diet with the same amount of calories. The use of healthy fats in the diet and unrefined carbohydrates help to stay slim and reduce the size of the abdomen.
Healthy eating for weight gain
Nutritionists include high-calorie foods in a person’s diet to gain weight. Every person should have a healthy diet to gain or lose weight so as not to harm his body. People who are looking for a healthy diet to gain weight should increase high-calorie foods and types of brain in their diet.
Healthy eating for weight loss (healthy eating for weight loss)
The most important measure to lose weight is to reduce the calories consumed. To lose weight, you need to replace unhealthy foods with healthy foods and reduce your calories to a standard level. One of the ways to reduce calories is to eat food on a smaller plate. Try to eliminate unhealthy snacks from your diet. For example, instead of eating chips, include popcorn in your program. When preparing food, use olive oil instead of harmful oils.
Changing eating habits for healthy eating
Keep in mind that making major changes to your diet can be overwhelming and you’ll get tired of following it after a while. Instead of making big changes, look for small but effective changes in your diet. Changing eating habits and observing period nutrition also help a lot to relieve menstrual pain. Below are some healthy and effective eating habits for you. Instead of doing these actions at the same time, it is better to focus on one thing so that it gradually becomes a food habit.
1. Slow down eating
The speed of eating food has a great impact on the consumption and weight gain. According to the research conducted in this regard, people who eat fast are likely to have eaten more food and their body mass index is higher than people who eat slowly. The reason for this is the signals sent to the brain.
The feeling of satiety and hunger and our appetite in general are controlled by hormones. It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to receive this message. Eating slowly gives the brain a chance to generate feelings of satiety. For this reason, eating food slowly reduces consumption, chewing food completely and lowers the calories consumed. This can help you lose weight.
2. Replacing whole grain bread instead of refined bread
You can easily improve your diet by substituting whole grain bread for traditional refined bread. Many health problems are related to refined grains. But eating whole grains has many health benefits. Whole grains reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Whole grains are a good source of fiber, B vitamins and minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese. Many whole-wheat breads taste better than refined breads. That is why it is not difficult to replace them.
3. Add Greek yogurt to your diet
Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt. This type of yogurt is strained with a strainer to remove the watery part of the milk. For this reason, it has more fat and protein than regular yogurt. Greek yogurt is a good source of protein. Foods rich in protein keep you full for a long time and help manage appetite and reduce food consumption.
People who follow a low-carb diet or follow a special diet due to lactose intolerance can include Greek yogurt in their diet. Since Greek yogurt is strained, it has less carbohydrates and lactose than regular yogurt.
4. Do not buy without making a list
When you are going to buy food, be sure to keep two strategies in mind. First, don’t go to the store without a shopping list, and second, don’t buy food when you’re hungry. When you don’t know exactly what you need, you shop on impulse and put every food item in your basket. Hunger also makes you more drawn to less nutritious foods. Be sure to plan before shopping and write down the necessary food items.
5. Preferably eat eggs for breakfast
Eggs are a very healthy food, especially if you eat them in the morning. Eggs are rich in high-quality protein and other essential nutrients such as choline. If you are looking for a diet to lose weight, eating eggs for breakfast is a very good choice. Eggs increase the feeling of fullness and make you consume fewer calories in the next meal.
6. Increase protein intake
Protein is known as the king of food. This substance has a very good effect on satiety and hunger hormones. A study in obese people showed that eating a high protein meal compared to a high carbohydrate meal decreased the level of ghrelin (the hunger hormone).
Protein helps maintain muscle mass. This substance also slightly increases the amount of daily calorie burning. Muscle mass decreases with age. Reducing the calories consumed and doing sports activities can cause the loss of muscles along with fat. For this reason, you should pay special attention to protein consumption in your weight loss diet.
Good sources of protein include dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, eggs, beans, and lean meats.
7. Drink enough water
Drinking enough water is very important for health. It is interesting to know that, according to research, drinking water helps to lose weight. Sometimes even the number of calories burned increases with the consumption of water. Drinking water before meals reduces appetite and makes you eat less. When water is substituted for other drinks, sugar consumption and calorie intake are seriously reduced.
8. Boil or grill food instead of frying
The method of food preparation is very effective in healthy eating and improving body health. The most common way to prepare food with meat, chicken and fish is to fry them. But you should know that several toxic substances are formed in this method, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, advanced glycation end products, and heterocyclic amines.
All these compounds are associated with heart diseases and cancer. It is better to use healthier methods such as grilling, boiling and steaming instead of this method.
9. Use omega 3 and vitamin D supplements
Almost one billion people in the world have vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is very effective in bone health and the proper functioning of the immune system. Every cell in the body has a vitamin D receptor. This shows the importance of this vitamin in the body.
Vitamin D is found in very little food. Fatty seafood is a good source of vitamin D. Omega 3 fatty acids are also present in this food group. Omega-3 helps reduce inflammation, maintain heart health and improve brain function.
