Healthy Eating

Having healthy eating habits

To put it simply, healthy eating is the practice of consuming only foods and drinks which have a noted health benefit and avoiding those with low nutritional value. A big part of a healthy eating regime is not to over-consume either. Even when it comes to healthy foods, overeating can lead to obesity which has long-term health implications. Many people undergo a healthier eating regime when they want to lose weight or to detoxify their body for a period. That said, for others, it is a lifestyle arrangement that they will stick to for many years. Although healthy eating programmes differ according to individual needs, they tend to mean drinking less or no alcohol, cutting down on sugar intake and the consumption of less fat, especially trans fats.

Fruit and vegetables which have not been liquidised are universally considered to be healthy foods. It is important to get a wide variety of them and to include pulses for increased roughage, too. Meat can be eaten as part of a healthy eating regime, but it should be consumed only once in a while and not at every meal. Fish and shellfish, especially oily fishes, are also a big part of healthy diets as are cereals so long as they, too, are eaten in moderation. Basically, healthy eating means a varied diet which avoids too many processed foodstuffs.

A number of conditions are known to improve if healthier eating programmes are followed. This is over and above the general health benefits noted in the general population, of course. For example, scientific studies into hypertension have shown that sufferers will almost always improve if they consume a better diet. Healthy eating also helps with obesity, epilepsy and certain food-related disorders, such as coeliac disease, for example.

Yes, it can. Consuming healthier foods and avoiding unhealthy ones will reduce the risk of contract certain chronic conditions now and in later life. Some studies have shown that a healthier lifestyle – which means a better diet as well as obtaining more exercise – will lead to a diminished risk of cancer. Diets with more fruit and vegetables will also decrease the likelihood of being diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition, such as heart disease. Healthier diets also usually mean that immune systems are in better shape to help prevent the contraction of a virus or bacteria-related infection.

It can be. Some foods are cheaper because they have preservatives in them, which include trans fats and sugars. That said, obtaining fresh food is not always needed because frozen and freeze-dried alternatives are often available at a lower cost, and these can be almost as effective. Many people also now grow their own vegetables which lowers their cost significantly.