ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते उत्तिष्ठेत् स्वस्थो रक्षार्थमायुषः।
व्यायामात् लभते स्वास्थ्यं दीर्घायुष्यं बलं सुखं।
आरोग्यं परमं भाग्यं स्वास्थ्यं सर्वार्थसाधनम्॥
अर्धशक्त्या निषेव्यस्तु बलिभि: स्निग्धभोजिभि:।
शीतकाले वसन्ते च मन्दमेव ततो अन्यदा।।
येषां न विद्या न तपो न दानं,
ज्ञानं न शीलं न गुणो न धर्मः।
ते मत्र्यलोके भुवि भारभूताः,
मनुष्य रूपेण मृगाष्चरन्ति।।
Compared to rice and wheat flour, coarse grains have lower content of carbohydrates and higher content of dietary fibres that helps to ensure proper functioning of the digestive system. Coarse grain diet helps in reducing the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and also heart diseases. Coarse grains generally refers to cereal grains other than wheat and rice — in the OECD countries, those used primarily for animal feed or brewing. Coarse grains are a broad sub-group of several short duration warm weather (Kharif) crops like Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet), Maize, Ragi (Finger Millet) etc. India with its diversified agricultural assets in terms of soil, rainfall and climate has abundant crop diversity. Balance is a crucial element of success to any workout goal, whether looking to build muscle, lose fat, or improve athletic performance. It is a crucial aspect of every part of our lives, between balancing free time to maximize the gym to balancing our caloric intake. It all plays a big role in the results we will see. A well-balanced diet provides important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to keep the body and mind strong and healthy. Eating well can also help ward off numerous diseases and health complications, as well as help maintain a healthy body weight, provide energy, allow better sleep, and improve brain function. A diet with balance provides the body with the proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and liquids. It is important to not eliminate any essential macro-nutrient, such as fats or carbohydrates, but be conscious of portion control.
1. Control Body Weight
Eating a healthy variety of nutrient-dense foods leaves less room for those calorie-dense foods that typically lead to weight gain. These would be such foods as, processed foods and fatty or sugary snacks that provide little nutritional value. The body has little use for these foods and will tend to store rather than use them for energy. Eating carbohydrates like whole grains, oats, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and quinoa that have a low glycemic index (ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 based on how much they raise blood sugar levels after consuming) will allow the body to stay fuller over a longer period of time. These complex carbohydrates break down and release into the blood stream over an extended period of time preventing triggers in the brain to crave simple sugary snacks. Along with lean proteins (chicken, most seafood, eggs, lean cuts of pork, etc.), the metabolism can stay elevated longer limiting the feeling of hunger after a short time frame.
2. Fight Off Disease
When eating a balanced diet, essential nutrients will produce and help maintain key germ-fighting cells in the immune system, and greatly improve vascular function. The immune system relies heavily on blood flow, so better vascular function will help provide disease fighting cells to areas of need quickly. Deficiencies in certain nutrients can impair immune system function, such as vitamin A, B-vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, Zinc, and Iron. A diet filled with fruits and vegetables also increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and materials that help prevent bacteria and infections from attaching themselves to cells in the body.
Some of the most important aspects of a balanced diet is the reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin C raises levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers blood pressure, two very important potential stresses to the cardiovascular system that need to be monitored. Vitamin C also helps interfere with fat being converted to plaque in the arteries. Essential fatty acids also protect the body against damage from over-reactions to infection. A balanced diet will limit the amount of excess body fat that can develop, which puts extra stress on the cardiovascular system eventually causing serious problems.
3. Have More Energy
The food we eat has a tremendous impact on the energy we have throughout the day. Nutrient-dense foods will digest and therefore be released into the system over a longer period of time. On the other hand, easily digestible food (sugary/simple carbohydrates) will digest much quicker, causing the body to feel hungry again in a much shorter time frame. This can cause spikes in the release of energy into the bloodstream, immediately followed by lows. Ideally, the goal is to maintain energy levels through the day without these extreme highs and lows. Eating well keeps our energy on a relatively level base from morning until night. Proteins can help provide satiety much more effectively then processed foods or simple carbohydrates. Every 3-4 hours consuming a source of protein can be a very important rule to live by to prevent unnecessary snacking. Also, make sure to increase healthy fats, which the body will use for energy more compared to unhealthy saturated and trans-saturated fats. These unhealthy fats can make you feel sluggish as the body fights to break it down and absorb harmful byproducts. Food that is also iron-rich, like dark leafy greens, can also help provide a boost in energy because iron helps deliver oxygen to working muscles and the brain, which is what they run on.
4. Sleep Better
There are few things our bodies need more than sleep. It allows our muscles to recover and replenish from the day’s activities and workouts. Sleep will rejuvenate the brain and its ability to function at a high level for the next day. Without it we feel sluggish, energy levels remain low, focus and concentration levels are affected, and cravings for less beneficial food are triggered. Poor eating habits often cause stomach and digestive issues due to the toxins that may be released into the blood system. Raised acidity can also put a strain on the digestive system, making it very difficult to get a good night’s sleep. It is important to not overeat at nighttime, which many people are guilty of due to poor eating habits during the day. Making sure meals are spaced out effectively becomes an important rule once again. We do not want our bodies starving by the end of the day and have to make up for a lack of nutrients with a large dinner. It makes it extremely difficult for the body to prepare for sleep when it is working hard to digest a large number of calories. Plan the next day out, so you don’t run into a situation that leads to a sleepless night.
5. More Brain Power
What could possibly be more important than our brains? We have an opportunity to keep it healthy and functioning at a high level based on our eating habits. Omega 3 fatty acids provide a number of important benefits, such as improved memory and the ability to learn. They also help fight against debilitating mental disorders, for example, depression, dementia, and schizophrenia. Foods such as salmon, walnuts, avocado, and kiwi contain these important fatty acids. Omega3s can provide long term benefits to support synaptic plasticity which is how our memory and learning are developed and possibly improved. So make sure they become an essential part of your diet for a clear and highly functioning brain.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been scientifically proven to provide numerous health benefits, such as reducing your risk of several chronic diseases and keeping your body healthy.
However, making major changes to your diet can sometimes seem very overwhelming.
Instead of making big changes, it may be better to start with a few smaller ones. And it’s likely more manageable to start with just one thing, rather than all of them at once.
This article discusses 25 small changes that can make a regular diet a little bit healthier. Just remember you don’t need to try to do them all at once. Instead, you may want to add these changes into your life over time.
1. Slow down
The pace at which you eat influences how much you eat, as well as how likely you are to gain weight.
In fact, studies comparing different eating speeds show that fast eaters are much more likely to eat more and have a higher body mass index (BMI) than slow eaters (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
Your appetite, how much you eat, and how full you get are all controlled by hormones. Hormones signal to your brain whether you’re hungry or full.
However, it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive these messages. That’s why eating more slowly may give your brain the time it needs to perceive that you’re full.
Studies have confirmed this, showing that eating slowly may reduce the number of calories you consume at meals and help you lose weight (4Trusted Source).
Eating slowly is also linked to more thorough chewing, which has also been linked to improved weight control (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
So, simply eating slower and chewing more often may help you eat less.
2. Choose whole grain bread instead of refined
You can easily make your diet a bit healthier by choosing whole grain bread in place of traditional refined grain bread.
Refined grains have been associated with many health issues. Whole grains, on the other hand, have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
They’re also a good source of:
fiber
B vitamins
minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium, and manganese.
There are many varieties of whole grain bread available, and many of them even taste better than refined bread.
Just make sure to read the label to ensure that your bread is made with whole grains only, not a mixture of whole and refined grains. It’s also preferable that the bread contains whole seeds or grains.
3. Add Greek yogurt to your diet
Greek yogurt (or Greek-style yogurt) is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt.
It has been strained to remove its excess whey, which is the watery part of milk. This results in a final product that’s higher in fat and protein than regular yogurt.
In fact, it contains up to twice as much protein as the same amount of regular yogurt does, or up to 10 grams per 3.5 ounces (100 grams)
Eating a good source of protein can help you feel fuller for longer, which can help manage your appetite and reduce your food intake, if that’s your goal
Plus, since Greek yogurt has been strained, it contains fewer carbs and less lactose than regular yogurt. This makes it suitable for people who follow a low carb diet or are lactose intolerant.
Simply replace some snacks or regular yogurt varieties with Greek yogurt for a hearty dose of protein and nutrients.
Just make sure to pick the plain, unflavored varieties. Flavored yogurts may be packed with added sugar and other less nutritious ingredients.
4. Don’t shop without a list
There are two important strategies to employ when you go grocery shopping: Make your shopping list ahead of time and don’t go to the store hungry.
Not knowing exactly what you need makes room for impulse buying, while hunger can cause you to toss even more low nutrient foods into your shopping cart.
That’s why the best strategy is to plan ahead and write down what you need beforehand. By doing this and sticking to your list, you’ll not only buy healthier items to keep around the house, but you’ll also save money.
5. Eat eggs, preferably for breakfast
Eggs are incredibly healthy, especially if you eat them in the morning.
They are rich in high quality protein and many essential nutrients that people often don’t get enough of, such as choline (13Trusted Source).
When looking at studies comparing various types of calorie-matched breakfasts, eggs come out on top.
