What is Nutrition?

Nutrition is all about eating the right foods to nourish the body and keep it functioning and developing well. Nutrients are the substances found in these foods which your body uses and can be broken down into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients include fats, proteins, water, carbohydrates and some minerals. Micronutrients are vitamins and some minerals. Your body requires more macronutrients but both are important.

For optimum health and performance, the body needs proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. It is also important to eat regular meals to provide ongoing fuel and energy.

What Foods Should You Eat?

The most important thing in a healthy diet is balance. A good selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins and grains is good for you. Some examples of nutritionally rich foods include meat, fish, nuts, beans, fresh fruit and leafy vegetables. Wholegrain foods contain more nutrients than their processed counterparts. Wholemeal bread, for instance, is tastier than white bread and is also healthier.

What Happens if Your Diet is Nutritionally Poor?

Eating a healthy, balanced diet reduces the risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. A bad diet can also cause lethargy, obesity or spots. A nutritionally balanced diet can help you maintain a normal weight, which helps your overall health.

Not having the time to plan meals or not being able to cook is no excuse for poor nutrition. You can make a batch of food and freeze or refrigerate it or you can have food or ingredients delivered to your door. It can be fun to experiment with cooking and you will get better results if you use fresh ingredients. You will also know exactly what goes into your food as a lot of pre-prepared meals contain high levels of fats, salt or sugar.

Because a good diet ought to be balanced, you can still have treats sometimes. You should not deprive yourself completely of your favorite foods, so the occasional slice of apple pie or bowl of ice cream is fine. You can choose your foods and make substitutions when appropriate. You could perhaps try baking or grilling your food rather than frying it. Eating less saturated fat will keep your blood cholesterol down.

It might be a good idea to take vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure you are getting everything your body needs. The simplest way to do this is to get combined supplements and take one a day. Supplements are to be used in addition to a nutritionally balanced diet, not instead of it.

Exercise is as important as nutrition to keep the body healthy. If you are eating healthily, you will find you have plenty of energy for physical exercise, in whatever form you choose.

Your body gets used to a new way of eating within a few weeks so you will find you don't miss eating junk foods if you used to eat a lot. A nutritionally balanced diet is essential to maintain overall health and keep you looking and feeling your best.