Some people quote “we live to eat” while others say “we eat to live”. In this world, we are eating food and living our lives. Buying food from grocery stores is everyone’s daily routine.
Food We Consume:
Nutrition means the study of food and its effects on the body. People eat food to satisfy their hunger and nutritional needs.
Food is made up of a large number of nutrients but some foods may still not fulfil the nutritional needs of one’s body. Nutrients are the substances that build the body and help the body to work properly. The nutrients are carbohydrates; fats, proteins; provide energy, and also minerals; building materials. Some others are vitamins, trace elements, and fatty acids; compulsory for the chemical reactions that release energy to move muscles or carry out the process of body metabolism. To have a body function at its best, one needs to consume the right amounts of nutrients.
Effects Of Food On Body:
The energy in food measured in units is called calories or kilocalories. The body uses around two-thirds of the energy to maintain constant body temperature, repair internal organs and skin, keep the heart beating and lungs breathing constant and ensure the appropriate chemical equilibrium inside and outside the body’s cells. Somewhere between 1300 and 1800 calories is required for most adults to stay alive a day without doing any physical activity. The other third of energy is used to move the body through physical activities like sitting, walking, dressing, exercising, and other activities.
Additional calories are required when we are doing an extra heavy activity. As the number of calories burnt to carry out the activity depends on the weight, how long the activity is being done, and how much energy the activity requires.
Healthy Food We Should Eat:
A large number of fruits and food are delicious and healthy. Having different and colourful meals every day makes one feel joyful. Here are some healthy foods which we recommend to you:
1.Apples
Apples are rich in fibre, vitamin C, and numerous antioxidants.
2.Avocados
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats instead of carbs, creamy and tasty but also rich in fibre, potassium, and vitamin C.
3.Bananas
Bananas are among the world’s best sources of potassium and rich in vitamin B6 and fibre.
4.Blueberries
Blueberries are very delicious and are among the most powerful sources of antioxidants in the world.
5.Oranges
Oranges are well known for their vitamin C content and rich in fibre and antioxidants.
6.Strawberries
Strawberries are greatly nutritious and rich in vitamin C, fibre, and manganese, and are also low in both carbs and calories.
7.Eggs
Eggs are among the most nutritious foods in the world.
8.Lean Beef
Lean beef is among the finest resources of protein in existence, rich in highly bioavailable iron.
9.Chicken Breasts
Chicken breast is low in fat and calories but extremely rich in protein and a great source of various nutrients.
10.Lamb
Lamb’s meat tends to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
11.Almonds
Almonds are rich in vitamin E, antioxidants, magnesium, and fibre.
12.Chia Seeds
A single ounce (28 grams) packs 11 grams of fibre and significant amounts of magnesium, manganese, calcium, and many nutrients are present in chia seeds.
13.Coconuts
Coconuts are stuffed with fibre and powerful fatty acids.
14.Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats and low in omega-6 fatty acids.
15.Walnuts
Walnuts are extremely nutritious and loaded with fibre and various vitamins and minerals.
16.Asparagus
Asparagus contains lots of vitamin K and has a low amount of carbs and calories.
17.Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are crunchy and sweet, as well as a great source of antioxidants and vitamin C.
18.Broccoli
Broccoli is an excellent source of fibre and vitamins C and K and contains a good amount of proteins.
19.Carrots
Carrots are extremely crunchy and loaded with nutrients like fibre and vitamin K and are rich in carotene antioxidants, which have numerous benefits.
20.Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a very versatile cruciferous vegetable and can be used to make a variety of healthy dishes.
21.Cucumber
Cucumbers are very low in both carbs and calories, consisting mostly of water. A number of nutrients in small amounts, including vitamin K, are also present.
22.Garlic
Garlic contains bioactive organosulfur compounds that have powerful biological effects, including improved immune function.
23.Kale
Kale is incredibly high in fibre, vitamins C and K, and several other nutrients.
24.Onions
Onions contain a number of bioactive compounds that have health benefits.
25.Tomatoes
Tomatoes are loaded with nutrients like potassium and vitamin C.
26.Salmon
Salmon has a high amount of nutrients, including protein and omega-3 fatty acids. It contains some vitamin D too.
27.Sardines
Sardines are among the most nutritious foods. They boast sizable amounts of most nutrients that a body requires.
28.Shrimp
Low amount of fats and calories but a generous amount of protein is found in shrimps. It is also filled with lots of various other nutrients, such as selenium and vitamin B12.
29.Trout
Trout is another kind of delicious freshwater fish.
