When it comes to healthy eating, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused by so many “rules.” There’s what to eat vs not, complicated nutrition labels, and fancy terms like macronutrients and negative energy balance. Yes, understanding these concepts plays a role in healthy eating, but above all else mastering this one simple guideline will help you stick to your nutrition goals: Eating should be F.U.N!
Your daily dietary habits should include foods that are:
Fiber dense.
Unprocessed.
Nitrogen rich.
Foods that are high in FIBER serve a number of important functions. Fiber aids in digestion, helps you feel full longer, helps to regulate your blood sugar level, and reduces your risk for heart disease. Dietary fiber is a form of carbohydrates, which is the body’s preferred source of fuel to function throughout the day. So think of fiber as good clean energy for daily life. Foods high in fiber like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all natural foods that will energize you without any added contaminants. Compare that to sugary foods, which will give you a quick burst of energy, but burns out quickly and leaves you with nothing but waste (excess calories stored as fat).
UNPROCESSED foods are essentially all foods that can be grown. Wholesome, natural foods provide you with the most amount of nutrients your body needs to function optimally in the least amount of volume. Some nutrients we need in large quantities, like carbohydrates, fats, and protein (macronutrients). There are other nutrients that our body requires as well. Vitamins A,B,C,D,K and minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium are micronutrients that help all the various cells in your body function at its best. This is why naturally grown foods are so important. Natural foods give us the most bang for our buck in that they satisfy our energy (carbs) and maintenance/growth needs (protein) but also bring along with it the micronutrients that provide your body’s cells and organs the resources it needs to perform at its best. Healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, and seeds aid in delivering these micronutrients to the cells in your body. That is why a diet full of various fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds is an excellent path for weight loss and optimal health.
Finally, your diet should include natural foods that are NITROGEN rich to nourish your body. Nourishment means foods that support growth and good health. Protein is the nitrogen-rich macronutrient that does just that.. Protein is the body’s preferred source for muscle growth and maintenance. It is also a key ingredient for bone and organ health. Protein helps you feel fuller longer, just like fiber! Win-win!
Let’s not forget, eating is supposed to be enjoyable, not a chore or process. So when in doubt, keep it simple – choose all natural foods that are high in fiber, high in protein, and useful for optimal health.
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