Eating eggs in the morning increases feelings of fullness. This has been shown to cause people to consume fewer calories at later meals. It can be quite helpful for weight loss, if that’s your goal (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
For example, one study in 50 people found that eating an egg-based breakfast reduced feelings of hunger and decreased the amount of calories consumed later in the day than a breakfast of cereal (16Trusted Source).
So, simply replacing your current breakfast with eggs may result in major benefits for your health.
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6. Increase your protein intake
Protein is often referred to as the king of nutrients, and it does seem to have some superpowers.
Due to its ability to affect your hunger and satiety hormones, it’s often considered the most filling of the macronutrients (12Trusted Source).
One study showed that eating a high-protein meal decreased levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, more than a high-carb meal in people with obesity (17Trusted Source).
What’s more, protein helps you retain muscle mass and may also slightly increase the number of calories you burn per day (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source). It’s also important for preventing the loss of muscle mass that can occur with weight loss and as you age (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).
If you’re trying to lose weight, aim to add a source of protein to each meal and snack. It will help you feel fuller for longer, curb cravings, and make you less likely to overeat.
Good sources of protein include:
dairy products
nuts
peanut butter
eggs
beans
lean meat
7. Drink enough water
Drinking enough water is important for your health.
Many studies have shown that drinking water can increase weight loss and promote weight maintenance, and it may even slightly increase the number of calories you burn each day (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).
Studies also show that drinking water before meals can reduce your appetite and food intake during the following meal (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).
That said, the most important thing is to drink water instead of other beverages. This may drastically reduce your intake of sugar and calories (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).
Drinking water regularly may also be linked to improved diet quality and could decrease your calorie intake from beverages (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).
8. Bake or roast instead of grilling or frying
The way you prepare your food can drastically change its effects on your health.
Grilling, broiling, frying, and deep-frying are all popular methods of preparing meat and fish.
However, during these types of cooking methods, several potentially toxic compounds are formed. These include
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
advanced glycation end products
heterocyclic amines
All of these compounds have been linked to several health conditions, including cancer and heart disease
Healthier cooking methods include:
baking
broiling
poaching
pressure cooking
simmering
slow cooking
stewing
sous-vide
These methods don’t promote the formation of these harmful compounds and may make your food healthier .
Although you can still enjoy the occasional grilled or deep-fried dish, it’s best to use those methods sparingly.
9. Take omega-3 and vitamin D supplements
Approximately 1 billion people around the globe are deficient in vitamin D (39Trusted Source).
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s very important for bone health and the proper functioning of your immune system. In fact, every cell in your body has a receptor for vitamin D, indicating its importance (40Trusted Source, 41Trusted Source).
Vitamin D is found in very few foods, but fatty seafood generally contains the highest amounts.
Omega-3 fatty acids are another commonly lacking nutrient that’s found in fatty seafood. These have many important roles in the body, including reducing inflammation, maintaining heart health, and promoting proper brain function (42Trusted Source).
The Western diet is generally very high in omega-6 fatty acids, which increase inflammation and have been linked to many chronic diseases (43Trusted Source). Omega-3s help fight this inflammation and keep your body in a more balanced state (44Trusted Source).
If you don’t eat fatty seafood regularly, you should consider taking a supplement. Omega-3s and vitamin D can often be found together in many supplements.
10. Replace your favorite fast food restaurant
Eating out doesn’t have to involve unhealthy foods.
Consider upgrading your favorite fast food restaurant to one with healthier options.
There are many healthy fast food restaurants and fusion kitchens offering healthy and delicious meals.
They may just be a great replacement for your favorite burger or pizza joint. What’s more, you can generally get these meals at a very decent price.
11. Try at least one new healthy recipe per week
Deciding what to have for dinner can be a constant cause of frustration, which is why many people tend to use the same recipes again and again. Chances are you’ve been cooking the same recipes on autopilot for years.
Whether these are healthy or unhealthy recipes, trying something new can be a fun way to add more diversity to your diet.
Aim to try making a new healthy recipe at least once per week. This can change up your food and nutrient intakes and hopefully add some new and nutritious recipes to your routine.
Alternatively, try to make a healthier version of a favorite recipe by experimenting with new ingredients, herbs, and spices.
12. Choose baked potatoes over french fries
Potatoes are very filling and a common side to many dishes (45Trusted Source). That said, the method in which they’re prepared largely determines their impact on health.
For starters, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of baked potatoes contain 93 calories, while the same amount of french fries contains over 3 times as many (333 calories) (46Trusted Source, 47Trusted Source).
Furthermore, deep-fried french fries generally contain harmful compounds such as aldehydes and trans fats (48Trusted Source, 49Trusted Source).
Replacing your french fries with baked or boiled potatoes is a great way to shave off calories and avoid these unhealthy compounds.
13. Eat your greens first
A good way to ensure that you eat your greens is to enjoy them as a starter.
By doing so, you’ll most likely finish all of your greens while you’re at your hungriest. This may cause you to eat less of other, perhaps less healthy, components of the meal later.
It may lead you to eat fewer and healthier calories overall, which could result in weight loss.
Plus, eating vegetables before a carb-rich meal has been shown to have beneficial effects on blood sugar levels.
It slows down the speed at which carbs are absorbed into the bloodstream and may benefit both short- and long-term blood sugar control in people with diabetes (50Trusted Source, 51Trusted SourceTrusted Source).
14. Eat your fruits instead of drinking them
Fruits are loaded with water, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Studies have repeatedly linked eating fruit to a reduced risk of several health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer
Because fruits contain fiber and various plant compounds, their natural sugars are generally digested very slowly and don’t cause major spikes in blood sugar levels.
However, the same doesn’t apply to fruit juices.
Many fruit juices aren’t even made from real fruit, but rather concentrate and sugar. Some varieties may even contain as much sugar as a sugary soft drink
Even real fruit juices lack the fiber and chewing resistance provided by whole fruits. This makes fruit juice much more likely to spike your blood sugar levels, leading you to consume too much in a single sitting.
15. Cook at home more often
Try to make a habit of cooking at home most nights rather than eating out.
For one, it’s easier on your budget.
Second, by cooking your food yourself, you’ll know exactly what is in it. You won’t have to wonder about any hidden unhealthy or high calorie ingredients.
Also, by cooking large servings, you’ll also have leftovers for the next day, ensuring a healthy meal then, too.
Finally, cooking at home has been associated with a lower risk of obesity and improved diet quality, especially among children
16. Become more active
Good nutrition and exercise often go hand in hand. Exercise has been shown to improve your mood, as well as decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress (58Trusted Source, 59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source).
These are the exact feelings that are most likely to contribute to emotional and binge eating (61Trusted Source, 62Trusted Source).
Aside from strengthening your muscles and bones, exercise may help you (63Trusted Source, 64Trusted Source, 65Trusted Source):
lose weight
increase your energy levels
reduce your risk of chronic diseases
improve your sleep
Aim to do about 30 minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise each day, or simply take the stairs and go on short walks whenever possible.
17. Replace sugary beverages with sparkling water
Sugary beverages might possibly be the unhealthiest thing you can drink.
They’re loaded with added sugar, which has been linked to numerous diseases, including (66Trusted Source):
heart disease
obesity
type 2 diabetes
Plus, the added sugar found in these drinks doesn’t impact appetite the same way as regular food does. This means you don’t compensate for the calories you drink by eating any less (67Trusted Source).
One 16-ounce (492-ml) sugary soda contains about 207 calories (55Trusted Source).
Try replacing your sugary beverage with either a sugar-free alternative or simply choose still or sparkling water instead. Doing so will shave off the non-beneficial calories and reduce your intake of excess sugar.
18. Stay away from “diet” foods
So-called diet foods can be very deceiving. They have usually had their fat content reduced dramatically and are often labeled “fat-free,” “low fat,” “fat-reduced,” or “low calorie.”
However, to compensate for the lost flavor and texture from fat, sugar and other ingredients are often added.
So, many diet foods end up containing more sugar and sometimes even more calories than their full fat counterparts (68Trusted Source).
Instead, opt for whole foods like fruits and vegetables.
19. Get a good night’s sleep
The importance of good sleep can’t be overstated.
Sleep deprivation disrupts appetite regulation, often leading to increased appetite. This results in increased calorie intake and weight gain (69Trusted Source).
In fact, people who sleep too little tend to weigh significantly more than those who get enough sleep (69Trusted Source, 70Trusted Source).
Being sleep deprived also negatively affects concentration, productivity, athletic performance, glucose metabolism, and immune function (71Trusted Source, 72Trusted Source, 73Trusted Source, 74Trusted Source, 75Trusted Source).
What’s more, it increases your risk of several diseases, including inflammatory conditions and heart disease (76Trusted Source, 77Trusted Source).
That’s why it’s important to try to get adequate amounts of good-quality sleep, preferably in one bout.
20. Eat fresh berries instead of dried ones
Berries are very healthy and packed with nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Most varieties can be purchased fresh, frozen, or dried.
Although all types are relatively healthy, the dried varieties are a much more concentrated source of calories and sugar, since all the water has been removed.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of fresh or frozen strawberries contains 31–35 calories, while 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of dried strawberries contain a whopping 375 calories (78Trusted Source, 79Trusted Source).
The dried varieties are also often covered with sugar, further increasing the sugar content.
By opting for the fresh varieties, you will get a much juicier snack that’s lower in sugar and contains fewer calories.
