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It is good that we provide nourishment for our bodies by eating regularly. However, beyond just eating we need to eat healthily. Healthy eating should be the goal anytime we open our mouths to put food inside our stomachs. Ever heard of the saying you are what you eat? Yes, the saying is true and this is why we need to ensure we imbibe healthy eating habits. Ensure you read this article to the end to find out the tips on healthy eating that I have shared.
Healthy eating starts with the choice of food we make. When it comes to the choosing what to eat, options abound. Let’s do a quick review of the 6 classes of food.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates which are made up of building blocks of sugars are the main source of energy for the body. Little wonder when we want food that will give or replenish our energy, we are quick to turn to food examples like bread, rice, yam, maize, potatoes and even bananas. Do you know bananas are said to have twice as many carbohydrates, 5 times as much Vitamin A and iron, and 3 times as much phosphorus as apples? When next you think of energy-giving foods, ensure to include bananas. Also, know that healthy eating does not imply cutting down on carbohydrates altogether as it has been discovered that doing this can plunge your body into a ketotic state and a sudden lack of carbohydrates can also make you lose weight.

PROTEINS

Proteins are complex molecules made up of amino acids and they are found throughout the body- skin, muscle, bone, organs, hair and nails. Examples of protein-rich food include egg, yoghurt, cheese, liver, meat and fish. Deficiency of protein in the body could result in an individual having thin brittle hair, edema/swelling due to fluid retention, slow healing injuries as well as hair, nails and skin problems. Eating enough proteins is part of eating healthily.

FATS AND OIL

Oily and fatty foods are another important class to talk about especially because of those of us that like fried and baked foods. Yes, I know you don’t want your body to store excess fat however, you need to understand that fatty diet is just one of the many causes of weight gain and obesity. The simple gist is if you consume too many fats and sugars without burning off the energy through exercise, much of the extra energy will be stored as fat in the body.
Fats and oils are compounds made up of fatty acids and glycerol and they are a good source of energy for the body. Unsaturated fat (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) is considered healthy fat because it helps lower cholesterol levels in the body while saturated fat is considered bad fat because it can increase the cholesterol level in the body. Healthy eating does include moderate consumption of fats and oils. Examples of food rich in fats and oil include butter, palm oil, palm kernel, coconut, groundnut, and melons.

VITAMINS

Vitamins are organic compounds that help our bodies build immunity against diseases, build strong bones and teeth and help us maintain clear and healthy skin. Healthy eating does include consuming food rich in vitamins. Fruits and vegetables are sure sources of vitamins and minerals. Can you think of examples of fruits? Remember the nursery song, “pawpaw is a type of fruit”? well yeah. The song is true. Pawpaw, mangoes, apples, pineapples, oranges, tangerines and watermelons are all examples of fruits you should include in your diet every day. How about those green leafy things that you don’t like seeing in your soup? They are called vegetables. The health benefits of vegetables include they help prevent constipation by aiding bowel movement, have low glycemic index and they are particularly good for diabetes patients. They are also a rich source of folate, a vitamin that helps in the formation of new red blood cells.

MINERALS

Let’s talk a bit about minerals. I am not talking about soft drinks like Pepsi, Limca, Fanta and Coke. Examples of the minerals our bodies need include calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium and many of these are found in cereals, meat, fish, milk and dairy products. Food sources rich in minerals that you should start taking more after reading this article include nuts like cashews, beans, dark leafy vegetables like spinach, mushrooms and avocado.

WATER

Healthy eating does involve taking enough water from time to time as water is a major component of most body parts. Our body requires water to maintain its temperature, lubricate our joints, form saliva which is necessary for food digestion in the mouth, remove body waste mainly in the urine, keep mucosal membranes of the lungs and the mouth moist, and carry oxygen and nutrients to the cells.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY EATING
Now that we have covered the 6 classes of food, let’s go on to find out my 5 tips for eating healthily.

EAT CLEAN, UNCONTAMINATED FOOD

Meals go through a number of processes from their raw form into the sumptuous, aroma-giving, edible form, that you almost can’t wait to devour. If you consume contaminated food, you introduce pathogens into your body and these pathogens will make you sick.
Go for fresh and clean farm produce, wash your hands properly before you cook, don’t serve foods that will not be eaten immediately without covering them, don’t take plastic or canned drinks that have broken seals.

EAT A BALANCED DIET

A balanced diet simply put is combining the different classes of food in their correct proportion. Healthy eating starts with consuming all the classes of food because no matter how much you love rice, eating rice 3 times a day for a month will not give your body the nutrients that protein, fats and oil, fruits and vegetables and minerals will give it.
Now that you want to combine rice with another food, let that food not be noodles, please. One of the reasons I took us through the different classes of food with examples is so that you will stop doing weird unhealthy food combinations such as;
carbohydrate-carbohydrate combination: bread and noodles, rice and potatoes
protein-protein combination: beans, meat, fish and egg with yoghurt

EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

This is one of the most important eating healthy habits that we must imbibe. It has been recommended that we should eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. Why the emphasis on fruits and vegetables? Replacing your high-calorie foods with fruits and vegetables which are lower in calories will help reduce the risk of weight gain which has been linked to diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

CUT DOWN YOUR SUGAR INTAKE

Sugar rich foods and drinks are usually high in energy (measured in kilojoules or calories), and when consumed too often, they can contribute to weight gain. They can also cause dental-related problems such as tooth decay.
The sugars we should cut down on are not the natural sugars found in fruit and milk, they are the ones termed added and free sugars. Added sugars or added sweeteners are the refined sugars we add to food while free sugars which also include added sugars are sugars added to foods or drinks, or those present in syrups, honey and smoothies.
Free sugars are found in many foods, such as sugary drinks, sugary breakfast cereals, cakes, biscuits, pastries and puddings, sweets, chocolates, and alcoholic drinks.
As much as possible, cut down on your intake of these sugars to eat healthily.

EAT LESS SALT

Salt is considered a mineral and it is made up of sodium chloride. It is a food flavouring that should be added to food in pinches. This is because too much salt in the body can cause elevated high blood pressure, which can predispose an individual to develop heart disease and stroke. Also, diseases such as osteoporosis, kidney stones and diseases are closely linked to high salt intake.

Eat healthily, stay healthy!

Adebayo Joshua Mololuwa