What is nutrition? What are some foods that promote health?

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Nutrition is the process of taking care of your health by selecting the types and quantities of food that are consistent with your body’s needs to maintain good health. According to nutritional principles, nutrients are divided into five groups: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, which affect the growth and function of various organ systems in the body. http://ufabet999.app Understanding nutrition may make it easier to choose healthy foods.

Choosing food based on nutritional principles

Changing the food you eat each day to be in line with proper nutrition so that your body receives more beneficial nutrients can be done as follows:

Grains

Whole grains are high in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, and are low in fat. They help you feel full for longer and prevent you from overeating. When buying grains, look at the product label to see if they contain whole grains, and choose products that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

Examples of cereal foods

  • Whole Wheat Pasta
  • Brown rice, parboiled rice
  • Barley, quinoa, corn, buckwheat
  • Steel-cut oats

In addition, you should avoid refined flours such as white bread, cakes, and white sugar because they can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, which increases the risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Meat

Meat contains protein, which consists of amino acids that are necessary for the body’s growth and for the various systems to function normally. It helps build muscle and repair wear and tear. You should buy meat from sources that have standardized and quality production processes. Always observe the appearance of the meat before buying. Choose meat that looks fresh, clean, and has no bad smell. Focus on eating meat with little fat and no skin, or remove the outer fat before cooking. Trim off the fat inside. Separate any remaining fat before eating. In general, you should eat 6-12 tablespoons of meat per day, depending on your age and energy needs. For example, children and the elderly should eat 6 tablespoons per day, and adults who use a lot of energy should eat 12 tablespoons per day.

Examples of meat dishes

  • Fish meat
  • chicken breast
  • Duck meat
  • beef
  • pork

In addition, you should eat processed meats such as sausages, meatballs, ham, bacon, and Chinese sausages in small amounts or avoid eating them at all.

fat

Fats and oils are foods that provide energy to the body and are necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. The average person should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of fat per day and focus on consuming unsaturated fat.

Examples of unsaturated fat

  • Olive oil
  • Peanut oil
  • Canola oil
  • Avocado
  • Certain nuts, such as almonds, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews

In addition, you should avoid foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat, such as animal fat, full-fat dairy products, fried potatoes, food that uses reused frying oil, snacks, coconut oil, palm oil, margarine, artificial creamer, and white butter, which will increase bad fat or LDL cholesterol and reduce good fat or HDL cholesterol that is good for health, which may increase the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart attack, and even stroke.

Vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits are foods that add nutrients, flavor, and variety to meals. They are also naturally low in fat. You should choose colorful vegetables and fruits, especially dark green and orange vegetables and fruits, which contain many nutrients that act as antioxidants in the body. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, dietary fiber, folate, and potassium. You should eat at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits per day, as recommended by the World Health Organization. You should also wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating them, as they may contain insects, contaminants, chemicals, or pesticide residues.

Examples of vegetable and fruit dishes

  • Green leafy vegetables such as kale, Chinese kale, morning glory, acacia pennata, Chinese cabbage, kale, broccoli
  • Legumes such as peas, green beans, soybeans, and chickpeas
  • Other vegetables such as bell peppers, asparagus, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, pumpkins, tomatoes
  • Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, cherries, grapes
  • Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and grapefruits
  • Other fruits such as apples, guava, mangosteen, mango, papaya, pineapple , bananas, avocados, peaches, pears, melons