21. Choose popcorn instead of chips
It may be surprising that popcorn is a whole grain that’s loaded with nutrients and fiber.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of air-popped popcorn contains 387 calories and 15 grams of fiber, while the same amount of potato chips contains 532 calories and only 3 grams of fiber (80Trusted SourceTrusted Source, 81Trusted Source).
Diets rich in whole grains have been linked to health benefits, such as a reduced risk of inflammation and heart disease (82Trusted Source, 83Trusted Source).
For a healthy snack, try making your own popcorn at home (not microwave popcorn varieties) or purchase air-popped popcorn.
Many commercial varieties prepare their popcorn with fat, sugar, and salt, making it no healthier than potato chips.
22. Choose healthy oils
Highly processed seed and vegetable oils have become a household staple over the past few decades.
Examples include soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, and canola oils.
These oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids but low in heart-healthy omega-3s.
Some research suggests a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can lead to inflammation and has been linked to chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disorders (43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source).
Swap these oils for healthier alternatives, such as:
extra virgin olive oil
avocado oil
coconut oil
23. Eat from smaller plates
It has been proven that the size of your dinnerware can affect how much you eat.
Eating from a large plate can make your portion look smaller, while eating from a small plate can make it look bigger (84Trusted Source, 85Trusted Source).
According to one study, eating from a smaller plate was associated with increased feelings of satiety and reduced energy intake among participants with a healthy body weight (86Trusted Source).
Also, if you don’t realize that you’re eating more than usual, you won’t compensate by eating less at the next meal (87Trusted Source). By eating from smaller dinnerware, you can trick your brain into thinking that you’re eating more, making yourself less likely to overeat.
24. Get the salad dressing on the side
Simply getting to the point of being able to order a salad at a restaurant is a great achievement for many.
However, not all salads are equally healthy. In fact, some salads are smothered in high calorie dressings, which may make the salads even higher in calories than other items on the menu.
Asking for the dressing on the side makes it a lot easier to control the portion size and amount of calories that you consume.
कामो लोभस्तथा क्रोधो दम्भष्चत्वार इत्यमी।
महाद्वाराणि वीचीनां तस्मादेतांस्तु वर्जयेत्।।
25. Drink your coffee black
Coffee, which is one of the most popular beverages in the world, is very healthy.
In fact, it’s a major source of antioxidants and has been linked to many health benefits, such as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, mental decline, and liver disease (88Trusted Source, 89Trusted Source, 90Trusted Source).
However, many commercial varieties of coffee contain lots of additional ingredients, such as sugar, syrup, heavy cream, and sweeteners.
Drinking these varieties quickly negates all of coffee’s health benefits and instead adds lots of extra sugar and calories.
Instead, try drinking your coffee black or just adding a small amount of milk or cream instead of sugar.
The bottom line
Completely overhauling your diet all at once can be a recipe for disaster.
Instead, try to incorporate some of the small changes listed above to make your diet healthier.
Some of these tips will help you keep your portion sizes reasonable, while others will help you add nutrients or adapt to something new.
Together, they’ll have a big impact on making your overall diet healthier and more sustainable, without a huge change in your habits.
It’s no secret that when we eat healthy food, we feel healthy. But why is this? How does the food we put in our body have such a grand effect on how we function from day to day?
When it comes to our health, the food we put in our body can have a significant effect, especially when it comes to our heart. Weight gain, physical inactivity, stress, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity can greatly increase the risks of heart disease and various cancers.
The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are so you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use.
If you eat or drink more than your body needs, you'll put on weight because the energy you do not use is stored as fat. If you eat and drink too little, you'll lose weight.
You should also eat a wide range of foods to make sure you're getting a balanced diet and your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.
It's recommended that men have around 2,500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules). Women should have around 2,000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules).
Most adults in the UK are eating more calories than they need and should eat fewer calories.
1. Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates
Starchy carbohydrates should make up just over a third of the food you eat. They include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals.
Choose higher fibre or wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or potatoes with their skins on.
They contain more fibre than white or refined starchy carbohydrates and can help you feel full for longer.
Try to include at least 1 starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram the carbohydrate they contain provides fewer than half the calories of fat.
Keep an eye on the fats you add when you're cooking or serving these types of foods because that's what increases the calorie content – for example, oil on chips, butter on bread and creamy sauces on pasta.
2. Eat lots of fruit and veg
It's recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced.
Getting your 5 A Day is easier than it sounds. Why not chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for a piece of fresh fruit?
A portion of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables is 80g. A portion of dried fruit (which should be kept to mealtimes) is 30g.
A 150ml glass of fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie also counts as 1 portion, but limit the amount you have to no more than 1 glass a day as these drinks are sugary and can damage your teeth.
3. Eat more fish, including a portion of oily fish
Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals.
Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, including at least 1 portion of oily fish.
Oily fish are high in omega-3 fats, which may help prevent heart disease.
Oily fish include:
salmon
trout
herring
sardines
pilchards
mackerel
Non-oily fish include:
haddock
plaice
coley
cod
tuna
skate
hake
You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned, but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt.
Most people should be eating more fish, but there are recommended limits for some types of fish.
Find out more about fish and shellfish
4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
Saturated fat
You need some fat in your diet, but it's important to pay attention to the amount and type of fat you're eating.
There are 2 main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease.
On average, men should have no more than 30g of saturated fat a day. On average, women should have no more than 20g of saturated fat a day.
Children under the age of 11 should have less saturated fat than adults, but a low-fat diet is not suitable for children under 5.
Saturated fat is found in many foods, such as:
fatty cuts of meat
sausages
butter
hard cheese
cream
cakes
biscuits
lard
pies
Try to cut down on your saturated fat intake and choose foods that contain unsaturated fats instead, such as vegetable oils and spreads, oily fish and avocados.
For a healthier choice, use a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, or reduced-fat spread instead of butter, lard or ghee.
When you're having meat, choose lean cuts and cut off any visible fat.
All types of fat are high in energy, so they should only be eaten in small amounts.
Sugar
Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay.
Sugary foods and drinks are often high in energy (measured in kilojoules or calories), and if consumed too often can contribute to weight gain. They can also cause tooth decay, especially if eaten between meals.
Free sugars are any sugars added to foods or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies.
This is the type of sugar you should be cutting down on, rather than the sugar found in fruit and milk.
Many packaged foods and drinks contain surprisingly high amounts of free sugars.
Free sugars are found in many foods, such as:
sugary fizzy drinks
sugary breakfast cereals
cakes
biscuits
pastries and puddings
sweets and chocolate
alcoholic drinks
Food labels can help. Use them to check how much sugar foods contain.
More than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g means the food is high in sugar, while 5g of total sugars or less per 100g means the food is low in sugar.
Get tips on cutting down on sugar in your diet
5. Eat less salt: no more than 6g a day for adults
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
Even if you do not add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much.
About three-quarters of the salt you eat is already in the food when you buy it, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces.
Use food labels to help you cut down. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in salt.
Adults and children aged 11 and over should eat no more than 6g of salt (about a teaspoonful) a day. Younger children should have even less.
Get tips on cutting down on salt in your diet
6. Get active and be a healthy weight
As well as eating healthily, regular exercise may help reduce your risk of getting serious health conditions. It's also important for your overall health and wellbeing.
Read more about the benefits of exercise and physical activity guidelines for adults.
Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke. Being underweight could also affect your health.
Most adults need to lose weight by eating fewer calories.
If you're trying to lose weight, aim to eat less and be more active. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Check whether you're a healthy weight by using the BMI healthy weight calculator.
Start the NHS weight loss plan, a 12-week weight loss guide that combines advice on healthier eating and physical activity.
If you're underweight, see underweight adults. If you're worried about your weight, ask your GP or a dietitian for advice.
7. Do not get thirsty
You need to drink plenty of fluids to stop you getting dehydrated. The government recommends drinking 6 to 8 glasses every day. This is in addition to the fluid you get from the food you eat.
All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water, lower fat milk and lower sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, are healthier choices.
Try to avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks, as they're high in calories. They're also bad for your teeth.
Even unsweetened fruit juice and smoothies are high in free sugar.
Your combined total of drinks from fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies should not be more than 150ml a day, which is a small glass.
Remember to drink more fluids during hot weather or while exercising.
8. Do not skip breakfast
Some people skip breakfast because they think it'll help them lose weight.
But a healthy breakfast high in fibre and low in fat, sugar and salt can form part of a balanced diet, and can help you get the nutrients you need for good health.
A wholegrain lower sugar cereal with semi-skimmed milk and fruit sliced over the top is a tasty and healthier breakfast.
The United States ranks ninth in the world for life expectancy
In the past year, obesity has increased by 5% affecting 31.3% of adults
In the past three years, cardiovascular-related deaths have increased by 2%
Oklahoma came in 44 for overall health.
In the past six years, obesity increased by 17% and affects 36.5% of adults
In the past three years, cardiovascular deaths increased by 5%
Texas ranked 28th in overall health.
In the past three years, cardiovascular deaths increased by 4%
This is also due to a high prevalence of physical inactivity and diabetes
The food we eat gives our bodies the information and fuel it needs to properly function. If it does not get the right information, our metabolic processes can suffer and our health can decline. It is essential to have good nutrition based on healthy eating habits to enable you to stay healthy, active, and live a longer life.
In short, the nutrition you put in your body can help you avoid certain diseases that can put your life at risk and cause your health to deteriorate.
How does food affect our bodies?
