The terms "healthy eating" and "good nutrition" often conjure thoughts of dreadfully bland and flavorless foods. As such, many people avoid good nutrition in favor of over-processed, sugar-laden foods. Unfortunately, sacrificing good nutrition can lead to dire consequences down the road. To preserve your health, it is essential to develop exceptional nutritional habits. Though adapting to cleaner eating appears overwhelming, the process is not complicated. Staying healthy with nutrition merely involves incorporating healthy foods from each food group into your daily menu to provide your body with the nourishment it needs to survive. With a few tweaks to your diet, the practice of healthy eating can be right at your fingertips.
Step 1
Include healthy fats as part of your daily diet. Fats are considered a concentrated energy source, assisting your body in absorbing essential vitamins. Fats found in foods such as olive oil and avocado are excellent choices. Be aware of over-consumption of saturated and trans fats, as these may increase cholesterol levels and heighten your risk of heart disease. Mayoclinic.com advises, "Limit total fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories." As such, a diet of 2,000 calories a day amounts to 44 to 78 g of total daily fat.
Step 2
Consume complex carbohydrates as part of your daily diet. These include grains, legumes and starchy vegetables such as peas, corn and potatoes. Keep consumption of foods containing added sugars to a minimum. A daily carbohydrate intake of 225 to 325 g per day is recommended. Depending on how active you are, or your daily caloric intake, this amount may vary.
Step 3
Eat at least 10 to 35 percent of daily calories in the form of protein. Mayoclinic.com says, "Protein is essential to human life. Your skin, bones, muscles and organ tissue all contain protein." Include both plant and animal protein sources in your daily diet. Meat, seafood, poultry, legumes, nuts, seeds and dairy products are considered rich protein sources.
Step 4
Include fiber in your daily diet. Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber is meant to help prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber food sources include wheat bran and vegetables. Soluble fiber can help improve your cholesterol and your blood sugar levels. Food sources containing soluble fiber include dried beans, apples, oranges and oats. It is recommended that men get about 30 to 38 g of fiber per day, and that women get 21 to 25 g per day.
Step 5
Read nutrition labels to stay informed of nutrient amounts in the foods you eat. This helps you stay on track and helps determine whether certain foods belong in your diet. If you are following a specific eating plan, or diet, knowing the nutritional counts for different foods is important for determining the foods you can eat--and the foods you should avoid.
Step 6
Eat breakfast every morning. Healthy breakfasts are meant to jump-start both your day, as well as your metabolism. Eating smaller meals throughout the day also is recommended, as it helps keep your energy elevated--which also helps in daily productivity.
Step 7
Eliminate processed food from your diet. These foods include those made with white flour and white sugar and can cause wide fluctuations in your blood sugar levels.
Step 8
Plan all your meals ahead of time. If you have healthy meals already planned, you're less likely to fall off track with good nutrition. Having healthy foods handy that you can "grab and go" eliminates the likelihood of reaching for those unhealthy foods on the go.
Step 9
Add a multivitamin to your daily diet. Getting essential vitamins and minerals in your daily diet helps prevent serious illness. These vitamins and minerals assist the body in preventing artery blockages, heart attacks and other chronic illnesses.
