Eating healthy is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But with so many different diets and nutrition advice out there, it can be hard to know where to start. To help you get started on the path to a healthier diet, here are five essential tips that you should keep in mind. First, it's important to eat a variety of foods.
Eating a wide range of foods ensures that you get all the essential nutrients your body needs. Additionally, try to reduce your salt intake, as too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and other health problems. It's also important to limit your intake of certain fats and oils, as well as sugar. Finally, it's important to avoid dangerous and harmful alcohol consumption. It's also important to be aware of the recommended daily calorie intake for your gender.
Men should consume around 2500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules), while women should consume around 2000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules).Including at least one starchy food in every main meal is also recommended. While some people think that starchy foods are fattening, gram for gram they provide less than half the calories of fat. A serving of fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables is 80 g, while a serving of dried fruit (which should be preserved for meals) is 30 g. A 150 ml glass of fruit juice, vegetable juice, or smoothie also counts as one serving, but limit the amount to no more than one glass a day, as these beverages are sugary and can damage your teeth. It's also important to include at least two servings of fish a week, including at least one serving of oily fish.
Oily fish is high in omega-3 fats, which can help prevent heart disease. When looking at food labels, more than 22.5 g of total sugars per 100 g means that the food is high in sugar, while 5 g of total sugars or less per 100 g means that the food is low in sugar. More than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g means that the food is high in salt. Adults and children age 11 and older should not eat more than 6 g of salt (about one teaspoon) per day. Younger children should have even less. Finally, it's important to maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight or obese can cause health problems such as type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Being underweight can also affect your health. The NHS Weight Loss Plan is a 12-week weight loss guide that combines advice on healthier eating and physical activity. The combined total of fruit juice drinks, vegetable juices and smoothies should not exceed 150 ml per day. The key to a healthy diet is to consume the right amount of calories for your level of physical activity so that you can balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. By following these five tips for eating healthy, you'll be well on your way to achieving your health goals.
