Are You Eating Right?
What makes a healthy diet? How you can incorporate it into your daily life? The blog sheds a revealing light on the virtues of eating right.
Who wouldn’t like to look lean and mean, flaunt washboard abs or get as close to achieving a svelte figure?
Besides giving your body definition, maintaining an ideal body weight lowers the risk of lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and depression. India is the infamous “Diabetes capital of the world.” The disease is chipping away at the productivity of our young professionals. In the absence of a healthy and efficient workforce, the so-called demographic dividend doesn’t really pay off!
One key holds the answer, and that is eating healthy. By watching what you eat and successfully dealing with the challenges like boredom, you can experience wellness without depending on pills. And, remember, it is not just your life. The choices you make also set the template for the whole family to follow!
So let’s understand how our eating plates can get healthier, more nutritious, and tasty.
Broadly speaking, one-half of your meal should contain fruits and veggies. Fresh fruits, mind you, not the canned pulps. The more vibrantly hued the fruits and vegetables, the better the nutrient value! Potatoes are exceptions since they may cause blood sugar spikes.
A quarter of your food should comprise whole grains such as whole wheat, millets, and corn. Quinoa and Barley are known to be superfoods. White bread is unhealthy. Go for brown or mixed-grain bread. Avoid anything white as it leads to a sharp rise in blood glucose. The brown takes the crown any day!
Protein is important for muscle gain and tissue repair. One-fourth of the meal should give your body good quality proteins, preferably plant-based. Nuts are healthy and energy-rich. A handful of nuts is always the right go-to option if you are feeling famished. Besides gorging on munchies, you may eat your proteins in other convenient ways. Protein powders are commonly available on supermarket shelves; mix them with beverages, salads, or curries. For die-hard non-vegetarians, let us reiterate that red meat is a strict no-no. Also, avoid processed meats and prefer to eat fresh, lean cuts only.
You can never put oil out of the equation, especially in the Indian context. Choose plant oils, and remember the golden rule: less is more. Oils good for the cardio-vascular system are sunflower, soybean, canola, to name a few. Hydrogenated oils are unhealthy, and so are trans fats.
Do not consume sugary or aerated drinks as these are empty calories. Limit alcohol or caffeine intake as well. The summer season is not far off. Go easy on sweet lassi as it is loaded to the brim with simple sugar. Fresh fruit juices in moderation give you a quick shot of energy besides replenishing the body with vital nutrients. So the next time you feel thirsty, there is nothing like a glass of fruit juice to slake your thirst.
Say no to a sedentary lifestyle. Complement your healthy meals with movements to aid digestion. Sitting on haunches all day never made Jack feel good! Keeping yourself active is important to keep unwanted kilos off.
WHY PEOPLE DO NOT STICK TO HEALTHY CHOICES
One, it takes time to break the habit and cultivate the new one. People lack patience. But, hey, here is the good news. Scientists have discovered that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit. So if you are reworking your menu, please stay put on your resolution.
Two, healthy food is not necessarily boring. But most people perceive it to be too bland. You may stir fry or air fry your snacks, sprinkle low-sodium salts (on the advice of your doctor), or use other healthier alternatives. Enough has been said about white sugar. Crush some jaggery and use it to sweeten your dish. It takes time, but the small choices you make lead to big results.
Today’s culinary world is ready to meet new-age dietary challenges and needs. Even recipe books give you many dishes that follow medical guidelines besides being tasty. Reinvent your cooking if you want to experience changes. Learn to eat right and enjoy good health.