The nutrients from the food we put in our bodies give our cells the ability to perform their necessary functions. Think of it as planting a garden. If you are planting a tomato seed, ideally you use the right soil and the right amount of sun for the best success. However, if you use the cheapest dirt and don’t give it enough sunlight you may still get a tomato, but the tomato may not be the ripest, roundest, reddest, or tastiest tomato.
In other words, giving our bodies the right nutrients can help you grow to a healthier version of yourself. Thinking about food from this aspect goes beyond calories and good food versus bad food. You need to focus on the foods you are putting in your body versus the foods you are excluding.
Look at food as a way to fuel your body and help fight cardiovascular diseases.
Nutrition and disease
When we eat food it goes through a digestive process. Part of this process involves absorbing vitamins and minerals from that food and distributing it into the bloodstream which leads to the blood vessels, coronary arteries, and the heart muscle.
Depending on what types of food you are eating can cause your heart to pump harder and exert more energy. This could eventually lead to heart failure and a heart attack.
Your sodium intake plays a major role in affecting your heart rate and blood pressure. By consuming salty foods, your body will retain water to dilute the blood volume. This causes more blood to circulate throughout your body and your heart to work harder.
The recommended sodium intake by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is 180 – 500 mg of sodium a day. However, Americans on average consume over 3,400 mg of sodium a day. Most of these are pre-prepared and processed foods.
A diet that is high in saturated and trans fats will elevate your bad cholesterol (LDL) and could lead to the hardening of arteries and plaque forming on the inner linings of blood vessels which will further narrow them. The narrowed openings mean that as the heart receives the blood it must work harder to maintain blood flow in order to pump blood through the narrowed channels.
Similarly, if you are not maintaining a healthy diet this could increase your risk for various cancers. According to a study published in 2018 by The BMJ, a study was performed on the amount of processing and the amount of change the ingredients go through to help improve flavor, coloring, and shelf life. It was found that for every 10% increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 12% higher risk for cancer in general and an 11% increased risk for breast cancer.
While these foods can cause harm there are foods that can help improve your health and heart function. Healthy fats such as olive oil and whole grains can help lower your cholesterol and help prevent plaque from forming in the arteries. By improving the blood flow, your heart will be able to pump blood easier causing less strain and stress on your heart which could eventually lower your heart rate.
What is poor nutrition
By depriving our bodies of the nourishment it needs can lead to poor nutrition and eating habits which can cause obesity, diabetes, and increase certain risk factors for stroke, heart disease, and cancer.
Poor nutrition is caused by putting the wrong types of food in your body that do not have the nutrients that we need most. These foods include ones that are low in fiber and vitamins or are high in fat, sugar, and salt. While many of the packaged foods we purchase at the grocery store meet our taste bud requirements, the way these are packaged and stored may strip the food of the nutrients our body requires and eliminate your chance of healthy weight loss.
Poor nutrition can also be caused by overeating. If you are taking in more calories than you are burning each day, even if these are the “right” foods, can eventually cause weight gain and lead to obesity. If you suffer from being overweight or obese, this can lead to diabetes and heart problems.
On the other hand, if you are undereating you could be depriving your body of the nutrients it needs. Those who suffer from diseases such as anorexia or bulimia are just as much in jeopardy of heart complications and disease as those who overeat.
If you are concerned about the number of calories you are putting in your body it is best to discuss with your doctor or nutrition and dietetics expert.
How does poor nutrition affect you?
Poor nutrition can affect your health in many ways, not only can it lead to certain diseases but it can also affect your mental health, energy levels, complexion, and your overall well being. In the short term, poor nutrition can contribute to stress, tiredness, and our capacity to work. Furthermore, it can lead to:
being overweight or obese
tooth decay
high blood pressure
high cholesterol
heart disease and stroke
type-2 diabetes
osteoporosis
some cancers
depression
eating disorders
Poor nutrition can impair your daily health and wellbeing and reduce your ability to lead an enjoyable and active life.
Healthy eating habits
We’ve all been told that healthy eating can transform your life and help you live a longer and more active one. But what does healthy eating actually mean and how do you start putting this into practice and breaking bad habits? For some, this may be a way to help them lose weight, for others the goal may be to lower their blood pressure, and for others, it may just be to have a healthier way of living.
This transformation doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t just wake up on Sunday morning and break all of your bad habits without the cravings. This is a gradual process and can be as simple as choosing steamed broccoli as a side instead of loaded mashed potatoes. Or choosing an apple over chips for your mid-morning snack.
Here are some helpful tips and ideas that will soon have you well on the way to bursting with health and vitality:
Get more fruits and veggies in your day. Start your morning with a bowl of oatmeal and some blueberries. Aim for two servings of fruit and five servings of veggies each day.
Eat less saturated and trans fats. Read the labels for the products you are purchasing. You may be surprised at the ingredients and opt for a different brand.
Eat less salt. Make a conscious effort to put less and less salt on your food, until just a dash is all you need.
Eat less sugar. Try substituting honey in your coffee and opt for less sugary desserts. For instance, if you are craving dessert, try blending frozen bananas and topping it some strawberries.
Drink more water and aim for drinking half your body weight in ounces. Choosing water over sugary drinks can help you lose weight, clear your complexion, and, since our bodies are made up of 70% water, you may feel healthier all around.
Check your portions. Fill half of your dinner plate with a variety of vegetables or salad, add lean protein foods such as meat, fish, chicken or legumes (chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans etc) to take up a quarter of the plate, last add in grain foods such as rice, pasta or noodles to take up the remaining quarter of the plate.
Plan ahead. One of the main reasons people end up eating fast food or a bag of chips is because they are in a rush. Plan out your meals on the weekends, including your snacks, and purchase only what you need and prep your food. This will not only help you eat healthier, but it will also save you money.
If you are concerned about your nutritional habits it is best to discuss your options with your health care provider or a dietetic nutritionist.
If you are concerned with your heart health you should consider getting a Heart Scan at Advanced Body Scan in Oklahoma City or North Texas. The best prevention of cancer and heart disease is to catch them inside your body before they show up as outward symptoms. Advanced Body Scan has the technology to do just that.
These guidelines contain today’s best scientific advice on selection of foods for promoting health, preventing disease and maintaining or losing weight. These are general guidelines that apply to most healthy people. If you have a chronic disease or other special nutritional needs, contact a registered dietitian for specific recommendations.
Aim for Fitness
Maintain or work toward a healthy weight.
Be physically active every day—return fun and play to your life. Get moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day 5 days a week.
Healthy eating provides the sustained energy you need to be physically active.
Learn to manage your stress with exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and good coping skills.
Build Healthy Eating Habits
Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red, and orange vegetables (3 or more servings a day).
Eat a variety of fruits (2 or more servings a day).
Eat whole-grain, high-fiber breads and cereals (3 to 6 servings a day). Reduce or eliminate refined or processed carbohydrates; most of the grains in your diet should be whole grains.
Drink fat-free or low-fat milk and eat low-fat dairy products.
Choose from a variety of low-fat sources of protein — including eggs, beans, poultry without skin, seafood, lean meats, unsalted nuts, seeds, and soy products. If you eat meat, eat white meat at least four times more often than red meat.
Reduce intake of saturated fats and trans-fats (such as partially hydrogenated oil) as much as possible.
Use vegetable oils (like olive or canola oil) instead of solid fats.
Reduce daily intake of salt or sodium. Reduce to less than 1,500 mg. per day if you are older than 50, or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
Restrict or eliminate "junk food" — foods that contain refined white flour, solid fats or trans fats, added sugars, and are high in sodium.
Restrict or eliminate sodas and other sugar-added drinks that are high in calories and contain few or no nutrients.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. Drink only when it doesn't put you or anyone else at risk.
To Lose Weight
Reduce the number of calories you eat daily. Eat smaller portions—don't "upsize" your meals at fast food restaurants.
Follow the dietary guidelines above.
Eliminate all sugar-added drinks from your diet. You can drink 100% fruit juice, unsweetened, but limit servings to one or two a day. Drink more water.
Decrease the amount of time spent in sedentary activities, especially watching television. Use your screen-free time working on hobbies, house cleaning, yard work, or engaging in fun activities.
Get moderate physical activity (such as walking, bicycling, swimming, or using aerobic exercise machines) for 30 to 60 minutes a day, at least five days a week.
Do muscle strengthening and toning exercises at least 2 or 3 days a week.
Healthy eating is all about making positive choices, focusing on food which provides necessary nutrients to maintain good health, prevent deficiency diseases and chronic diet-related disorders.
Here are few tips to keep in mind while making diet choices.
Eat your veggies
Include 2 servings of sprouts and vegetable salads daily.
Include greens thrice a week.
Avoid Potato, Sweet potato, yam, Tapioca, Beetroot, Jack fruit seeds.
Include salads (raw vegetables) before each meal.
Avoid rice, Thick dal/ pulses and fruits in dinner.
Eat fruits every day
Include at least 3 serving of fresh fruits in your daily diet.
Have a bowl of fresh-cut fruits in empty stomach (in between meals).
Always prefer whole fruits over fruit juices.
Drink up Milk
Low fat or skimmed milk is preferred than whole milk.
Avoid Whole milk and milk products like butter, ghee, cheese and paneer.
Lean is better
Prefer white meat over red meat as it has more saturated fat than lean meats.
Avoid Red meat, Organ meat, Egg yolk, Sausages, Fried fish, Fried Chicken, Chicken with skin.
Boiled/ Steamed Chicken or Fish are preferred over fried.
