Quality of our food is as much important as it’s quantity. Adjusting the calories according to your goal, ie.weight loss/weight gain/maintain weight is necessary no doubt. But the food we eat should also be healthy or of good quality.
Now, what does healthy or good quality food do for us. They are packed with various nutrients which our body requires for proper functioning and contain minimal or no empty calories and harmful ingredients. By eating healthy we can decrease the risk of chronic diseases which our body can be subjected to.
Healthy/good quality foods – foods obtained from natural sources, unrefined, unprocessed/minimally processed. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and healthy protein etc.
Low-quality foods – processed foods like snacks, refined grains, foods high in trans fat, sugary beverages, foods with high glycemic index and glycemic load.
People tend to believe that to achieve a certain goal they need to follow a specific kind of diet. Different types of diet may have slightly different results on different individuals pertaining to their goals, but you will get results none the less as per the energy balance equation.
So as far as “healthy” is concerned, the quality of food is what you should worry about rather than the type of diet you should follow. As it can be very confusing (especially when you are trying to lose weight) considering the plethora of diets there are out there. The diets are mostly classified according to their macro-nutrient distribution and sources.
Example:
1. Atkins diet – Very low carbohydrate diet, gradually increases the amount of carbs in four phases.
2. Zone diet – 40:30:30 is the ratio of carbs, fat and protein.
3. Vegan diet – This diet focuses on plant-based foods. Animal products are not allowed neither meat nor dairy.
4. Vegetarian diet – Meat and poultry are not allowed but dairy products are along with plants.
5. Keto diet – Keto is a low carb high fat diet which enables the body to burn fat for fuel.
6. Paleo(caveman diet) – Anything that can be hunted and gathered like animals, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are allowed. Crops and processed foods are not included.
7. Mediterranean diet – It is based on Mediterranean countries cuisine. High in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and olive oil, olives, avocados etc.
All of these or any other diet will give you result, what you choose is up to your liking, preferences, availability and taste.
Our diet should have these nutrients:
1. Carbohydrate – Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel which is burned to provide energy, enabling our body to function and to perform physical tasks. Carbohydrate can be from 25 to 50 percent of your total calorie intake and preferably complex carbohydrates.
2. Fats – Fats are necessary for growth, reproduction and immune functions.They are also source of energy for body. Helps in absorption of vitamin A, D, E and K.You should have 25 to 40 per cent of your total calories from healthy fats.
3. Protein – Proteins are essential for growth of muscle tissues and hormone functions. They have various roles like antibodies, enzymes, transporters and structural component in our cells. An adult should eat at least 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight or 10 to 30 per cent of total calories depending upon your age, lifestyle and activity level.
You can always customize your macro splits as per your convenience, but make sure to get at least a minimum of all three macro-nutrients.
The above three are called macro-nutrients and have calories in them.
1gm carbs – 4 calories
1gm fat – 9 calories
1gm protein – 4 calories
4. Vitamins & Minerals – various vitamins and minerals are necessary for the proper functioning of various systems of our body, eyesight, immune system, bone and skin health etc.
5. Fiber – Fibers are necessary for proper bowel movement and digestion. Keeps you full and helps in constipation.
6. Water – Our body is 70 % water. water helps to regulate body temperature, aids in digestion and transports nutrient to cells and is required by every organ and tissue.
So what are the foods we should include in our diet which will provide us with all the nutrients and at the same time are healthy as well?
CARBOHYDRATE:
Sources of healthy carbohydrate- Healthy carbohydrate contain vitamins, minerals and fibres to promote good health. It should not have high glycemic index.Eg. Whole grains(whole oats, millets, rye, wheat, brown rice, quinoa etc), vegetables and fruits, beans.unpolished and unprocessed.
Unhealthy carbohydrate- white bread, pastries, soft drinks, burgers, cookies etc
FATS:
Healthy fats: Healthy fats should be minimally processed and should not raise your LDL. Sources of healthy fats are avocados, eggs, olive oil, salmon, walnut, almonds, coconut oil, ghee etc.
Unhealthy fats- margarine, lard, trans fats (which are partially hydrogenated vegetable oil).fried food, vegetable shortening, cookies, cakes, pastries, processed snack like popcorn. saturated animal fat.
PROTEIN:
Healthy protein sources: should contain essential amino acids. Eg lentils, beans, eggs, poultry, dairy, fish, chickpeas, peas and soy products etc.
Unhealthy protein: processed meats like bacon, sausage, hams, hot dogs, anything packed and kept in the freezer.
VITAMINS AND MINERALS:
To ensure you get a variety of vitamins and minerals your diet should have variety with fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and dairy.
**For details on food sources for vitamins and minerals check this article.
FIBERS:
Sources of fibers are whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
WATER:
Well, you know where to find it.
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