The importance of having a healthy diet

In this increasingly fast paced society, there are many of us who ignore our health. As a result of our hectic schedules, we lack adequate time to exercise regularly and eat properly. Besides regular exercises, healthy eating plays a crucial role in the maintenance of mental and physical health. As the famous saying goes, “You are what you eat”. Hence, it is our responsibility to understand the importance of having a healthy diet. In this article, we will look at the importance of a healthy diet as well as the food we should eat and avoid.

Eating balanced meals means eating meals that contain all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals which the body requires to function well. There are six classes of nutrients which the body needs: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. On top of these six classes, fibre is also an important element although it is not a nutrient per se. However, fibre is beneficial to our health as it helps to prevent constipation. It also improves our digestion.

We should eat balanced meals because eating imbalanced meals can trigger negative effects to our health which often leads to diseases, such as scurvy, obesity and osteoporosis. Scurvy is the result of a deficiency in Vitamin C. On the other hand, obesity is caused by consuming excessive fat and cholesterol while a deficiency in calcium leads to osteoporosis.

In order to maintain a healthy diet, there are several kinds of food that we must ear, These include grain products, dairy products as well as fruits and vegetables. Grain products such as wheat, rice and pasta are rich sources of carbohydrates while dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are rich sources of calcium and protein. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables provide us with plenty of vitamins and fibre.

In order to maintain a healthy diet, we should also avoid food which contains high amounts of salt, sugar, fat and cholesterol. Food which is rich in salt includes fast food, snacks, preserved food and miscellaneous “junk food”. On the other hand, fried food contains more fat and cholesterol so we should choose food which is steamed, baked or grilled. Soft drinks contain high amounts of sugar so we should choose sugar-free fruit juices or mineral water instead.

The importance of having a healthy diet cannot be underestimated. Hence, we should try our best to eat nutritious food and avoid food that would damage out health in the long run.