“Eat healthy; a healthy diet is vital for good health,” we always hear this from experts.
But what to eat precisely and what about the quantity, no one tells us.
Let’s decode all these things today.
What is a healthy diet?
When you get all nutrients in a reasonable amount from the food you eat, is a healthy diet.
Why is it necessary to eat healthy?
If you eat a balanced nutritious diet, your immunity increases, and you get protected from diseases and malnutrition.
An unhealthy diet may give rise to different health conditions.
So, what is our daily nutritional requirement?
Protein – Your daily requirement of protein is according to your weight. For example, suppose your weight is 50 kilograms. You require 50 grams of protein daily.
Energy – Average daily energy requirement for men is 2300 k/cal, and for women, it is 1900 k/cal.
Calcium – An average Indian requires 1000 mg of calcium daily.
Vitamin D – 600 IU (international unit) vitamin D is required daily for people aged between 1-70.
Sodium and potassium – Every adult require around 2000 mg of sodium (5 gm of salt) daily and 3510 mg of potassium daily.
What a healthy diet includes?
- Fruits and vegetables – They are full of nutrients and easy to digest. You can have fruits and vegetables, except avoid frequent consumption of starchy roots like potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Five portions (five full palms) of fruits and vegetables are recommended in the average adult’s daily diet.
- Dry fruits – Dry fruits have multiple health benefits. You can eat them raw or soak and eat them.
You can eat 5-7 of them daily. They are a good option for evening snacks.
- Legumes – Include one cup of legumes in your daily diet to fulfil your nutritional requirement.
Legumes include chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, soybeans, peas and peanuts.
- Sodium – Most Indian food is high in salt. People eat around 9-12 gms of salt daily, 4 grams more than the requirements.
You can reduce your salt intake by –
- Limiting processed food.
- Avoiding package food.
- Avoiding table salt.
- Avoid food like papad and pickles.
- Fats – You have to reduce the consumption of fats.
- Avoid ghee and butter.
- Prefer oil which contains polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil, canola oil and sunflower oil are the best examples.
- Avoid fried food.
- Prefer baking, grilling or roasting.
Conclusion
- A regular Indian diet containing roti, dal, rice and salad is a perfect example of a balanced diet.
- Try to avoid processed and packaged food.
- Avoid overconsumption of anything.
- A healthy diet is a key to a healthy life, so start working on that.
- Along with food, exercise plays an essential role in a healthy life.