Healthy food consists of natural ingredients and whole foods. Whole foods are foods that are not processed. Certain processing techniques can add chemicals or can strip away the nutrients of foods, as in the case of refining grains. Eating nutrient-dense foods can help your body to build your immunity defenses against illness and disease. Plus, certain healthy foods like dietary fiber may help you with weight management, according to Iowa State University Extension.
Digestive Health
Healthy food can play a role in how healthy your digestive system is. One of the main foods to consider for the health of your digestive system is what type of grain you eat: refined or unrefined. Unrefined grains are grains that are found in nature and simply ground into flour, and they contain the higher amount of nutrients and fiber. Refined grains are a process that removes bran, germ and fiber, which may negatively affect your health. Instead of giving you vitamins like vitamin E and fiber to improve your health, it provides you empty calories that just add pounds. Fiber helps stimulate and regulate your digestive tract, which assists in eliminating toxins from you body via stool.
Cardiovascular Health
The American Dietetic Association states that you can improve your cardiovascular health by eating a diet full of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. The University of Maryland and the Women to Women Clinic states that dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoids like beta carotene and lycopene are important factors in improving your cardiovascular health.
Cancer Prevention
The University of Maryland explains that eating a nutritious diet full of unprocessed fruits and vegetables may help you prevent or treat certain cancers. Nutrients that have been proven to potentially prevent cancer include isothiocyanates, sulforaphane, lycopene and alpha carotene. Isothiocyanates and sulforaphane are found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Eating cruciferous vegetables once a week or more can help prevent kidney, head and neck cancer. Lycopene found in cooked tomatoes can decrease your risk of prostate, colon, lung and bladder cancer. Alpha carotene found in carrots assist in protecting your cells against the carcinogenic effect of free radicals. Although nutrients can be beneficial in preventing or treating cancer, you should know a couple of caveats. Depending on the nutrient, your body may only be able to absorb and use it effectively through food as opposed to supplement. If you have cancer, consult a doctor about consuming high doses of supplements, because certain nutrients especially vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene and folate may worsen your cancer.
Obesity and Body Maintenance
Healthy foods work to keep your body nourished for longer periods of time, which assists in reducing cravings and eating excessive calories. It also provides you with essential vitamins, minerals, protein, amino acids, omega-3 and other nutrients that keep your body's functions working properly and the maintenance of your body parts. For example, a healthy diet keeps your muscles and bones strong, your hair, teeth and nails nourished and your brain focused.
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