Cut the salt
Reduce daily intake of salt
Eat no more than 6gms of salt per day (1-2 teaspoons/day)
Pink Himalayan salt, rock salt are a good variety of salts which can be included in our diets
Toss the sugar
Reduce daily intake of added & processed sugar.
Prefer natural sources of sugar over added or processed sugar.
Stay Hydrated
Water intake should be at least 3L/day.
Drink a glass of water before each meal.
On rising have a glass of lukewarm water with few drops of lime (optional).
Avoid aerated drinks & sodas. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Eliminate Junk Food
Restrict or eliminate all sugar-added processed and junk foods that are high in calories and contains few or no nutrients.
Avoid Bakery products, Refined or Processed food, Sweets, deep-fried and junk foods.
Low fat or no fat is preferred.
Meals on time
Maintain regular meal timings.
Do not skip meals and do not give long meal gaps.
Have small and frequent meals.
Have an early and light dinner.
A healthy diet helps to protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are leading global risks to health.
Healthy dietary practices start early in life – breastfeeding fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development, and may have longer term health benefits such as reducing the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.
Energy intake (calories) should be in balance with energy expenditure. To avoid unhealthy weight gain, total fat should not exceed 30% of total energy intake (1, 2, 3). Intake of saturated fats should be less than 10% of total energy intake, and intake of trans-fats less than 1% of total energy intake, with a shift in fat consumption away from saturated fats and trans-fats to unsaturated fats (3), and towards the goal of eliminating industrially-produced trans-fats (4, 5, 6).
Limiting intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake (2, 7) is part of a healthy diet. A further reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake is suggested for additional health benefits (7).
Keeping salt intake to less than 5 g per day (equivalent to sodium intake of less than 2 g per day) helps to prevent hypertension, and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke in the adult population (8).
WHO Member States have agreed to reduce the global population’s intake of salt by 30% by 2025; they have also agreed to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity in adults and adolescents as well as in childhood overweight by 2025 (9, 10).
Overview
Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.
The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.
For adults
A healthy diet includes the following:
Fruit, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils and beans), nuts and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice).
At least 400 g (i.e. five portions) of fruit and vegetables per day (2), excluding potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other starchy roots.
Less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars (2, 7), which is equivalent to 50 g (or about 12 level teaspoons) for a person of healthy body weight consuming about 2000 calories per day, but ideally is less than 5% of total energy intake for additional health benefits (7). Free sugars are all sugars added to foods or drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
Less than 30% of total energy intake from fats (1, 2, 3). Unsaturated fats (found in fish, avocado and nuts, and in sunflower, soybean, canola and olive oils) are preferable to saturated fats (found in fatty meat, butter, palm and coconut oil, cream, cheese, ghee and lard) and trans-fats of all kinds, including both industrially-produced trans-fats (found in baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods, such as frozen pizza, pies, cookies, biscuits, wafers, and cooking oils and spreads) and ruminant trans-fats (found in meat and dairy foods from ruminant animals, such as cows, sheep, goats and camels). It is suggested that the intake of saturated fats be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake and trans-fats to less than 1% of total energy intake (5). In particular, industrially-produced trans-fats are not part of a healthy diet and should be avoided (4, 6).
Less than 5 g of salt (equivalent to about one teaspoon) per day (8). Salt should be iodized.
For infants and young children
In the first 2 years of a child’s life, optimal nutrition fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development. It also reduces the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.
Advice on a healthy diet for infants and children is similar to that for adults, but the following elements are also important:
Infants should be breastfed exclusively during the first 6 months of life.
Infants should be breastfed continuously until 2 years of age and beyond.
From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with a variety of adequate, safe and nutrient-dense foods. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods.
Practical advice on maintaining a healthy diet
Fruit and vegetables
Eating at least 400 g, or five portions, of fruit and vegetables per day reduces the risk of NCDs (2) and helps to ensure an adequate daily intake of dietary fibre.
Fruit and vegetable intake can be improved by:
always including vegetables in meals;
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks;
eating fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season; and
eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.
Fats
Reducing the amount of total fat intake to less than 30% of total energy intake helps to prevent unhealthy weight gain in the adult population (1, 2, 3). Also, the risk of developing NCDs is lowered by:
reducing saturated fats to less than 10% of total energy intake;
reducing trans-fats to less than 1% of total energy intake; and
replacing both saturated fats and trans-fats with unsaturated fats (2, 3) – in particular, with polyunsaturated fats.
Fat intake, especially saturated fat and industrially-produced trans-fat intake, can be reduced by:
steaming or boiling instead of frying when cooking;
replacing butter, lard and ghee with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower oils;
eating reduced-fat dairy foods and lean meats, or trimming visible fat from meat; and
limiting the consumption of baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods (e.g. doughnuts, cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits and wafers) that contain industrially-produced trans-fats.
Salt, sodium and potassium
Most people consume too much sodium through salt (corresponding to consuming an average of 9–12 g of salt per day) and not enough potassium (less than 3.5 g). High sodium intake and insufficient potassium intake contribute to high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke (8, 11).
Reducing salt intake to the recommended level of less than 5 g per day could prevent 1.7 million deaths each year (12).
People are often unaware of the amount of salt they consume. In many countries, most salt comes from processed foods (e.g. ready meals; processed meats such as bacon, ham and salami; cheese; and salty snacks) or from foods consumed frequently in large amounts (e.g. bread). Salt is also added to foods during cooking (e.g. bouillon, stock cubes, soy sauce and fish sauce) or at the point of consumption (e.g. table salt).
Salt intake can be reduced by:
limiting the amount of salt and high-sodium condiments (e.g. soy sauce, fish sauce and bouillon) when cooking and preparing foods;
not having salt or high-sodium sauces on the table;
limiting the consumption of salty snacks; and
choosing products with lower sodium content.
Some food manufacturers are reformulating recipes to reduce the sodium content of their products, and people should be encouraged to check nutrition labels to see how much sodium is in a product before purchasing or consuming it.
Potassium can mitigate the negative effects of elevated sodium consumption on blood pressure. Intake of potassium can be increased by consuming fresh fruit and vegetables.
Sugars
In both adults and children, the intake of free sugars should be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake (2, 7). A reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake would provide additional health benefits (7).
Consuming free sugars increases the risk of dental caries (tooth decay). Excess calories from foods and drinks high in free sugars also contribute to unhealthy weight gain, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Recent evidence also shows that free sugars influence blood pressure and serum lipids, and suggests that a reduction in free sugars intake reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (13).
Sugars intake can be reduced by:
limiting the consumption of foods and drinks containing high amounts of sugars, such as sugary snacks, candies and sugar-sweetened beverages (i.e. all types of beverages containing free sugars – these include carbonated or non‐carbonated soft drinks, fruit or vegetable juices and drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready‐to‐drink tea, ready‐to‐drink coffee and flavoured milk drinks); and
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks instead of sugary snacks.
How to promote healthy diets
Diet evolves over time, being influenced by many social and economic factors that interact in a complex manner to shape individual dietary patterns. These factors include income, food prices (which will affect the availability and affordability of healthy foods), individual preferences and beliefs, cultural traditions, and geographical and environmental aspects (including climate change). Therefore, promoting a healthy food environment – including food systems that promote a diversified, balanced and healthy diet – requires the involvement of multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government, and the public and private sectors.
Governments have a central role in creating a healthy food environment that enables people to adopt and maintain healthy dietary practices. Effective actions by policy-makers to create a healthy food environment include the following:
Creating coherence in national policies and investment plans – including trade, food and agricultural policies – to promote a healthy diet and protect public health through:
increasing incentives for producers and retailers to grow, use and sell fresh fruit and vegetables;
reducing incentives for the food industry to continue or increase production of processed foods containing high levels of saturated fats, trans-fats, free sugars and salt/sodium;
encouraging reformulation of food products to reduce the contents of saturated fats, trans-fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, with the goal of eliminating industrially-produced trans-fats;
implementing the WHO recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children;
establishing standards to foster healthy dietary practices through ensuring the availability of healthy, nutritious, safe and affordable foods in pre-schools, schools, other public institutions and the workplace;
exploring regulatory and voluntary instruments (e.g. marketing regulations and nutrition labelling policies), and economic incentives or disincentives (e.g. taxation and subsidies) to promote a healthy diet; and
encouraging transnational, national and local food services and catering outlets to improve the nutritional quality of their foods – ensuring the availability and affordability of healthy choices – and review portion sizes and pricing.
Encouraging consumer demand for healthy foods and meals through:
promoting consumer awareness of a healthy diet;
developing school policies and programmes that encourage children to adopt and maintain a healthy diet;
educating children, adolescents and adults about nutrition and healthy dietary practices;
encouraging culinary skills, including in children through schools;
supporting point-of-sale information, including through nutrition labelling that ensures accurate, standardized and comprehensible information on nutrient contents in foods (in line with the Codex Alimentarius Commission guidelines), with the addition of front-of-pack labelling to facilitate consumer understanding; and
providing nutrition and dietary counselling at primary health-care facilities.
Promoting appropriate infant and young child feeding practices through:
implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions;
implementing policies and practices to promote protection of working mothers; and
promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding in health services and the community, including through the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative.
WHO response
The “WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health” (14) was adopted in 2004 by the Health Assembly. The strategy called on governments, WHO, international partners, the private sector and civil society to take action at global, regional and local levels to support healthy diets and physical activity.