Many diets are rich in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation and are linked to chronic diseases. But omega 3 is completely opposite and fights inflammation. If you don’t eat a lot of seafood, you should use a supplement to make up for the lack of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
10. Replace the plate with healthy food
Many people think that eating out means eating junk food. But outside the house you can also find restaurants with healthy food. Try to find a healthy fast food restaurant and replace it with your favorite fast food. Some restaurants have healthy food plates and they can be a great option when you have to prepare food outside the home.
11. Try at least one new recipe a week
Deciding whether to make lunch or dinner is often frustrating. For this reason, we repeat the previous instructions many times. Try to add more variety to your diet. Try a new healthy food at least once a week. This will gradually change your eating style and you will go towards consuming useful and healthy foods.
12. Eat boiled potatoes instead of fried potatoes
Potatoes are a very filling food and are used in most recipes. But the type of its preparation is very effective in the amount of calories consumed and the health of the body. Fried potatoes have about 3 times more calories than boiled potatoes. Also, fried potatoes contain harmful compounds such as aldehydes and trans fats.
13. For a healthy diet, eat vegetables first
A good way to replace healthy eating with unhealthy eating is to eat vegetables as an appetizer. With this method, you will mostly eliminate your hunger with vegetables, and the time you eat the main meal will reduce the calories consumed. By doing this, you will be driven to eat fewer and healthier calories.
Eating vegetables before meals has a very good effect on blood sugar. Vegetables slow down the rate of absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream and are effective for short- and long-term blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
14. Instead of drinking juice, use fruit
Fruits are rich in fiber, water, antioxidants and vitamins. Many studies have shown that eating fruit reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Fruits are rich in fiber and other compounds. For this reason, the sugar in them is digested very slowly and does not increase the blood sugar level drastically.
But this position does not apply to juices. Many juices are not made from natural fruit and contain concentrates and sugar. Some of them even have as much sugar as soft drinks. If you prepare the juice yourself, it still has harm to the body. The juice lacks fiber and resistance to chewing. For this reason, it increases the blood sugar level.
Is healthy eating effective for treating eating disorders?
Eating disorders are often related to psychological problems. In this situation, it is necessary to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist. These disorders cause unhealthy eating habits. Some eating disorders manifest as obsessions with food, body weight, or body shape. In severe cases, these disorders can cause serious damage to the body and even lead to death if not treated.
Eating disorders can affect anyone of any age. But it is often seen in teenagers and women. Some of the most important nutritional disorders are:
Anorexia nervosa: The most well-known disorder is anorexia nervosa. It mostly occurs during adolescence and youth. These people usually think they are overweight. They refrain from eating certain foods and severely limit their calorie intake.
Bulimia nervosa: This disorder is also more common in adolescence and early adulthood. These people eat a lot of food in a certain period of time. Bulimia continues until the person becomes painfully full. A person usually feels that he cannot stop eating and after eating, he prevents obesity by purging methods such as vomiting.
Binge eating disorder: The symptoms of this disorder are similar to bulimia nervosa. A person overeats in relatively short periods of time. These people do not restrict calories and do not use methods such as vomiting or excessive exercise.
Pica: Pica is a disorder in which a person craves things that are not considered food. Such as ice, soil, chalk, soap, paper, cloth and wool.
What are the diseases related to nutrition?
Unhealthy nutrition can lead to health problems and cause nutrition-related diseases. Improper nutrition can lead to heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Malnutrition also occurs when nutrients do not reach the body to provide energy. In this situation, a person experiences weight loss, lack of growth and wasting of fat and muscles.
Many diseases can be cured by eating healthy foods and their symptoms will decrease. For example, dry mouth is caused by vitamin A deficiency, scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency, and goiter is caused by iodine deficiency. In this situation, you should choose a diet that provides these nutrients to the body.
Healthy foods for the underlying diseases of obesity and thinness
Obesity and thinness can sometimes indicate an underlying disease. When a person becomes fat or thin without any explanation, the doctor should run tests to make sure that an underlying disease is causing the problem or not.
Obesity diseases can include Prader-Willi syndrome, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome and other diseases. Some diseases such as arthritis also lead to weight gain due to reduced activity. If you do not reach your desired weight through diet or exercise, you should see a doctor. Sometimes overweight is a side effect of some medicines. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, diabetes drugs, antipsychotics, steroids and beta blockers are among them.
Weight loss, like obesity, is sometimes caused by an underlying disease. Weight loss diseases include overactive thyroid, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, endocarditis, and tuberculosis. According to other symptoms of the disease, the doctor prescribes tests for accurate diagnosis.
Healthy nutrition before pregnancy
The food you eat every day can affect your chances of getting pregnant. All the healthy foods that we introduced in this article can help pregnancy. The most important recommendations in the pre-pregnancy diet are the following:
Choose whole grain foods instead of white processed foods (white bread, rice and pasta).
Eat more fruits, vegetables, lentils and beans than before.
Avoid bad saturated fats such as fried foods, sweets, biscuits and cakes.
Use good unsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts, oily fish and seeds.
Avoid sugary foods and drinks such as sweets, biscuits, cakes and sodas.
If you are pregnant or preparing for pregnancy, it is better to be under the supervision of a nutritionist.
