Eating a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining good health and preventing chronic diseases. Making healthy food choices can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that small changes can make a big difference in your overall health and well-being. First, we need to brief define what is a calorie is.
What is a calorie?
A calorie is a measurement of energy. Everything you eat and drink has a specific number of energy units released into your body. Your body uses this energy as fuel. Anything it does not use as fuel is accumulates into fat.
You cannot think and treat all calories equally!
There is a big difference in the quality of calories we eat
Nutrient-dense, low-energy foods
One of the best ways to make healthy food choices is to focus on nutrient-dense foods. These foods provide a lot of essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and fiber, without a lot of added sugars, fats, or sodium. Examples of nutrient-dense foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products.
Low-nutrient, high-energy foods
On the other side of the spectrum, some foods are high in calories and low in nutrients. These are known as low-nutrient, energy-dense foods. Low-nutrient, energy-dense foods are high in calories and have little to zero nutritional value.
Examples of these are white bread, refined white pasta, concentrated fruit juices, sodas, pies, cookies, and chips. If your diet only includes that are low in nutrient and high in calories, then you are at real risk for the consequences below. This list only focuses on how your body will feel and function when comparing it to if you chose to eat food rich in nutrients consistently.
Disadvantages of not getting enough macro and micronutrients to your body
- Not as efficient cognitive (brain) functioning
- May lead to chronic diseases
- Major illnesses
- Low energy levels and fatigue
- Poor immune system
- Malnutrition
- imbalance in hormones
- Slow metabolism
Another way to make healthy food choices is to limit your intake of added sugars, saturated and trans fats, and sodium. These nutrients can contribute to health problems like obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Instead, choose foods that are lower in these nutrients and higher in nutrient-dense foods.
It’s also important to pay attention to portion sizes. Even healthy foods can contribute to weight gain if consumed in large quantities. Using tools like the MyPlate can help you visualize the recommended portion sizes for different food groups and can help you make healthier food choices.
When eating out, it can be challenging to make healthy food choices. One strategy is to look for menu items that are grilled, baked, or steamed, rather than fried or breaded. Choosing a side salad or vegetable instead of French fries or chips can also help you make healthier choices.
Incorporating healthy food choices into your daily routine can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that every small change can make a big difference. In the following lesson, we will explore the difference between macro and micro-nutrients and why they matter in a healthy diet.