Eating a healthy diet throughout your life will help to prevent malnutrition and a range of non-communicable diseases.
However, there is now a shift in diets because
of the production of processed foods, quick urbanization, and sedentary
lifestyles.
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Most people
are now eating more energetic foods, fatty food, sugars, and salts. Also, many
people do not consume enough fruits, fiber, and vegetables.
Healthy diets will vary depending on many characteristics including age, gender, lifestyle, activity, culture, and available foods. However, the major content of a healthy diet remains the same.
Healthy diet for adults
Fruit and
vegetables
Adult foods
must contain fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains such as oats, wheat, and
brown rice. They should consume at least 400 g of
fruit and vegetables daily.
Try to
include vegetables in meals, and eat fruits and raw vegetables as a snack. As well as, consuming fresh and variant types of fruit and
vegetables is essential.
Fruit and
vegetables supply an adequate amount of needed dietary fiber. Also, excluding potatoes, cassava and other
starchy foods are very essential for health.
Free sugars
Free sugars always
cause dental caries. Also, it leads to weight gain and obesity. Evidence shows
that it affects blood pressure and serum lipids. So, the decrease in its consumption
will decrease the risk of cardiac diseases.
It is better
to consume less than 10% of daily energy intake from free sugars. This is nearly
equivalent to about 12 teaspoons for a healthy person consuming about 2000
calories daily.
However, consuming
less than 5% of daily energy intake is ideal for better health profits.
Free sugars include
all types of sugars added by the manufacturer to foods or drinks. Also, it
includes those sugars found in honey, fruit juices, fruit juice concentrates,
and syrups in a natural manner.
There are
many ways to decrease free sugar consumption. You should avoid eating sugary
snacks, candies, and sweetened beverages (carbonated and non‐carbonated).
Examples of
sweetened beverages are fruit or vegetable juices, energy and sports drinks,
ready‐to‐drink tea, and ready‐to‐drink coffee. Try to replace sugary snacks
with fresh fruit and raw vegetable snacks.
Fats
As well As, the consumption of fats shouldn't be more than 30% of daily energy intake. Definitely,
unsaturated fats are better for health than saturated fats.
Unsaturated
fat is present in fish, avocado, sunflower, soybean, canola, olive oils, and nuts.
However, saturated fats are present in fatty meat, butter, cream, cheese, palm,
coconut oil, and lard.
Trans-fats classified
into industrially-produced trans-fats, and ruminant trans-fats. Also, industrially-produced
trans-fats present in baked and fried foods, cookies, biscuits, wafers, frozen
pizza, and cooking oils.
But, ruminant
trans-fats present in meat and dairy foods come from cows, sheep, goats, and
camels). Evidence suggested that the consumption of saturated fats should decrease
below 10% of daily energy.
Also, it
suggested that trans-fats should decrease below 1% of daily energy. Particularly,
industrially-produced trans-fats should be avoided. As it is not a part of a
healthy diet.
Try to
reduce saturated fats and industrially-produced trans-fats by following these
simple steps. The use of boiling instead of frying is a good option.
Then, try to
replace butter with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean, canola,
corn, and sunflower oils. Also, consume dairy products and lean meats which are
low in fats as well as manually remove visible fat from meat.
After that,
reduce your consumption of baked and fried foods, as well as pre-packaged snacks
(e.g. cakes, cookies, biscuits, and wafers) that are always a source of
industrially-produced trans-fats.
Salts
Last, adults
must consume an amount of salt below 5 g which is equal to 1 teaspoon daily. Also, salt is better to be iodized.
Indeed, a lot of people eat too much sodium and not enough potassium.
The increase
in sodium intake and the decrease in potassium intake will lead to
hypertension. Hypertension is a major
risk factor for many dangerous diseases such as heart disease and stroke.
Many
individuals are often unaware of the high amount of salt they eat. Salt is usually
present in processed foods. Also, it is added to foods during cooking.
You can try
to decrease the amount of consumed salt in many ways. Reduction of the amount of
salt-containing components in the sauce is very important while preparing the food.
Also,
avoiding salty snacks and using products low in sodium are two very important
ways. You should check nutrition labels to see how much sodium is present in a
product before buying it.
Potassium can counteract the negative drawbacks of increased sodium intake on
blood pressure. Consuming adequate amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables supply
the body with the needed amount of potassium.
Healthy diet for infants and young children
In this
period of life, adequate nutrition is very important for healthy physical and
cognitive development. Also, it decreases the overall risk of being obese and
developing many diseases.
However, a healthy
diet for pediatrics is nearly similar to that for adults. But, some elements
are very important to be considered:
·
In the first 6 months of life, exclusive breastfeeding is a must.
·
Continuous breastfeeding for 2 years has many
advantages to an infant's health.
·
After 6 months, other safe foods complement with breast
milk to maintain nutrition in infants. Also, adding salt and sugars must be avoided
in this period.
How to promote healthy diets
Many social
and economic factors influence individual dietary patterns. It includes individual
income, prices of foods, preferences, culture, location, and environment (as
climate).
Therefore, creating
a healthy environment including a healthy diet requires the union of many sectors
including the government and the population.
Governments
should create a plan in national policies (trade, food, and agricultural
policies) to build a suitable environment for a healthy diet for all
individuals.
Then, it
should encourage growing, using, and selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Also,
it is very important to enhance the reformulation of products to decrease the
contents of unhealthy fats, free sugars, and salt.
After that,
the availability of healthy, safe, and affordable foods in public and private
institutions should be a must. Also, encourages individuals' demand for healthy
food.
Awareness of
people about healthy diet benefits is crucial. School
programs must encourage children to consume healthy diets. Also, it should aim
to educate children about healthy dietary patterns.
Putting
adequate policies that allow the protection of working mothers is crucial. Also, supporting
breastfeeding in health services is very important for a healthy environment.
Conclusion about healthy diet
A healthy
diet prevents the occurrence of malnutrition and many other chronic conditions. An unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle will lead to major health problems.
Healthy
dietary patterns must begin during infancy. Breastfeeding has many physical and
mental benefits for infants. So, it must be encouraged by all means.
Intake of
calories must be in balance with energy expenditure to prevent excess weight
gain. We must consume fats, free sugars, and salts in very low amounts.
Increasing
the intake of fresh fruit and vegetables is a major part of a healthy diet.
Assuming a healthy environment is real, applicable, and crucial.
The burden
of unhealthy practices will lay on the government and individuals. So the
government, as well as individuals, will be responsible for the creation of a
healthy environment.