Why Eating Healthy Matters

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

We are what we eat, so don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake — we should take these words to heart and live our lives with these words in mind. We must avoid foods that contain unnatural ingredients and that are easy to prepare and cook. Eating healthy is really not difficult to do or achieve. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to choose healthy eating! Being mindful of the food choices we make should be a part of our lifestyle. We must prioritise our health and wellbeing in order for us to live longer and happier lives. 

Personally, it took me years to change my eating habits. I used to be big on processed foods and ultra processed foods. It wasn’t until I met and lived with my other half that I was influenced to change my eating habits for the better. But in the end, it’s really still up to me to make the decision: to eat healthy and live a better lifestyle or to stick with my unhealthy eating habits and get sick from it. I chose the former because it’s really a no-brainer. I have a son and I want to see my future grandchildren so I can spoil them! Like anything else in life, we must make conscious decisions to live the best life that we deserve to have. 

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

First, let’s find out why eating healthy matters. And here are the reasons why:

• Eating healthy helps boost our immunity 
• Eating healthy prevents inflammations and infections
• Eating healthy inhibits cancer cells activity and slows down tumour growth
• Eating healthy helps eliminate stress
• Eating healthy improves our mood and emotional well being and makes us happier 
• Eating healthy makes us sleep better and longer 
• Eating healthy helps us drop off a few pounds 
• Eating healthy makes us more productive because it gives us more energy 
• Eating healthy helps us go to the bathroom regularly 
• Eating healthy gives us healthier skin 
• And lastly but most importantly, eating healthy lengthens our lives!

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

Next, let us determine what we should eat versus what we shouldn’t eat. Just to give us a better understanding about processed and ultra-processed foods, I’ve listed below examples of foods that are made with industrial formulations of more than five ingredients that we should limit or avoid altogether. Processed and ultra-processed foods are foods that were heated, pasteurised, canned, dried, and even refrigerated or frozen which means that the vast majority of our foods are processed anyway. However, not all processed foods are junk or unhealthy because basic techniques and procedures or preparation don’t necessarily turn wholesome foods such as frozen vegetables and whole grains into junk food. 

Perhaps, we should be more mindful about the ultra-processed foods that are proven to cause cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Ultra-processed foods are made of additives such as sweeteners, more sugar, oils, salt, and fats to help with flavour and texture. 

Below are the list of foods that we should avoid and the food items that we should definitely eat:

FOODS TO AVOID OR LIMIT 

Photo courtesy of BBC and University of Navarro, University of Paris.

1. Ultra-processed foods such as: sweetened breakfast cereals, flavoured potato chips, cakes, white bread, fried chicken, energy drinks, flavoured granola bars, flavoured candies and chocolates, and frozen, blended coffee drinks. I know, all the delicious foods right? Well, these are a huge no-no! Why? Because these are loaded with sugars, artificial sweeteners, and less-than-nutrient ingredients that are harmful to your health and gut system. 
2. Highly processed meats such as: sausages, hotdogs, and other deli meats. Highly processed meats are loaded with sodium and preservatives like nitrates. Also, these are filled with fat!
3. Sugar sweetened beverages such as: sodas, juices and teas. You don’t need to consume 12-22 teaspoons of sugar in your body. By consuming these on a daily basis, you are at risk for having diabetes and heart disease.
4. Artificially sweetened yoghurts and diet sodas. Don’t be fooled by labels such as zero sugar or diet soda because these drinks are laden with combinations of sugar and artificial sweeteners which is how they get the calories so low to begin with. The same goes for artificially sweetened yoghurts. 
5. Frozen fried foods and frozen entrees such as: frozen French fries, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen pies, frozen pizza, frozen tv dinner trays that are packed with salt and unhealthy ingredients. 
6. Bottled salad dressing. Don’t destroy a healthy salad with bottled salad dressing that is made with loads of preservatives and sugar! A good old simple mix of olive or avocado oil with freshly squeezed lemons, salt and pepper will do just as nice! 
7. Coffee creamer. These coffee creamers are a mixture of: hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, thickeners, palm oil, and preservatives. Just the sound of it makes me sick.
8. Ready baked dough such as: cookies, cakes, biscuits or croissants. These ready baked doughs are nothing but tubes full of unhealthy fats and highly-processed ingredients. 
9. Expired condiments. Condiments such as garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon powder and the list goes on do last a long time but they do expire. Don’t ever consume expired condiments, just toss them in the bin! 
10. Rotten fruits. Again, this is a no brainer — why eat mouldy and bacteria infested fruits? Your body is your temple. Treat it with love and kindness. 

FOODS THAT WE SHOULD EAT

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

1. Leafy greens such as: kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens and mustard greens. These are loaded with vitamins A, C and fibres.
2. Legumes such as: garbanzos, black, red, and kidney beans, peas and soybeans are rich in plant-based protein, fibre, and folate which are great at reducing the risk of heart disease.
3. Cruciferous veggies such as: kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnips and radishes are excellent sources of several nutrients, vitamins and fibre that wards off cancer related diseases. 
4. Berries such as: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. These are super fruits and rich in antioxidants and other disease-fighting nutrients.
5. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C which helps lower the risk of prostate cancer.
6. Nuts such as: walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts are full of various plant proteins and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats which help reduce the risks of heart disease.
7. Whole grains such as: quinoa, wheat berries, oatmeal, bulgur and brown rice are rich sources of fibre, vitamin B, other healthy nutrients and minerals. These superfoods help lower cholesterol, protect us against diabetes and heart disease. 
8. Fish such as: wild salmon, sardines, herring, tuna steak, mackerel to name a few. Fish is definitely a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which prevents heart disease.
9. Unflavoured yoghurt is a great source of proteins, calcium, and probiotics which are good to fight off harmful bacteria. Just buy plain yoghurt and add your choice of fresh fruit. Personally, I add blueberries to my yoghurt. 
10. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and polyphenols which help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. It’s a great substitute for other cooking oils, butter, and margarine. 
11. Meat and poultry are rich in protein, iodine, zinc, essential fatty acids and vitamin B. I like to include meat and poultry in my diet because a balanced diet is a key to a healthy lifestyle. 

Indeed, nothing is further from the truth: food is more than a fuel and filler of our tummies. Food is a relationship we have that we deal with and live with on a daily basis so be cautious, be mindful and be smart when it comes to our food choices. Just like other relationships that we have in our life, let us focus more on the good and healthy stuff that we put into our bodies. We can start by carefully reading food labels and be more conscious of what we put on our grocery cart! Happy healthy eating!