Your health is the exact reflection of what you consume. Eat whole foods and green vegetables and watch your body transform for the better. Indulge in junk every day, and it will adjust to the same. Food is the steering that drives your body towards betterment.
It’s all about balancing your likings with what’s important to consume. For instance, chocolates contain antioxidants and can reduce stress. But if you have too much of it, it will spoil your teeth which can ache badly at any time. Then you’ll need an emergency dentist to help you out. You must understand that everything works great when it’s consumed in suitable proportions.
You consume different kinds of food items every day. They contain carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals in different proportions. These nutrients act as fuel to your body, and it needs all these to operate at the best of its capacity.
Let’s find out what nutrients are essential for our bodies.
Unavoidable nutrients that are more important than your diet
Food trends across social media have labeled fat and carbs (carbohydrates) as the bad guys. A common misconception is that they cause fat to store in your body. But it doesn’t work like that. Fats can be both healthy and unhealthy. Your body needs healthy fat as it’s a source of fatty acids, which the body can’t make on its own.
It may be wise to cut down on unhealthy fats since they increase cholesterol in your body. Healthy fats, in small amounts, are necessary to absorb Vitamin A, D, and E. Fats have two sub-categories:
- Saturated fats
- Unsaturated Fats
Saturated fats are found in butter, cream, cheesy snacks, oil, and meat products. These contribute to building cholesterol in the body. While unsaturated fats maintain HDL (good) cholesterol which decreases the risk of heart diseases.
The low-carb diet is also too cool to follow. Carbohydrates must contribute 45-65% to your total daily calorie intake. They boost the functioning of your central nervous system and protect against diseases.
Below are some food items listed along with the nutrients they have. You can choose what to consume as per your body’s requirements.
Nutrient-Rich Food Items:
Proteins
Proteins are very important to achieve a balanced diet. They contain amino acids that help in building muscles and bones. They also speed up their repairing process in case of injury.
Chicken, fish, beef, and other animal products are rich in protein. It’s also found in soy, quinoa, and leafy green vegetables. If you’re vegan, don’t worry. Go for lentils, beans, nuts, and whole grains as they’re good sources of protein.
Vitamins
Different food items contain different Vitamins. Eggs, carrots, milk, and sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A. For Vitamin C, you can try oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, and peppers. Vitamin E is found in green vegetables, whole-grain foods, and seeds and nuts.
Vitamin deficiencies are the most common among all nutrition deficiencies. People forget that there’s a whole group of vitamins that the body needs. That’s why you must include variety in your daily meals. Combine vegetables with meat and consume dairy products, fruits, and nuts. This makes up a healthy diet.
Minerals
Your body requires essential minerals like calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus. They are important for fluid balance, muscle contraction, protection against blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, and maintaining acid-base balance.
Some micro minerals include zinc, iron, copper, manganese, and iodine. Major sources for minerals are unrefined foods, bread, nuts, egg yolks, artichokes, table salt, and meat.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are basically sugar molecules that your body breaks down into glucose. Glucose is the number source of energy that drives cell building and tissue growth. It is a major contributor to the functioning of organs.
There are three categories of carbohydrates – sugar, starches, and fiber. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate while starches and fibers are complex ones. The sources of carbohydrates are grains, noodles, pasta, fruits like apples, mangoes, and bananas. Dairy products are also rich in carbs. Potatoes, which are a starch-rich vegetable, are a great source of carbohydrates.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are necessary for your body to function at its best. Common sources of healthy fats are avocado, fatty fish, nuts, and chia seeds. Some oils in this category are coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil.
It’s advisable not to cut down completely on fats as most people do. Balance them with fiber-rich and protein-rich food if you are following a diet.
These were some important nutrients that your body needs. The deficiency of these nutrients can make you ill and invite many unwanted diseases. That’s why a balanced diet is very important when it comes to maintaining good health.
