Do you eat a healthy diet? Chances are high that you think you do without realizing that you're not getting the nutrients you need from the food you eat.
Why do we say this? A recent poll
revealed that 75% of Americans claim to eat a healthy diet--which doesn't align with the
evidence found in American health charts.
If you aren't eating the types of
healthy food that you should be, don't panic. Adopting a well-balanced diet
doesn't have to be hard or scary. All it takes is dedication and small
adjustments over time.
Let's chat about it. Read on as we
talk about the three types of healthy food to fill your plate with so that you
can embrace a healthy lifestyle.
1.
Eating the Rainbow
If you've heard this expression
before, you know what's coming: we're talking about fruits and vegetables. Why
do we say to eat the rainbow? You want to get between two to four servings of
vegetables and two to four servings of fruit every day, and eating a variety is
ideal.
No two fruits or vegetables are
alike. They offer different textures and flavor profiles but also different
nutrients and nutrient densities. For example, while carrots and broccoli share
many nutrients, carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A and broccoli is an
excellent source of Vitamin K.
2.
Getting Your Macronutrients
What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients are foods that give us the most energy and strength throughout
the day. They're broken down into healthy fats, proteins, and carbs.
Although these are the foods that
should always get plenty of space on your plate, striking the right ratio isn't
always easy. It depends on your body type, your activity level, and your
specific health goals. Head to Wholistic Matters to learn more about meeting your specific health goals with
the help of nutrition.
3. Healthy
Snacks to Satisfy Cravings
The best part about healthy eating
is that it does include snacking! Snacks are a great way to maintain our energy
levels and blood sugar throughout the day. Eating a snack between meals can
also boost our metabolism and make it easier to track our true hunger levels.
The key is to replace processed or
high-sugar and high-salt snacks with something more powerful for your body.
Rather than eating a handful of potato chips, consider an apple and some
seaweed snacks. Rather than a pack of cookies, consider some crackers with
peanut butter and a handful of dark chocolate pieces.
What
Types of Healthy Food Will You Have for Dinner?
Achieving a healthy diet doesn't
have to mean eating less or giving up all of the foods that you love. The best
way to improve your nutrition is to start introducing these types of healthy
food to your diet over time, figuring out what you like and don't like. Over
time, you'll find that it's natural to reach for healthy food options more
often than not.
There are tons of ways, big and small, that you can improve your health. To learn more, take a look at our health content and get inspired.