Useful nutrition in pregnancy
You should follow a healthy diet during pregnancy. Nutrition during pregnancy should include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and protein foods in the diet. Try to choose foods that are very low in added sugars, saturated fats, and salt. There are grains and refined starch in foods such as white bread and cookies. For this reason, these types of snacks should be limited.
Some people mistakenly think that being pregnant means eating twice as much as before. But you should know that most women do not need extra calories in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the second trimester (weeks 13 to 26), most women should consume 340 calories more than before. In the last trimester (after 26 weeks), most women consume 450 calories more than before.
Try to include the following foods in your diet during pregnancy:
Eat low-mercury seafood every week. Foods like canned tuna, herring, salmon, shrimp and salmon
Avoid eating raw fish and shellfish and foods like sushi.
Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta cheese and goat cheese.
Limit juice consumption.
Limit caffeinated beverages and added sugars.
The effect of healthy eating in different types of diet
There are different types of diets that the nutritionist chooses according to the needs of the person, weight loss, weight gain, cholesterol reduction and other problems. For example, the Atkins diet is a low-carb diet that controls insulin levels. Zone diet creates balance in nutrition, which includes 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% protein.
The ketogenic diet has been used for decades to treat epilepsy. In this diet, carbohydrate consumption is reduced and fat consumption is increased. There are different types of diet that you should consult a specialist to receive their detailed plan.
Healthy and nutritious meal plan for children and adults
A healthy and nourishing program should include all food groups. Do not exclude healthy foods from your program to lose weight or gain weight. A healthy diet should include all kinds of vegetables, fruits, legumes, dairy products, meat, chicken, fish and fats.
1. Some healthy foods for daily consumption
To have a healthy diet, try to include the following foods in your plan:
almonds
nuts
Oatmeal
wheat germ
Broccoli
apple
Cabbage
Avocado
Green leafy vegetables
potato
fish
chicken
2. Food pyramid for healthy eating
The food pyramid is a simple visual guide that outlines the types and proportions of foods you should eat each day. The bottom layers form the largest part of the pyramid. This section includes plant foods, legumes, fruits and seeds, which should make up the largest part of the diet and should make up 70% of the food plan.
The middle layer includes milk, yogurt, cheese, lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes. This group provides calcium, protein and other vitamins needed by the body. The upper layer is also useful fats that should be used for heart health and proper brain function.
3. Healthy nutrition for children (healthy diet)
Healthy nutrition of children, especially in the first 2 years of life, has a great impact on the growth and health of the child. Eating healthy in childhood can reduce the risk of overweight and many diseases in adulthood. Healthy diet recommendations for children are the same as for adults. But you should pay attention to a few points before examining healthy and unhealthy food for children:
Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life.
Infants should use breast milk along with other foods until they are 2 years old.
Salt and sugar should not be added to children’s complementary foods.
4. Healthy eating routine for teenagers
Adolescents are in the stage of growth and maturity. At this age, more attention should be paid to the type of food. All the things mentioned in relation to healthy eating should be observed in teenagers. A teen’s diet should be rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, beans, eggs, nuts, fish, and lean meat.
Teenagers need more calories and should increase their intake of key nutrients including protein, calcium and iron in their diet.
5. Healthy nutrition for students (healthy food for school)
Some people do not pay attention to the nutrition of their student children. Usually, these students use a variety of harmful foods such as cakes, biscuits, chips and puffs during their breaks. For healthy nutrition of students, you should include healthy foods such as dairy products, whole grains and fruits in their program. Dairy products are rich in protein and provide the necessary energy for school activities.
6. Sports nutrition and healthy foods
The role of nutrition in sports is very important. The most important point in the nutrition of athletes is the amount of use of each food group. The amount of protein consumption in athletes should be higher in order to build muscles better. Protein produces a lot of energy and plays a significant role in supplying energy to muscles. Foods such as eggs, fish, chicken and dairy products must be included in the diet of athletes.
7. Healthy nutrition for fatty liver
Fatty liver disease is one of the types of diseases that require carefulness and care in choosing food. Some foods that help with fatty liver disease include:
Fish and seafood
fruit
Whole grains
Nuts and dried fruit
olive oil
Vegetables
8. Healthy nutrition for diabetics
Usually, the nutritionist gives the list of healthy foods to patients with high blood sugar. In general, to maintain a healthy eating plan, focus on eating well-balanced meals with whole grains, lean proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Also, limit sugary foods and drinks, choose healthy fats, and stay hydrated.
9. Healthy nutrition for cardiovascular patients
For cardiovascular health, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Limit unhealthy fats, sodium, and added sugars.
10. Healthy eating for high and low blood pressure
The principles of healthy eating and useful food are very important in controlling blood pressure. For high blood pressure, limit sodium intake and avoid processed foods. For low blood pressure, increase sodium and fluid intake, eat smaller meals, and stay hydrated.
Conclusion and guide to see a doctor
If you are looking for major changes in your diet or you have to follow a special diet due to an underlying disease, it is better to see a nutritionist. The specialist offers a special diet according to the type of disease and the needs of the body. You should provide the doctor with information about your dietary preferences and budget so that the meal plan can be completely personalized.
