What To Eat To Be Healthy

The saying that “real beauty comes from inside” holds true when it comes to health. Eating right is directly linked to looking and feeling your best. However, with the hundreds of varieties of food to choose from, you can sometimes be spoilt for choice. Let me help you where to start.

How did our diet change?
First, some bit of history will give you better understanding why you are actually confused on what to eat. As you know, humans have been hunters and gatherers for thousands of years. However, during the agricultural revolution some 10,000 years back, the human diet changed drastically. Worse still, modern food processing in the past few decades has dawned with massive transformation in the human diet.

The dreaded diseases that are sweeping most of the western populations were nearly unheard of in the hunter-gatherers population. These “primitives” lived in excellent health. In fact, recent scientific studies have shown that by eating the foods that were available to our ancestors (better known as Paleolithic diet) people are able to lose weight and experience notable improvements in health.

This said, let us now delve into some of these foods comprising the Paleolithic diet.

Fruits and vegetables
Vegetables are generally high in fiber and contain a load of nutrients vital to the human body. These nutrients are known to protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

RELATED: 10 Benefits Of Eating Vegetables

Healthy vegetables include kales, spinach, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas, tomatoes, asparagus, green bell pepper, okra, scallions, zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, avocado, iceberg lettuce, beets, Jerusalem artichokes aka sun chokes, cucumbers, Portobello mushrooms, eggplant, radishes, swiss chard, ginger, red cabbage and German turnip.

Aim for 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day.

RELATED: Benefits Of Bananas

Fruits are likewise rich in fiber, vitamins A and C and a myriad of beneficial nutrients like potassium, folic acid, calcium and magnesium. The healthiest fruits on the planet include grapefruit, pineapple, avocado, blueberries, apples, pomegranates, mango, strawberries, cranberries, lemons, durian, watermelon, olives, blackberries, oranges, bananas, red and purple grapes, guava, papaya and cherries

Aim at 2 cups of fruit a day.

Whole grains
Unprocessed, whole grains give you the most benefit, mostly by the fact that they retain the bran and germ, and thus all the nutrients and fiber of the grain. Oats top the list of the most beneficial whole grains.

They are able to lower cholesterol in humans and also help you lose weight. Others whole grains you should try include wheat, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, oatmeal, popcorn, whole-wheat bread, rye, freekeh, quinoa and corn.

Nuts and seeds
These serve as good pass time snacks between meals. They boost your overall health as they contain protein, vitamins B and E, fiber, antioxidants, mono-saturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids and many other minerals. The healthiest nuts on planet earth include macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, brazil nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds and chia seeds.

Remember to consume them raw as roasting them may damage the nutrients.

Lean protein
Eating protein is important if you have to feel satisfied with your meals and maintain a weight loss plan. Protein also helps build our muscle mass.

The best sources of lean protein include fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, eggs, low fat dairy, beans, peas, lentils, ostrich, wild salmon, tuna, gruyere cheese, greek yoghurt, grass fed milk and cashewnuts.

Low-carb real-food
This is a way of eating that minimizes sugars and starch, replacing them with foods rich in proteins and healthy fats. This leads to more weight loss and health improvements.

Snacks
In case you get hungry between meals, it is still healthy to go for snacks such as full-fat yoghurt and celery.

Water
Above all, keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Aim at 2 liters every day so as to reap maximum benefit.

Did I leave any crucial item? Feel free to drop your comments below, as your feast on that healthy meal.

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