Daily healthy diet 

Contents

 1 healthy diet

 2 components of a healthy daily diet

 3 tips for a healthy diet

 4 Does a healthy diet mean giving up unhealthy foods?

 healthy diet

 A healthy diet is defined as moderation in eating nutritious dense food that is found in the main food groups. A balanced diet provides the body with vitamins, minerals, and many nutrients that the body needs for its various functions.

 It is worth noting that the excessive consumption of foods rich in calories, fats, and sugars, with a lack of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, makes the diet unhealthy; Which caused the spread of some diseases related to malnutrition, such as obesity, due to several factors, including; The rapid spread of urbanization, the increase in the production of processed foods, in addition to a change in lifestyle, and other factors. As for the composition of a healthy diet among individuals, it varies according to a set of factors, such as: culture, locally available foods, and dietary habits. In addition to several individual characteristics, such as gender, age, physical activity rate, and lifestyle.

  Components of a healthy daily diet

 The following table shows the recommended daily intake of these major food groups for healthy people over the age of 14, based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

Fruits Two cups of one cup of fresh, canned, or cooked fruits, or ½ cup of dried fruits.

 Cereals and starches 170 grams Each 28 grams equals about a slice of bread, ½ cup of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta, or 28 grams of ready-made breakfast cereals.

Vegetables Two and a half cups One cup of this group is equivalent to a cup of cooked, fresh, or canned vegetables, or two cups of leafy green salad, or a cup of 100% natural juice.

Milk and milk products 3 cups One cup of this group is equivalent to a cup of milk, or milk, or 42.5 grams of natural cheese.

 Protein: 160 grams. Each 28 grams of this group equals 28 grams of cooked or canned meat, poultry, or fish, or a quarter cup of cooked legumes, or one egg, or 14 grams of nuts or seeds.

Tips for a healthy diet

 Based on the nutritional guidelines issued by the US Department of Health for the years 2015-2020, a healthy diet should contain all the previously mentioned food groups within the recommended amount of calories for a person, as it focuses on eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, and contains It should be low on low-fat meat, fish, chicken, eggs, and nuts, and it should be low in saturated and trans fats, salt, cholesterol, and added sugars.

 Although the composition of a healthy diet varies among individuals, its basic criteria remain the same, and the following are the most prominent of them:

Drink more water:

 This is due to its many benefits to the body, including; Protecting it from dehydration, preventing the formation of kidney stones on an ongoing basis, in addition to giving a feeling of activity and vitality, and helping to think better. A study published in the journal Obesity showed that drinking 500 milliliters of water before Eating meals, gives a feeling of satiety, which helps to lose weight; By reducing calories.

 Focus on eating the recommended servings of vegetables and fruits:

 Plant foods are rich in dietary fiber and many other nutrients, and it is worth noting that a review published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2012 found that eating three to five servings a day of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of stroke, and that eating them is linked to reducing the risk of stroke. Risk of chronic diseases, including: coronary heart disease (: coronary artery disease), high blood pressure (hypertension), in addition to type 2 diabetes, and others.

 Avoid processed meat:

 Such as: sausage, and others, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, known as IARC, that processed meat can be a cause of colorectal cancer, and added that red meat is likely to cause some types of cancer. Cancer, such as: pancreatic, prostate, and colon cancer, and may also lead to obesity; This also increases the risk of cancer.

 Cut back on added sugar:

 Continuous intake of foods rich in sugars such as: energy drinks, sweets, soft drinks, sweetened juices, and others; It leads to obesity, tooth decay, and you can read food labels to find out the amount of sugars in them, as food that contains more than 22.5 grams of sugar in every 100 grams is considered high in sugar, while foods that contain 5 grams or more Less sugar per 100g is low in sugar.

 Reduce salt consumption:

 The American Heart Foundation recommends that healthy adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day. i.e. about a teaspoon of it; Where eating it in large quantities leads to high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease or stroke, and the amounts of salt added to food can be gradually reduced, whether at the dining table or during cooking, and pay attention to canned and processed foods; They contain large amounts of salt, and it is preferable to choose spices added to food with caution, as some ready-made types - such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and soy sauce - may contain large amounts of salt, and natural spices and spices can be used instead.

 It should be noted that approximately 85% of adult meals from many famous restaurants contain more amounts of salt than recommended, and one meal may sometimes contain an amount of salt that is close to the recommended amount for two days.

 Reducing fat consumption:

 Reducing the amount of fat consumed from the diet - so that it does not exceed 30% of the total daily calories consumed - may help prevent unhealthy weight gain, and it is recommended that the amount of saturated fat consumed should not exceed 10% of the total daily calories, while You should not consume more than 1% of the total calories from trans fats, and it is always preferable to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and these things may help reduce the risk of many diseases; such as heart disease, cancer, strokes, and diabetes.

The amount of fat consumed can be reduced by steaming or boiling instead of frying, and using healthy oils that contain monounsaturated fats; Such as soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower seed oil, and corn oil, instead of using butter or ghee, choosing low-fat dairy products, and removing the visible portions of fat on meat, in addition to reducing the consumption of fried and baked foods, such as cakes, biscuits, and donuts. , pies, etc., these foods contain trans fats.

Intake control:

 The amount of food eaten is as important as the type of food eaten, filling the plate with large quantities of food and eating it quickly until the shore is full may lead to consuming more calories than the quantities needed by the body, and it is advised to reduce the quantities of food intake by using small-sized dishes, and eating Larger portions of foods that are low in calories and rich in nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables, and reduce portions of foods high in calories and salt, such as processed foods. It is worth noting that meals served in restaurants are usually larger than the amount a person needs.

 Changing the cooking method:

 It is recommended to search for alternative ways to cook the person's favorite dishes, such as grilling fish and chicken instead of frying them, and using low-fat alternatives during cooking.

Does a healthy diet mean giving up unhealthy foods?

 Some may think that following a healthy diet means giving up all their favorite foods, and this is in fact not true, as a healthy diet depends mainly on balance; Where a person can enjoy eating his favorite food from time to time even if it is high in calories, but the balance lies in doing it once in a while, focusing on healthy foods, in addition to exercising, and following some of these tips can help to eat favorite foods in a healthy way:

 Reduce the number of times you eat these foods:

 Some people may eat unhealthy foods every day, and reducing the number of times they eat these foods can reduce the number of calories consumed, such as eating them once a week, or once a month.

Reduce your intake of these foods:

You can enjoy eating some favorite foods, but eat them in small quantities. For example, a person who loves a type of chocolate can eat it, but in smaller quantities. Instead of eating the whole chocolate bar, he can eat only half of it.

 Use lower-calorie alternatives:

 When cooking and preparing foods, it is recommended to choose alternatives that are lower in calories, for example: skimmed milk can be used instead of whole milk, and the amount of butter used.

In general, it can be said that eating a few sweets, potato chips, or other unhealthy foods from time to time will not cause harm to health, but it should be noted that some people may find eating a few of these foods an excuse or a reason to leave their diet. Completely healthy, and this is wrong, even if a person enjoys a few of these foods every once in a while, this does not mean staying away from the healthy system.