How Good Foods Can Improve Your Health
Many people acknowledge the need to consume more vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and fewer processed foods. A good percentage, however, erroneously think that eating healthy is an exemption for people who need to lose weight. While this concept has some truth in it, eating healthy has many more benefits apart from weight loss. Whole grains, veggies, and fruits contain vital nutrients such as vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and proteins that contribute to the overall health of a person as explained in the following content.
Insulating the Body
In a bid to provide insulation and protect the internal organs effectively, the human body stores some fat tissues. These fats also harbor vitamins A, D, E and K as well as fatty acids, most of which are important in keeping the skin healthy. They also serve to protect the body cells in addition to regulating the immune functions and vital processes such as blood clotting. Also, incorporating foods rich in fatty acids like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in one’s diet will go a long way in reducing the risk of developing heart complications. Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like olive oil, avocados, and almonds while polyunsaturated fats are provided by salmon, walnuts and sunflower seeds. Increasing the intake of mono and polyunsaturated fats and eating less salami, pastries, takeouts, and processed foods such as meats will help in improving blood cholesterol levels by decreasing LDL and increasing HDL.
Repairing Muscles
Protein is another vital nutrient found in such foods as poultry, meat, eggs, seeds, legumes, and nuts. These are tasked with building and repairing body organs, tissues and muscles. By consuming proteins, an individual also gets to benefit from enzymes that help in controlling breathing, fighting infection and facilitating major metabolic processes associated with digestion. Without proteins, the human body wouldn’t be able to repair muscles especially after exercising. The body would also fail to build DNA, which denotes the genetic material that parents pass to their offspring.
Improving Appearance
Small amounts of nutrients such as minerals and vitamins are utilized in a host of metabolic processes that help to keep the body in optimal health condition. Some of these processes include the production of red blood cells, breathing, and body repair. These nutrients also prevent the body from burning up and also aid in fighting infections. The majority of minerals and vitamins are found in brightly colored fruits like oranges. They are also found fruits and veggies such as plums, apricots, mangoes, broccoli, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, kales, spinach, red capsicum, and carrots. These fruits and vegetables also contain carotenoids that can alter the shade of the skin and give it a healthy glow. Such nutrients will not only boost a person’s health, but they will also invigorate them enough to tackle household chores with ease such as washing dishes and preparing meals. While there’s nothing wrong with consuming whole fruits and vegetables, juicing offers a better ingestion option that allows the body to absorb more nutrients. And it also gives the digestive tract a time off from breaking down all the fiber. So, (Here’s an interesting comparison of juicers if you’re looking to buy one to get your favorite foods to work).
Enhancing Brain Functions
Some foods contain nutrients that help in enhancing brain functions like memory and attention. Such nutrients include Omega-3 fatty acids often found in walnuts and canola as well as fish like mackerel, lake trout, albacore, sardines, herring, and salmon. Leafy green vegetables and dark berries such as blueberries, blackberries, and cherries are a rich source of anthocyanins that serve to enhance memory function. Also, olive oil contains polyphenols, which protect the brain from neurotoxins and neuro-inflammation. Polyphenol also boasts the ability to promote learning, cognitive function, and memory. Some oils like olive oil are popular for their capacity to reduce depression and dementia.
Improving Digestion
Consuming foods like whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits can enhance the digestive system of an individual. A diet rich in fiber facilitates the movement of food inside the digestive tract, which ultimately reduces the chances of constipation. Foods with a high fiber diet also prevent several digestive conditions such as hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Also, high fiber diets will come in handy when looking to maintain a healthy weight.
Production of Energy
It’s not unusual to find people feeling tired and lethargic in the middle of the day. This is caused by lack of energy and could adversely affect their ability to perform their duties effectively and thus become less productive. Although all foods help to increase energy levels and alertness in a human body, those that are rich in carbohydrates are the real deal. Some of these foods include whole grain bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, and some dairy. Apart from acting as fuel for the body, carbohydrates also go a long way in keeping the muscles and brain working.
Boosting the Immune System
Among the best methods of maintaining good health is choosing foods with the potential to boost the immune system. Foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains are rich in antioxidants, which play a significant role in helping the body to fight off illnesses and infections. The human immune system stands to benefit significantly from spinach, ginger, broccoli, green tea, and turmeric. Fruits like citrus, papayas, berries, and kiwi also contain nutrients and vitamins that help in improving the body’s immune system.
What people consume affects how their bodies function as well as their overall health and wellbeing. Eating healthy foods ultimately leads to improved body composition, better focus, healthier skin, improved immune system, and mental clarity. Whole grain foods, vegetables, and fruits contain vital nutrients, which the body requires to perform its functions effectively.