30.Tuna
Tuna tends to be low in fat and calories while high in protein.
31.Brown Rice
Brown rice is fairly nutritious, with a good amount of fibre, vitamin B1 and magnesium.
32.Oats
Oats are loaded with nutrients and powerful fibres called beta-glucan which has numerous benefits.
33.Quinoa
Quinoa is high in nutrients, such as fibre and magnesium. It is a perfect source of plant-based protein.
34.Ezekiel Bread
Ezekiel bread is made from organic, sprouted whole grains and several legumes.
35.Green Beans
Green beans are unripe varieties of the common bean also known as string beans.
36.Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are stuffed with a generous amount of fibre and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
37.Lentils
Lentils are high in fibre and among the best sources of plant-based protein.
38.Peanuts
Peanuts are high in nutrients and antioxidants.
39.Cheese
Cheese is incredibly nutritious, as a single slice may offer about the same amount of nutrients equals to an entire cup (240 ml) of milk.
40.Whole Milk
Whole milk is very rich in minerals, vitamins, quality animal protein, and healthy fats.
41.Yogurt
Yogurt has many of the same health effects as milk but yogurt with live cultures has the added benefit of friendly probiotic bacteria.
42.Butter From Grass-Fed Cows
Butter from grass-fed cows is high in many important nutrients which include vitamin K2.
43.Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains fairly rich amounts of MCTs which may aid Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to help lose belly fat.
44.Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest vegetable oils as it contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and is very rich in antioxidants with powerful health benefits.
45.Potatoes
Potatoes are loaded with potassium and contain a little bit of almost every nutrient including vitamin C.
46.Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are among the most mouth-watering starchy foods. They contain all kinds of beneficial nutrients and are also extremely rich in antioxidants.
47.Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can help lower blood sugar levels and cause modest weight loss.
48.Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium which serves as one of the planet’s most effective sources of antioxidants.
Food We Should Avoid:
It’s better to avoid certain food to lose weight and prevent chronic illnesses. Following are some unhealthy food which may not give permanent damage to one’s body itself but it is advised to consume them as little as possible.
1.Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks are particularly harmful. When drink liquid calories are consumed, one’s brain doesn’t appear to register them as food. Thus, ending up drastically increasing one’s total calorie intake and consumption of large amounts can drive insulin resistance and is strongly linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It’s also linked with various serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
2.Pizza
Unhealthy ingredients like highly refined dough and heavily processed meat are the key items used in preparing pizzas, making them tremendously high in calories.
3.White Bread
White bread is mostly unhealthy if eaten in large amounts, as they’re made from refined wheat, which is low in fibre and essential nutrients and may lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar.
4.Firuit Juices
Fruit juice is mostly assumed to be healthy. Juice contains some antioxidants and vitamin C, it also has high amounts of liquid sugar. Fruit juice in fact harbours just as much sugar as sugary drinks like Coke or Pepsi.
5.Sweetened Breakfast Cereals
The grains are either flaked, roasted, pulped, shredded or rolled to make them more appealing and plateable. They are generally rich in added sugar. The negative side of breakfast cereals is their high added sugar content. Some are so sweet that they could even be compared to candies.
6.Fried, Grilled Or Broiled Food
Foods cooked in these ways are mostly highly palatable and calorie-dense. Numerous kinds of unhealthy chemical compounds also are produced when food is cooked under high heat. Many chemicals formed during high-heat cooking have been associated with an increased risk of cancer and heart disease.
7.Cookies, Pastries, And Cakes
Most pastries, cookies, and cakes are unhealthy if eaten in a large amount. Packaged versions are made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour, and added fats.
8.Potato Chips And French Chips
They are very rich in calories, and it’s easy to eat excessive amounts which can make someone weight gain. These foods may also contain large amounts of acrylamides, which are carcinogenic substances that form when potatoes are roasted, fried, or baked.
9.Gluten-Free Junk Foods
These gluten-free replacement products are mostly rich in sugar and refined grains like corn starch or tapioca starch. These ingredients contain low to no essential nutrients and can also initiate rapid spikes in blood sugar.
10.Agave Nectar
It is highly refined and extremely high in fructose. High amounts of fructose from added sweeteners can be absolutely dangerous for health. It is even higher in fructose than many other sweeteners.
Till the end, we do eat food, obviously because of hunger. But we all eat food differently from each other because of one’s own taste, family preferences, health concerns, cultural and traditional influences, societal pressures, emotional reasons, cost, convenience, and variety, quality, and quantity of the available food.