In 2010, the Health Assembly endorsed a set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children (15). These recommendations guide countries in designing new policies and improving existing ones to reduce the impact on children of the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children. WHO has also developed region-specific tools (such as regional nutrient profile models) that countries can use to implement the marketing recommendations.
In 2012, the Health Assembly adopted a “Comprehensive Implementation Plan on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition” and six global nutrition targets to be achieved by 2025, including the reduction of stunting, wasting and overweight in children, the improvement of breastfeeding, and the reduction of anaemia and low birthweight (9).
In 2013, the Health Assembly agreed to nine global voluntary targets for the prevention and control of NCDs. These targets include a halt to the rise in diabetes and obesity, and a 30% relative reduction in the intake of salt by 2025. The “Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013–2020” (10) provides guidance and policy options for Member States, WHO and other United Nations agencies to achieve the targets.
With many countries now seeing a rapid rise in obesity among infants and children, in May 2014 WHO set up the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. In 2016, the Commission proposed a set of recommendations to successfully tackle childhood and adolescent obesity in different contexts around the world (16).
In November 2014, WHO organized, jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2). ICN2 adopted the Rome Declaration on Nutrition (17), and the Framework for Action (18) which recommends a set of policy options and strategies to promote diversified, safe and healthy diets at all stages of life. WHO is helping countries to implement the commitments made at ICN2.
In May 2018, the Health Assembly approved the 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13), which will guide the work of WHO in 2019–2023 (19). Reduction of salt/sodium intake and elimination of industrially-produced trans-fats from the food supply are identified in GPW13 as part of WHO’s priority actions to achieve the aims of ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. To support Member States in taking necessary actions to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fats, WHO has developed a roadmap for countries (the REPLACE action package) to help accelerate actions (6).
alcohol intake. While vitamin E intake appears to have no relationship to risk of CVD, there is convincing evidence that myristic and palmitic acids,
trans fatty acids, high sodium intake, overweight and high alcohol intake contribute to an increase in risk. A ‘‘probable’’ level of evidence
demonstrates a decreased risk for a-linolenic acid, oleic acid, NSP, wholegrain cereals, nuts (unsalted), folate, plant sterols and stanols, and
no relationship for stearic acid. There is a probable increase in risk from dietary cholesterol and unfiltered boiled coffee. Possible associations for
reduced risk include intake of flavonoids and consumption of soy products, while possible associations for increased risk include fats rich in
lauric acid, b-carotene supplements and impaired fetal nutrition. The evidence supporting these conclusions is summarized below.
Fatty acids and dietary cholesterol The relationship between dietary fats and CVD, especially coronary heart disease, has been extensively investigated, with strong and consistent associations emerging from a wide body of evidence accrued from animal experiments, as well as observational studies, clinical trials and metabolic studies conducted in diverse human populations (2). Saturated fatty acids raise total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, but individual fatty acids within this group, have different effects (3--5). Myristic and palmitic acids have the greatest effect and are abundant in diets rich in dairy products and meat. Stearic acid has not been shown to elevate blood cholesterol and is rapidly converted to oleicacid in vivo. The most effective replacement for saturated fatty acids in terms of coronary heart disease outcome are polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid. This finding is supported by the results of several large randomized clinical trials, in which replacement of saturated and trans fatty acids by polyunsaturated vegetable oils lowered coronary heart disease risk (6). Trans fatty acids are geometrical isomers of cis-unsaturated fatty acids that adapt a saturated fatty acid-like configuration. Partial hydrogena- tion, the process used to increase shelf-life of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) creates trans fatty acids and also removes the critical double bonds in essential fatty acids necessary for the action. Metabolic studies have demonstrated that trans fatty acids render the plasma lipid profile even more atherogenic than saturated fatty acids, by not only elevating LDL cholesterol to similar levels but also by decreasing high- density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (7). Several large cohort studies have found that intake of trans fatty acids increases the risk of coronary heart disease (8, 9). Most trans fatty acids are contributed by industrially hardened oils. Even though trans fatty acids have been reduced or eliminated from retail fats and spreads in many parts of the 82world, deep-fried fast foods and baked goods are a major and increasing source (7). When substituted for saturated fatty acids in metabolic studies, both monounsaturated fatty acids and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids lower plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations (10); PUFAs are somewhat more effective than monounsaturates in this respect. The only nutritionally important monounsaturated fatty acids is oleic acid, which is abundant in olive and canola oils and also in nuts. The most important polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid, which is abundant especially in soybean and sunflower oils. The most important n-3 PUFAs are eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid found in fatty fish, and a-linolenic acid found in plant foods. The biological effects of n-3
PUFAs are wide ranging, involving lipids and lipoproteins, blood
pressure, cardiac function, arterial compliance, endothelial function,
vascular reactivity and cardiac electrophysiology, as well as potent anti-
platelet and anti-inflammatory effects (11). The very long chain n-3
PUFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) powerfully
lower serum triglycerides but they raise serum LDL cholesterol.
Therefore, their effect on coronary heart disease is probably mediated
through pathways other than serum cholesterol.
Most of the epidemiological evidence related to n-3 PUFAs is derived
from studies of fish consumption in populations or interventions
involving fish diets in clinical trials (evidence on fish consumption is
discussed further below). Fish oils have been used in the Gruppo
Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell’Infarto Miocardico
(GISSI) trial involving survivors of myocardial infarction (12). After 3.5
years of follow-up, the group that received fish oil had a 20% reduction
in total mortality, a 30% reduction in cardiovascular death and a 45%
decrease in sudden death. Several prospective studies have found an
inverse association between the intake of a-linolenic acid, (high in
flaxseed, canola and soybean oils), and risk of fatal coronary heart disease (13, 14).Cholesterol in the blood and tissues is derived from two sources: diet and endogenous synthesis. Dairy fat and meat are major dietary sources. Egg yolk is particularly rich in cholesterol but unlike dairy products and meat
does not provide saturated fatty acids. Although dietary cholesterol
raises plasma cholesterol levels (15), observational evidence for an
association of dietary cholesterol intake with CVD is contradictory (16).
There is no requirement for dietary cholesterol and it is advisable to keep
the intake as low as possible (2). If intake of dairy fat and meat are
controlled, there is no need to severely restrict egg yolk intake, although
some limitation remains prudent.
83Dietary plant sterols, especially sitostanol, reduce serum cholesterol by
inhibiting cholesterol absorption (17). The cholesterol-lowering effects
of plant sterols has also been well documented (18) and commercial
products made of these compounds are widely available, but their long-
term effects remain to be seen.
NSP (dietary fibre)
Dietary fibre is a heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharides and lignin
that cannot be degraded by the endogenous enzymes of vertebrate
animals. Water-soluble fibres include pectins, gums, mucilages and some
hemicelluloses. Insoluble fibres include cellulose and other hemicellu-
loses. Most fibres reduce plasma total and LDL cholesterol, as reported
by several trials (19). Several large cohort studies carried out in different
countries have reported that a high fibre diet as well as a diet high in
wholegrain cereals lowers the risk of coronary heart disease (20--23).
Antioxidants, folate, and flavonoids
Even though antioxidants could, in theory, be protective against CVD
and there is observational data supporting this theory, controlled trials
employing supplements have been disappointing. The Heart Outcomes
Prevention Evaluation trial (HOPE), a definitive clinical trial relating
vitamin E supplementation to CVD outcomes, revealed no effect of
vitamin E supplementation on myocardial infarction, stroke or death
from cardiovascular causes in men or women (24). Also, the results of the
Heart Protection Study indicated that no significant benefits of daily
supplementation of vitamin E, vitamin C and b-carotene were observed
among the high-risk individuals that were the subject of the study (25). In
several studies where dietary vitamin C reduced the risk of coronary heart
disease, supplemental vitamin C had little effect. Clinical trial evidence is
lacking at present. Observational cohort studies have suggested a
protective role for carotenoids but a meta-analysis of four randomized
trials, in contrast, reported an increased risk of cardiovascular death (26).
The relationship of folate to CVD has been mostly explored through its
effect on homocysteine, which may itself be an independent risk factor for
coronary heart disease and probably also for stroke. Folic acid is required
for the methylation of homocysteine to methionine. Reduced plasma
folate has been strongly associated with elevated plasma homocysteine
levels and folate supplementation has been demonstrated to decrease
those levels (27). However, the role of homocysteine as an independent
risk factor for CVD has been subject to much debate, since several
prospective studies have not found this association to be independent of
other risk factors (28, 29). It has also been suggested that elevation of
plasma homocysteine is a consequence and not a cause of atherosclerosis,
wherein impaired renal function resulting from atherosclerosis raises
84plasma homocysteine levels (30, 31). Data from the Nurses’ Health Study
showed that folate and vitamin B6, from diet and supplements, conferred
protection against coronary heart disease (32). A recently published meta-
analysis concluded that a higher intake of folate (0.8 mg folic acid) would
reduce the risk of ischaemic heart disease by 16% and stroke by 24% (33).
Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that occur in a variety of foods of
vegetable origin, such as tea, onions and apples. Data from several
prospective studies indicate an inverse association of dietary flavonoids
with coronary heart disease (34, 35). However, confounding may be a major
problem and may explain the conflicting results of observational studies.
