Importance of Nutrition in Daily Life
“We are what we eat” is an age-old phrase that has proven its value over time. Individuals who eat a healthy and balanced diet have proven to be more productive and lead healthier lives. Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of the development of the human body. Good nutrition improves overall health, builds a strong immune system, makes childbirth safer, improves mental health, and drastically lowers the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and other cardiovascular illnesses while ensuring you maintain healthy body weight.
To maintain a healthy nutritional diet, one must consume enough macronutrients such as Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats as well as micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. It is commonly known that it is best to avoid highly processed foods as they do more harm. Consuming fresh produce such as meats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables can significantly make your diet healthier and replenish your macro and micronutrients regularly. The following are good sources of nutrients that one must include in their daily diet.
> Proteins
Proteins help with muscle development and help build a strong immune system. Proteins also contain essential amino acids that help with bodily functions. Good sources of proteins could include lentils, dairy, nuts, and legumes for vegetarians and lean meats, eggs, and fish for non-vegetarians.
> Carbohydrates
Our bodies are provided energy by carbohydrates. They provide nearly 65% of our energy and are essential to our dietary requirements. Some common great sources of carbohydrates are bread, potatoes, rice, wheat, and fruits.
> Fats
Fats are integral as they provide energy for the body and are crucial for blood regulation and healthy skin. There are two types of fats, saturated and unsaturated. Some good sources of fat are Ghee, Butter, Olive oil, cheese, and soybean.
> Vitamins
Vitamins play a vital role in making our bodies function properly. Some of the vitamins can be commonly found in fruits and vegetables while others are produced naturally by our bodies. Some common vitamins are vitamins A, B, C, D, E, B6, K, and B12. Vitamins D and K are naturally produced by our bodies.
> Minerals
Minerals are essential to maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Some of the common minerals needed by our bodies are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, potassium, sodium, and chloride.
> Benefits of a Healthy and Balanced Diet
There is a belief that healthy eating helps with weight management, which is true but eating a nutritious diet has a multitude of health benefits beyond weight management. We get our energy from the above-mentioned macro and micronutrients that help with our daily life.
Some of the health benefits of consuming a healthy and balanced nutrition diet are,
- Good Heart Health - good nutrition can help drastically with maintaining a good and healthy heart. They also aid in avoiding dangerous heart-related diseases such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
- Improved well-being - the right foods will give you the energy to sustain an entire day while helping you concentrate better and ensuring a better quality of sleep.
- Maintains Immune system - essential vitamins and minerals improve our immune system significantly and help fight off common illnesses such as cold, and flu.
- Increased energy levels - consuming a healthy diet that includes all macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates and fats can keep you energised all day while making you feel fresh and helping you fight tiredness.
A healthy diet will always ensure that your body gets all its required important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients so that we can function at our best for years to come. It's a good idea to plan your meals that include nutritious foods such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Visit a doctor near you to understand your dietary needs and lifestyle to prevent diseases.
