Healthy Eating – Rules, Tips, and Recipes

All the substances necessary for the building and functioning of the body come from food. How we feel and look depends on the quality and quantity of the food we consume. Due to the significant importance of food, myths about diets and various manipulations often surround it. In reality, what people need is just healthy eating. So, what is healthy eating, and how can it be achieved? Let’s explore in this article.

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What Is Healthy Eating?

Healthy eating is the consumption of foods that contain all the necessary nutrients for the body in optimal quantities while avoiding excess. At first glance, it seems simple. However, calculating exactly how much of each nutrient a specific person needs is almost impossible.

So, what should you do? Focus on the overall diet. It should be diverse and rich in healthy foods. To make it easier to transition to healthy eating, nutritionists have developed several rules.

Healthy Eating – Rules

WHO doctors emphasize that 70% of our health depends on nutrition. Creating a 100% perfect diet is unrealistic, but following these rules can help you get closer:

• Aim for Variety. Try to include vegetables, fruits, protein-rich foods (meat, eggs, dairy products, fish), grains, nuts, and seeds in your diet every day. Vegans should compensate for animal protein with plant-based alternatives.
• Strive for Balance. Excessive consumption of salt, sugar, fat, or any single product is always harmful. Healthy eating is typically diverse.
• Practice Moderation. Eat enough to meet your body’s needs. Excess food turns into fat, which accumulates under the skin and in the abdominal cavity. Even healthy foods can turn into fat if consumed in excess.
• Remember Water. But forget about the myths regarding a specific number of glasses. Drink as much water as your body needs; this amount is individual. Healthy eating involves drinking pure water, not carbonated drinks, tea, coffee, juice, and especially not alcohol.

Where To Start With Healthy Eating

Many recommend reviewing your diet first and thinking about how to improve it. But is that necessary? If you’re considering transitioning to healthy eating, something is likely wrong. Whether it’s an excess of sweets, an abundance of processed foods, fast food and chips, or overeating or under-eating, the steps to correct your diet will be the same:

• Eliminate ready-made products and snacks, and buy fresh vegetables, fish, meat, fruits, etc.
• Stop frying foods, start baking or steaming more to reduce the fat content of your meals. As an alternative, fry without oil in a non-stick pan.
• Eat more vegetables. They can be a salad, garnish, or main dish. Add leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and chard to your diet.
• Give up sweets. They are a quick source of energy and endorphins, boosting mood and providing pleasure. However, they contain too much sugar and often fat as well.

Healthy Eating For Weight Loss

In most cases, excess weight is a result of overeating. People usually don’t notice when something is wrong with their diet, and switching to healthy eating helps reduce weight even without special diets. Overeating “healthy” foods is quite difficult because they aren’t sweets or snacks. However, it’s still a good idea to count calories.

The internet offers many convenient calorie calculators; you can choose any. Determine how much energy you need to maintain your desired weight and eat within your chosen range. To make healthy eating for weight loss as effective as possible, follow these tips:

• Don’t restrict yourself too much; weight loss should be gradual.
• Don’t treat healthy eating as a temporary diet – it’s a lifestyle.
• Keep a food diary initially to avoid accidentally eating something extra.

Healthy Eating And Sweets

Sometimes, people are afraid to switch to healthy eating because it seems too boring and tasteless to them. They also fear they will miss sweets. Of course, healthy eating and excessive sugar intake are incompatible. But “healthy” sweets do exist. Here are a few recipes.

Energy Balls With Dates And Nuts

Ingredients:

• 200 g pitted dates
• 100 g nuts (walnuts, almonds, or cashews)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut flakes
• 1-2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Preparation:

1. Soak the dates in warm water for 10 minutes to soften them.
2. Blend the dates, nuts, and cocoa powder in a blender until smooth.
3. Add honey and blend again.
4. Form small balls from the mixture.
5. Roll the balls in coconut flakes.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

Homemade Fruit Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Slice the bananas and freeze them.
2. Blend the frozen bananas, berries, honey, and lemon juice until creamy.
3. Transfer to a mold and freeze for another 1-2 hours.
4. Serve with berries or nuts.

Baked Apples With Honey And Cinnamon

Ingredients:

• 4 apples
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Nuts and raisins (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Core the apples.
3. Fill the center with honey, cinnamon, nuts, and raisins.
4. Place the apples on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until soft.
5. Serve warm, topped with yogurt or honey.

Tips On Starting Healthy Eating – Video

To understand everything, get inspired, and finally transition to healthy eating, watch this video:

Conclusion

Healthy eating is the best choice for anyone who cares about their body and well-being. It’s not a diet or secret knowledge. It’s the right choice of foods and cooking methods that will positively affect your body and prevent many diseases.

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Eating