Sodium and potassium
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease
and both forms of stroke (ischaemic and haemorrhagic). Of the many
risk factors associated with high blood pressure, the dietary exposure
that has been most investigated is daily sodium intake. It has been
studied extensively in animal experimental models, in epidemiological
studies, controlled clinical trials and in population studies on restricted
sodium intake (36, 37).
All these data show convincingly that sodium intake is directly associated
with blood pressure. An overview of observational data obtained from
population studies suggested that a difference in sodium intake of 100
mmol per day was associated with average differences in systolic blood
pressure of 5 mmHg at age 15--19 years and 10 mmHg at age 60--69 years
(37). Diastolic blood pressures are reduced by about half as much, but the
association increases with age and magnitude of the initial blood pressure.
It was estimated that a universal reduction in dietary intake of sodium by
50 mmol per day would lead to a 50% reduction in the number of people
requiring antihypertensive therapy, a 22% reduction in the number of
deaths resulting from strokes and a 16% reduction in the number of deaths
from coronary heart disease. The first prospective study using 24-hour
urine collections for measuring sodium intake, which is the only reliable
measure, demonstrated a positive relationship between an increased risk
of acute coronary events, but not stroke events, and increased sodium
excretion (38). The association was strongest among overweight men.
Several clinical intervention trials, conducted to evaluate the effects of
dietary salt reduction on blood pressure levels, have been systematically
reviewed (39, 40). Based on an overview of 32 methodologically adequate
trials, Cutler, Follmann & Allender (39) concluded that a daily reduction
of sodium intake by 70--80 mmol was associated with a lowering of blood
pressure both in hypertensive and normotensive individuals, with systolic
and diastolic blood pressure reductions of 4.8/1.9 mmHg in the former
and 2.5/1.1 mmHg in the latter. Clinical trials have also demonstrated the
85sustainable blood pressure lowering effects of sodium restriction in
infancy (41, 42), as well as in the elderly in whom it provides a useful non-
pharmacological therapy (43). The results of a low-sodium diet trial (44)
showed that low-sodium diets, with 24-hour sodium excretion levels
around 70 mmol, are effective and safe. Two population studies, in China
and in Portugal, have also revealed significant reductions in blood
pressure in the intervention groups (45, 46).
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that potassium
supplements reduced mean blood pressures (systolic/diastolic) by 1.8/1.0
mmHg in normotensive subjects and 4.4/2.5 mmHg in hypertensive
subjects (47). Several large cohort studies have found an inverse
association between potassium intake and risk of stroke (48, 49). While
potassium supplements have been shown to have protective effects on
blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, there is no evidence to
suggest that long-term potassium supplements should be administered
to reduce the risk for CVD. The recommended levels of fruit and
vegetable consumption assure an adequate intake of potassium.
Food items and food groups
While the consumption of fruits and vegetables has been widely believed
to promote good health, evidence related to their protective effect
against CVD has only been presented in recent years (50). Numerous
ecological and prospective studies have reported a significant protective
association for coronary heart disease and stroke with consumption of
fruits and vegetables (50--53). The effects of increased fruit and vegetable
consumption on blood pressure alone and in combination with a low-fat
diet, were assessed in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
(DASH) trial (54). While the combination diet was more effective in
lowering blood pressure, the fruit and vegetable diet also lowered blood
pressure (by 2.8 mmHg systolic and 1.1 mmHg diastolic) in comparison
to the control diet. Such reductions, while seeming modest at the
individual level, would result in a substantial reduction in population-
wide risk of CVD by shifting the blood pressure distribution.
Most, but not all, population studies have shown that fish consumption is
associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. A systematic
review concluded that the discrepancy in the findings may be a result of
differences in the populations studied, with only high-risk individuals
benefiting from increasing their fish consumption (55). It was estimated
that in high-risk populations, an optimum fish consumption of 40--60 g per
day would lead to approximately a 50% reduction in death from coronary
heart disease. In a diet and reinfarction trial, 2-year mortality was reduced
by 29% in survivors of a first myocardial infarction in persons receiving
advice to consume fatty fish at least twice a week (56). A recent study based
86on data from 36 countries, reported that fish consumption is associated
with a reduced risk of death from all causes as well as CVD mortality (57).
Several large epidemiological studies have demonstrated that frequent
consumption of nuts was associated with decreased risk of coronary
heart disease (58, 59). Most of these studies considered nuts as a group,
combining many different types of nuts. Nuts are high in unsaturated
fatty acids and low in saturated fats, and contribute to cholesterol
lowering by altering the fatty acid profile of the diet as a whole. However,
because of the high energy content of nuts, advice to include them in the
diet must be tempered in accordance with the desired energy balance.
Several trials indicate that soy has a beneficial effect on plasma lipids (60,
61). A composite analysis of 38 clinical trials found that an average
consumption of 47 g of soy protein a day led to a 9% decline in total
cholesterol and a 13% decline in LDL cholesterol in subjects free of
coronary heart disease (62). Soy is rich in isoflavones, compounds that
are structurally and functionally similar to estrogen. Several animal
experiments suggest that the intake of these isoflavones may provide
protection against coronary heart disease, but human data on efficacy
and safety are still awaited.
There is convincing evidence that low to moderate alcohol consumption
lowers the risk of coronary heart disease. In a systematic review of
ecological, case--control and cohort studies in which specific associations
were available between risk of coronary heart-disease and consumption of
beer, wine and spirits, it was found that all alcoholic drinks are linked with
lower risk (63). However, other cardiovascular and health risks associated
with alcohol do not favour a general recommendation for its use.
Boiled, unfiltered coffee raises total and LDL cholesterol because coffee
beans contain a terpenoid lipid called cafestol. The amount of cafestol in
the cup depends on the brewing method: it is zero for paper-filtered drip
coffee, and high in the unfiltered coffee still widely drunk in, for example,
in Greece, the Middle East and Turkey. Intake of large amounts of
unfiltered coffee markedly raises serum cholesterol and has been
associated with coronary heart disease in Norway (64). A shift from
unfiltered, boiled coffee to filtered coffee has contributed significantly to
the decline in serum cholesterol in Finland (65).
5.4.5 Disease-specific recommendations
Measures aimed at reducing the risk of CVD are outlined below. The
strength of evidence on lifestyle factors is summarized in Table 10.
Fats
Dietary intake of fats strongly influences the risk of cardiovascular
diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke, through effects on
87blood lipids, thrombosis, blood pressure, arterial (endothelial) function,
arrythmogenesis and inflammation. However, the qualitative composi-
tion of fats in the diet has a significant role to play in modifying this risk.
Table 10
Summary of strength of evidence on lifestyle factors and risk of developing
cardiovascular diseases
Evidence Decreased risk No relationship Increased risk
Convincing Regular physical activity
Linoleic acid
Fish and fish oils (EHA and DHA)
Vegetables and fruits (including
berries)
Potassium
Low to moderate alcohol intake
(for coronary heart disease)
Vitamin E
supplements
Myristic and palmitic acids
Trans fatty acids
High sodium intake
Overweight
High alcohol intake (for stroke)
Probable a-Linolenic acid
Oleic acid
NSP
Wholegrain cereals
Nuts (unsalted)
Plant sterols/stanols
Folate
Stearic acid Dietary cholesterol
Unfiltered boiled coffee
Possible Flavonoids
Soy products
Fats rich in lauric acid
Impaired fetal nutrition
Beta-carotene supplements
Inufficient Calcium
Magnesium
Vitamin C
Carbohydrates
Iron
EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; NSP, non-starch polysaccharides.
The evidence shows that intake of saturated fatty acids is directly related
to cardiovascular risk. The traditional target is to restrict the intake of
saturated fatty acids to less than 10%, of daily energy intake and less
than 7% for high-risk groups. If populations are consuming less than
10%, they should not increase that level of intake. Within these limits,
intake of foods rich in myristic and palmitic acids should be replaced by
fats with a lower content of these particular fatty acids. In developing
countries, however, where energy intake for some population groups
may be inadequate, energy expenditure is high and body fat stores are
low (BMI <18.5 kg/m2 ). The amount and quality of fat supply has to be
considered keeping in mind the need to meet energy requirements.
Specific sources of saturated fat, such as coconut and palm oil, provide
low-cost energy and may be an important source of energy for the poor.
Not all saturated fats have similar metabolic effects; those with 12--16
carbons in the fatty acid chain have a greater effect on raising LDL
cholesterol. This implies that the fatty acid composition of the fat source
88
should be examined. As populations progress in the nutrition transition and
energy excess becomes a potential problem, restricting certain fatty acids
becomes progressively more relevant to ensuring cardiovascular health.
To promote cardiovascular health, diets should provide a very low
intake of trans fatty acids (hydrogenated oils and fats). In practice, this
implies an intake of less than 1% of daily energy intake. This
recommendation is especially relevant in developing countries where
low-cost hydrogenated fat is frequently consumed. The potential effect
of human consumption of hydrogenated oils of unknown physiological
effects (e.g. marine oils) is of great concern.
Diets should provide an adequate intake of PUFAs, i.e. in the range 6--
10% of daily energy intake. There should also be an optimal balance
between intake of n-6 PUFAs and n-3 PUFAs, i.e. 5--8% and 1--2% of
daily energy intake, respectively.
Intake of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, should make up the rest
of the daily energy intake from fats, to give a daily total fat intake ranging
from 15% up to 30% of daily energy intake. Recommendations for total fat
intake may be based on current levels of population consumption in
different regions and modified to take account of age, activity and ideal
body weight. Where obesity is prevalent, for example, an intake in the lower
part of the range is preferable in order to achieve a lower energy intake.
