Following a healthy diet gives you plenty of benefits. It can aid you to maintain optimal body weight or shed excess fat. It can also help reduce your cholesterol levels and thereby preventing the chances of different health problems. In short, a healthy diet allows your body to function smoothly. In this article, we tell you how to select healthy foods.

Road To Enhanced Health

You should be watchful on what you drink and eat. The food that you take every day should contribute to a nutritious and balanced diet. Each individual will have his own calories needs based on his or her age, gender, metabolic rate, and activity level. Other health conditions can also influence our food choices.

We have classified the food into five groups and you may include all of them in your diet

Grains

You can select the food products that contain whole grains as the major or first ingredients. For example, there are whole wheat bread or whole grain bread. The whole grains offer plenty of health advantages. First, they are rich in fiber and low in fat. They are a good source of complex carbohydrates, which prevents you from feeling hungry for a long time and reduce overeating. You should choose products that contain “refined” or “enriched” types flours or grains, which contains no or very less nutritional value.

Generally, cereals contain low fat. However, creamy instant cereals may contain butterfat or high-fat oils, which are no good to our health. You should also avoid granola bars or cereals as they may contain added sugars and high-fat oils. Always look for no-sugar granola for better health.

You should try your best to not eat sugar-rich foods or sweets such as rolls, doughnuts, and muffins. These foods contain more calories and can be harmful to your health. You can choose angel food cake if you are looking for a lighter option that can satisfy your taste buds without adding to more calories.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are very colorful and also offer various flavor and nutrition to your diet. They contain essential vitamins, fiber, and minerals. To make your consumption healthier, you should avoid adding unwanted fats such as butter, margarine, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Instead, you can use healthy alternatives such as herbs, yogurt, and other natural seasonings.

Protein

Meats like veal, pork, lamb and beef are not always unhealthy. You can make meat healthier by choosing lean cuts portion and removing the fatty layer. Add spices, herbs and low-sodium marinate while seasoning the meat.

Broiling, baking, roasting, and grilling are some of the healthiest way to cook the meat. You can use a non-stick pan to minimize fat and oil use.

Poultry

Chicken breasts are best when it comes to healthy poultry option because they are extremely low on fat and contains more protein. You should eat the goose and duck once in a while as they contain a huge amount of fat. You should remove the skin and fat layer before cooking the poultry.

Fish

Seafoods are generally regarded as healthy because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for heart health.