Healthy Eating in the right way 

In fact, the "healthy eating" is very simple and flexible, depending on the nutritional needs of each body. Under any circumstances, a healthy eating can be applied. Although it may be a little different from the convenient diet which you already do every day, you need a well-balanced diet, one that includes: foods rich in nutrients, lowly processed foods; including main meals and snacks, will be better for your health.

If you're interested in heallthy eating, it only takes a few small changes to get you on the right track. Start by checking the foods in your kitchen, just make sure you always have enough vegetables, whole grains or protein sources.

Although we know that eating is enjoying, a healthy eating is very important, why?

√ Food is what fuels your body to function. Your body cannot go without calories, nor can one or more nutrients. Your health will be very strong a reflection of your diet.

√ The quality of your diet directly affects your risk of disease, longevity and your mental health.

√ Your current convenience diet may be high in processed foods and beverages like fast food, soft drinks and sugary cereals, but low in whole foods like vegetables, fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish, you may not be getting enough of certain nutrients, which adversely affects your overall health.

Healty eating is important for many reasons, including fueling the body, getting the nutrients it needs, reducing disease risk, increasing longevity, and promoting mental and physical health.

Does "Healthy Eating" have to follow a certain diet?

Unnecessary. There are some people who need or choose to avoid specific foods or go on a diet for health reasons, but the most of people don't have to follow any particular diet at all.

In general, healthy eating has nothing to do with following certain diets or dietary rules. It is simply a diet that prioritizes health by fueling the body with nutrient-rich foods. For example, some people feel better on a low-carbohydrate (carb) diet, while others need carbs to grow. The specifics may vary from person to person depending on their location, financial situation, culture, society and taste preferences.

There are four nutrition basics you need to know for healthy eating

1. Nutrient density
Most people when it comes to the concept of healthy eating, their first thought is calories. While calories are important, but your primary concern should be nutrients.

Nutrients, including protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals are what your body needs to grow. Nutritional density refers to the amount of a nutrient in a food relative to the amount of calories it provides.

All foods contain calories, but not all foods are rich in nutrients. For example, a candy bar or a box of cheese can contain a lot of calories but lack vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber.

Foods marketed as "diet-friendly" or "low-calorie" may be very low in calories but lacking in nutrients. For example, egg whites are much lower in calories and fat than whole eggs. One egg white provides 1% or less of the Daily Value (DV) for iron, phosphorus, zinc, choline, and vitamins A and B12, while a whole egg contains between 5 and 21% of the DV for these nutrients this care. That's because the yolk contains a lot of fat and nutrients in eggs.

What more, some foods are rich in nutrients but low in calories, such as a variety of fruits and vegetables. Or nuts, fatty yogurt, egg yolks, avocados, fatty fish... are rich in nutrients and also high in calories. But that's okay, that's perfectly fine.

Just because a food is high in calories doesn't mean it's not good for you. At the same time, low-calorie foods do not make it a healthy choice.

If your food choices are based solely on calories, you're missing the point of healthy eating. As a general rule, try to mainly eat foods that are high in nutrients like protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. These foods include vegetables, fruits, tubers, berries, seeds, fatty fish, and eggs.

2. Diverse diet
Another fundamental of a healthy diet is dietary diversity, which means eating a variety of foods. Follow a diet that includes a variety of foods that support your gut bacteria, promote a body and mental healthy, and protect against chronic disease.

However, eating a wide variety of foods can be difficult if you are a picky eater. In this case, you should try new foods one at a time. If you don't eat a lot of vegetables, start by adding a favorite vegetable to one or two meals a day and build from there. Or maybe, you don't like trying new foods, but the research has shown that the more you are exposed to a certain food, the better your chances of getting used to it.

3. Macronutrient ratio
Macronutrients, the main nutrients that you get from food, are carbs, fat, and protein. Your main meal and snack should be balanced between these three substances. In particular, adding protein and fat to fiber-rich carb sources will make dishes tastier and more filling. For example, when you're snacking on a piece of fruit, adding a spoonful of nut butter or a bit of cheese will keep you full longer than if you just ate the fruit.