While there is no evidence to directly link the quantity of daily fat intake to
an increased risk of CVD, total fat consumption should be limited to enable
the goals of reduced intake of saturated and trans fatty acids to be met easily
in most populations and to avoid the potential problems of undesirable
weight gain that may arise from unrestricted fat intake. It should be noted
that highly active groups with diets rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits and
wholegrain cereals will limit the risk of unhealthy weight gain on a diet
comprising a total fat intake of up to 35%.
These dietary goals can be met by limiting the intake of fat from dairy and
meat sources, avoiding the use of hydrogenated oils and fats in cooking
and manufacture of food products, using appropriate edible vegetable
oils in small amounts, and ensuring a regular intake of fish (one to two
times per week) or plant sources of a-linolenic acid. Preference should be
given to food preparation practices that employ non-frying methods.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contribute to cardiovascular health through the
variety of phytonutrients, potassium and fibre that they contain. Daily
intake of fresh fruit and vegetables (including berries, green leafy and
cruciferous vegetables and legumes), in an adequate quantity (400--
500 g per day), is recommended to reduce the risk of coronary heart
disease, stroke and high blood pressure
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, heart disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the United States.
The American Heart Association (AHA)Trusted Source states that almost half of U.S. adults live with some form of cardiovascular disease.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a growing concern in the U.S. The condition can lead to a heart attack, heart failure, and a stroke.
It may be possible to prevent up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke diagnoses with lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and healthful eating.
The foods people eat can reduce their blood pressure and help keep their hearts healthy.
The DASH diet, or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, includes plenty of heart healthy foods. The program recommendsTrusted Source:
eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
choosing fat-free or low fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
limiting saturated and trans fat intake, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products
limiting drinks and foods that contain added sugars
restricting sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day — ideally 1,500 mg daily — and increasing consumption of potassium, magnesium, and calcium
High-fiber foods are also crucial for keeping the heart healthy.
The AHATrusted Source states that dietary fiber helps improve blood cholesterol and lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
The medical community has long recognized the link between trans fats and heart-related illnesses, such as coronary heart disease.
Limiting certain types of fats can also improve heart health. For instance, eliminating trans fats reduces the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This type of cholesterol causes plaque to collect within the arteries, increasing the risk of a heart attack and stroke.
Reducing blood pressure can also promote heart health. Most adults may achieve this by limiting their salt intake to no more than 1,500 mgTrusted Source per day.
Food manufacturers add salt to many processed and fast foods, and a person who wishes to lower their blood pressure should avoid these products.
Reduced cancer risk
A person may eat foods that contain antioxidants to help reduce their risk of developing cancer by protecting their cells from damage.
The presence of free radicals in the body increases the risk of cancer, but antioxidants help remove them to lower the likelihood of this disease.
Many phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes act as antioxidants, including beta carotene, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E.
According to the National Cancer InstituteTrusted Source, there are laboratory and animal studies that link certain antioxidants to a reduced incidence of free radical damage due to cancer. However, human trials are inconclusive and doctors advise against using these dietary supplements without consulting them first.
Foods high in antioxidants include:
berries, such as blueberries and raspberries
dark, leafy greens
pumpkin and carrots
nuts and seeds
Having obesity may increaseTrusted Source a person’s risk of developing cancer and result in poorer outcomes. Maintaining a moderate weight may reduce these risks.
In a 2014 studyTrusted Source, researchers found that a diet rich in fruits reduced the risk of upper gastrointestinal tract cancers.
They also found that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and fiber lowered the risk of colorectal cancer, while a diet rich in fiber reduces the risk of liver cancer.
Read more about cancer-fighting foods here.
Better mood
Some evidence suggests a close relationship between diet and mood.
In 2016, researchers found that diets with a high glycemic load may trigger increased symptoms of depression and fatigue in people who have obesity but are otherwise healthy.
A diet with a high glycemic load includes many refined carbohydrates, such as those found in soft drinks, cakes, white bread, and biscuits. Vegetables, whole fruit, and whole grains have a lower glycemic load.
Recent research also found that diet can affectTrusted Source blood glucose levels, immune activation, and the gut microbiome, which may affect a person’s mood. The researchers also found that there may be a link between more healthful diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, and better mental health. Whereas, the opposite is true for diets with high amounts of red meat, processed, and high fat foods.
It is important to note that the researchers highlighted a necessity for further research into the mechanisms that link food and mental health.
If a person suspects they have symptoms of depression, talking with a doctor or mental health professional may help.
Improved gut health
The colon is full of naturally occurring bacteria, which play important rolesTrusted Source in metabolism and digestion.
Certain strains of bacteria also produceTrusted Source vitamins K and B, which benefit the colon. They may also help fight harmful bacteria and viruses.
A diet high in fiber may decreaseTrusted Source inflammation in the gut. A diet rich in fibrous vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains may provide a combination of prebiotics and probiotics that help good bacteria thrive in the colon.
These fermented foods are rich in probioticsTrusted Source:
yogurt
kimchi
sauerkraut
miso
kefir
Prebiotics may help improveTrusted Source a range of digestive issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms.
Improved memory
A healthful diet may help maintain cognition and brain health. However, further conclusive research is necessary.
A 2015 study identified nutrients and foods that protect against cognitive decline and dementia. The researchers found the following to be beneficial:
vitamin D, C, and E
omega-3 fatty acids
flavonoids and polyphenols
Inflammatory responses are operationally characterized by pain, redness, heat and swelling at the site of infection and trauma. Mast cells reside near small blood vessels and, when activated, release potent mediators involved in allergy and inflammation. Vitamin D modulates contraction, inflammation and remodeling tissue. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to multiple diseases and several data have demonstrated a strong relationship between serum vitamin D levels and tissue function. Therapy targeting vitamin D3 signaling may provide new approaches for infectious and inflammatory skin diseases by affecting both innate and adaptive immune functions. Mast cells are activated by oxidized lipoproteins, resulting in increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and suggesting that the reduction of oxidation of low density lipoprotein by vitamin E may also reduce mast cell activation. Vitamin C is also an anti-oxidant well-known as an anti-scurvy agent in humans. Vitamin C inhibits peroxidation of membrane phospholipids and acts as a scavenger of free radicals and is also required for the synthesis of several hormones and neurotransmitters. In humans, vitamin C reduces the duration of common cold symptoms, even if its effect is not clear. Supplementation of vitamin C improves the function of the human immune system, such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis and delayed-type hypersensitivity. Vitamin C depletion has been correlated with histaminemia which has been shown to damage endothelial-dependent vasodilation. However, the impact of these vitamins on allergy and inflammation is still not well understood.
January
Vegetables Cauliflower,Peas,Brinjal, Spinach(palak), Ivy Gourd Coccinia grandisl(kundru,tendli), Tomatoes, Cabbage,Carrot,Radish, Beetroot,Broccoli,Capsicum
Fruits Papaya,Pomegranate,Straw berries,Passion fruits,Grapes,Guava
February
vegetables Fenugreek(Methi), Cabbage,Carrot,Radish,Spring onion,Capsicum,Broccoli.drumstick(sahjan ,singhphali),
Fruits Oranges,Chickoo, Musk melon,Grapes,Guava,Papaya,Pomegranate,Pineapple,Strawberries.
March
vegetables Pointed gourd(Parwal),Spinach,Fenugreek,Capsicum,Carrot, tindora, pumpkin.
Fruits Mango —raw(kaccha aam),Totapuri, Badami ,Watermelon,Grapes,Orange, Pineapple,Banana, Muskmelon, Strawberries.
April
vegetables Lady's finger(okra),Cucumber,Calabash(Bottle gourd,Lauki,Doodhi,),Bitter Squash(Karela),Amarnath(Chaulai,Chawli),Pumpkin.Beans,Kundru,Parwal,
Fruits Jackfruit(kathal)rest fruits mostly same as available in march
May
vegetables Spinach,Cucumber,Lauki,Karela,Beans.
Fruits Jamuns(indian plum or purple berry),Mango — Alphonso, Kesar,Litchis(lychee),Raw Papaya,Jackfruit, Watermelon,Muskmelon.
June
vegetables Spinach,Okra( lady's finger),Cucumber,Amarnath(chawli),Cluster Beans(gawar,fali,semiya),Corn,Capsicum,Sweet potato.
Fruits Mango — Alphonso,dussehri, Kesar.
July
vegetables round gourd(tinda),bottle guard(lauki, doodhi), snake gourd(chichinda,padwal), karela.& rest same as june
Fruits Mango — Kesar,dussheri Totapuri — cherries, peach, plum.
August
vegetables most veggies same as available in june and july.
Fruits Custard apple & rest same as June
September
vegetablesmost veggies same as available in june,july & august
Fruits Guava, papaya, pomegranate, custard apple(sharifa), passion fruit.
October
vegetables Brinjal, tomatoes, dil(Suva bhaji / Soye), spring onions & rest same as available in sep
Fruits mostly same as October & September.
November
vegetables French beans & rest same as october
Fruits Orange, dates, guava, papaya, pomegranate, custard apple.
December
vegetables Radish, beetroot, yam(ratalu,sooran).Sarson, Bathua,palak & rest same as oct and nov
Fruits Strawberries, orange, sweet lime, fig(anjeer), guava, custard apple, pineapple.
