Tips for healthy eating

Following a healthy diet is much more than advice reiterated several times by your doctor. It is in fact a real lifestyle that we should make our own, so as to become a habit for the well-being of body and mind. Indeed, it is impossible to separate these two parts of the organism that we know are closely related to each other.

A’healthy eating must first of all be balanced: this means that our diet should include the consumption of different foods rich in all the nutrients we need. Calcium, iron, magnesium, proteins, fats (yes they too are essential for the proper functioning of the organism), vitamins, can be taken by bringing to the table for example fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy products. In this sense, the Mediterranean diet it represents the symbol of a varied and healthy diet through which to introduce the necessary nutrients.

Nature gives us tasty and healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables every season, easy to prepare and especially satiating. We are spoiled for choice. On the other hand, however, there are the countless supermarket shelves, always full of delicacies delicious and appetizing at a glance.

In this case, you have to pay attention to what you buy: many products of industrial origin are in fact enriched with salt, sugars, trans fats, which not only can lead to development of pathologies such as cardiovascular, or even diabetes and metabolic syndrome, but they also bring more calories than you should. And without adequate physical activity, the risk of the scale hitting a few extra pounds is just around the corner.

A healthy diet consists in following some precautions in terms of habits and in choosing foods that are preferable to consume over others. We deepened the subject with the Doctor Laura Giori, Nutritionist Biologist.

7 tips for healthy eating

“Here are some useful tips, immediately usable, at the basis of a healthy diet:

1. vary your diet as much as possible. There variety in the diet in fact it helps to obtain a balanced diet, to satisfy the taste and to fight the monotony of flavors;
2. to eat more fruits and vegetables, diversifying the color and preferring those of the season. I recommend to consume at least 5 servings a day;
3. have an eye on them of fats. Specifically, it is preferable privilege quality and limit the quantity. Therefore, it is better to reduce fats of animal origin (such as butter, lard, cream, lard and the like) or those with a high saturated fat content (such as tropical oils). In general, moreover, it is good to prefer raw condiments of vegetable origin, first of all extra virgin olive oil;
4. reduce your intake of sugars, sweets and sugary drinks. It is not forbidden to indulge in small pleasures, the important thing is do not overdo it and make this an occasional habit;
5. salt? Less is more. And from prefer the iodized one. Attention instead to that present in a hidden way in food products. In these cases, you can help yourself by reading the labels carefully. A valid and tasty alternative to salt can be to use spices and herbs to flavor the dishes;
6. drink water every day in abundance. An adult should drink at least 1.5 / 2 L on average;
7. limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Better to opt for those with a low alcohol content such as wine and beer, to be consumed during meals and to a moderate extent ».

Allowing ourselves to be tempted from time to time by some food that lifts our mood (the so-called comfort food) is not wrong and above all we must not get caught up in guilt. It’s okay though monitor these small snags and limit them as much as possible.

In particular, pay attention to prepackaged foods which save time in terms of preparation, but which are actually rich in sugar and added salt. As indicated by the World Health Organization, to ward off the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, the recommended daily amount of salt must be less than 5 grams.

Foods to be preferred

«In a self-respecting diet, foods such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits, particularly rich in fiber. But also white meats, low-fat cheeses, eggs, fish and other fish products, for example by choosing oily fish rich in omega-3 ».

These are foods that are a source of vitamins, proteins (animal and vegetable), good fatty acids, fiber, calcium, carbohydrates and sugars, essential for proper functioning of the organs and all the complex mechanisms of our organism.

Foods to avoid

“There are some foods that it would be preferable to avoid consuming, or at least reduce their quantity and frequency. These include: refined flours and cereals, foods of animal origin rich in saturated fats (such as fatty cheeses and sausages), sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages, canned foods, ultra-processed industrial products (for example packaged snacks, potato chips in bags) rich in refined sugars, fats and salt »concludes the expert.

In general, therefore, a healthy diet consists of acquiring and putting into practice small but good habits. These include the awareness of what you are buying and consequently knowing how to choose the foods that help us feel good on a psycho-physical level.

In addition, let’s not forget to associate one with a balanced diet regular physical activity. In fact, sport sets the whole body in motion, helps to burn excess calories and also has positive effects on mood.

Read also