Macro counting and following a defined macronutrient plan is not necessary for most people, except athletes, who are looking for a specific ingredient and who need to gain muscle or grease for medical reasons. Furthermore, macro-counting and obsessing about staying within a certain macro-range can lead to unhealthy fixation on food and calories or trigger disordered eating tendencies.

It's important to note that some people can thrive on a diet low in carbs and high in fat and protein, or a diet low in fat and high in carbs. However, even on these diets, a macronutrient count is often not necessary. For example, if you feel your best on a low-carb diet, simply choosing low-carb foods like non-starchy vegetables, protein, and fat more often with high-carb foods is usually enough.

4. Highly processed foods
One of the best ways to improve your diet is to cut back on ultra-processed foods.

You needn't completely avoid processed foods. In fact, many healthy foods like shelled nuts, canned beans, and frozen fruits and vegetables have been prepared in one way or another. A diet low in these foods and high in nutrient-dense foods has the opposite effect, protecting against disease, prolonging life, and promoting overall physical and mental health.

Therefore, it is best to prioritize foods rich in nutrients, especially vegetables and fruits.

How does healthy eating work?
Your daily life is a mix of commuting, work, family chores, social work, food may be last on your list of concerns, but it brings most important.

If you lead a busy lifestyle, you should stick to a healthy eating rather than making food one of your priorities. This doesn't mean you have to spend hours preparing meals or cooking fancy meals. It just takes you once or twice a week to go to the grocery store to keep your kitchen stocked and ready for a selection of meals and snacks.

Things you should note to bring:
√Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
√ Protein sources like chicken, eggs, fish and tofu
√ Great carb sources like canned beans and whole grains.
√ High-fiber sources of carbs, starchy options like sweet potatoes, oats, some fruits, and beans
√ Low fiber sources of carbs like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and berries
√ fat sources such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, nut butters, butter, cheese, or full-fat yogurt.

A healthy meal doesn't take time. Treat cooking as entertainment, so you can enjoy a healthy meal later. To develop a healthy relationship with food, it may take some time for you to enjoy cooking instead of the habit of ordering and waiting for fast food to arrive. This is really essential for your physical and mental health. Once you've formed this new habit, you'll find it very enjoyable to cook yourself a healthy meal as well.

If you are an office worker, or have to eat out often, then try preparing yourself a neat food box, for example grilling yourself some marinated chicken, or boiling an egg. .. served with some beans or boiled vegetables or salad... add a few grapes or plums for dessert. You can have a simple meal at your desk or sit at a coffee shop on the street corner to enjoy your meal. One thing is for sure when you have established healthy eating habits, you will have a healthy body and a happy mind.

A few practical tips so you can start and stay healthy with eating

√ Prioritize plant-based foods: Plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and nuts should make up the bulk of your diet. Try incorporating these foods, especially vegetables and fruits, in each meal and snack.

√ Cook at home: Cooking meals at home helps to diversify your diet. If you're used to takeout or restaurant meals, try cooking one or two meals a week to start.

√ Cut out sugary drinks: Limit sugary drinks like soda, energy drinks, and sugary coffee as much as possible. Regularly consuming sugary drinks can be harmful to your health.

√ Choose to be full with food: When hungry, your goal should be to eat filling, nutritious foods, not eating as few calories as possible. Choose meals and snacks rich in protein and fiber to keep you full.

√ Eat whole foods: A healthy eating mainly includes whole foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, whole grains, and protein sources like eggs and fish.

√ Hydrate the smart way: Staying hydrated is part of a healthy eating, and water is the best way to stay hydrated. If you're not used to drinking water, get a reusable water bottle and add fruit slices or a squeeze of lemon for flavor.

√ Respect your dislike: If you've tried a particular food a few times and don't like it, don't eat it. Instead, there are many healthy foods to choose from. Don't force yourself to eat something just because it's considered healthy.

One key thing you can do to maintain a healthy eating is that "healthy eating is the only key to staying healthy". Remember: health is not good, you can't do anything, life becomes meaningless.

Compiled and penned by Crocus Media