Healthy foods are those that offer the body the nutrients it needs to maintain its physiology. A healthy diet is basically a diet which helps to maintain or enhance general health. A healthy diet supplies the body with essential nutrients: food energy, macronutrients, minerals, and sufficient food volume. It should be rich in nutrient quantity, but not necessarily with excess calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, sugar, or unwanted substances such as salt, sugar, and food preservatives.
The most common explanation for why the intake of healthy foods is crucial to heart health is because they reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks. They also help the body’s mechanisms for immunity, digestion, circulation, and extramural immunity (a mechanism by which the body fights infectious agents outside the body). All these processes are highly complex and require a large amount of energy from the body.
The key to healthy eating is moderation. A healthy diet should comprise all the major food groups but should be taken in moderation. The food group containing the most nutrients is the animal product, including meat, eggs, milk, cheese, butter, and fats; this being accompanied by a high amount of saturated fat and trans fat and small to moderate amounts of fiber. Healthy eating habits usually include low consumption of meat and dairy products. Fruit, vegetable, legume, and grain foods are also recommended.
There are specific healthy foods, which are rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants can neutralize free radicals, which can cause tissue damage and diseases like cancer, leukemia, heart attack, stroke, and arthritis. Some examples of antioxidants are beta carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, lutein, vitamin E, resveratrol, flavonoids, and polyphenols. The most important antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, and E, along with other compounds.
There are many nutritional values for every serving size. Calories contain the calories necessary for the body to function; those in the healthy range are found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. Protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, and vitamins constitute the total nutritional value of the food. It is important to choose a serving size based on the calories in the food. This is not the same as a serving size, which is typically based on calories and weight.
Healthy eating habits include eating foods that are low in calories, but provide nutritional value. This does not mean you have to give up favorite foods, just that you limit the amount of calories contained. Meals that are high in fat, sodium, and sugar are high in calories but also high in fat, sugar, and processed flour. These types of foods are likely to contribute to heart disease.