Healthy Diet

Key Facts About a Healthy Diet: What You Need to Know

Eating a balanced, healthy diet is crucial for maintaining good health and preventing diseases. Here’s a clear overview of why a healthy diet matters and how to achieve it.

Why a Healthy Diet is Important

A healthy diet plays a key role in protecting against malnutrition and a variety of serious health conditions, including:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Cancer

Inadequate diet and lack of physical activity are major global health risks. Adopting healthy eating habits from an early age can have long-term benefits, including a lower risk of obesity and related diseases.

Basic Principles of a Healthy Diet

1. Balanced Energy Intake: Your calorie intake should match the energy you expend to avoid unhealthy weight gain. Aim to get less than 30% of your total energy from fats. Specifically:

• Saturated Fats: Keep intake below 10% of total energy.
• Trans Fats: Limit to less than 1% of total energy.
• Unsaturated Fats: Prefer these over saturated and trans fats. Found in foods like fish, avocados, nuts, and olive oil.

1. Reduce Free Sugars: Free sugars should make up less than 10% of your total energy intake. For extra health benefits, aim for less than 5%. Free sugars include those added to foods or naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices.
2. Limit Salt Intake: Keep salt consumption under 5 grams per day (equivalent to about 2 grams of sodium). This helps prevent high blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
3. Healthy Eating Across Ages:

• Infants: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding alongside other nutrient-rich foods until at least 2 years.
• Children: Offer a variety of healthy foods and avoid adding salt and sugars to their meals.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Diet

1. Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for at least 400 grams (five portions) of fruits and vegetables daily, excluding starchy roots like potatoes. Incorporate them into every meal and choose seasonal produce.
2. Manage Fat Intake:

• Opt for unsaturated fats instead of saturated and trans fats.
• Choose cooking methods like steaming or boiling rather than frying.
• Use oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean or olive oil.

1. Control Salt and Sodium:

• Limit salt in cooking and avoid adding it at the table.
• Be mindful of sodium content in processed foods and choose products lower in sodium.
• Increase potassium intake by eating more fruits and vegetables, which can help balance out sodium’s effects.

1. Cut Down on Sugars:

• Reduce consumption of sugary snacks, candies, and sugary drinks.
• Replace sugary snacks with fresh fruit and raw vegetables.

Promoting Healthy Diets

Promoting a healthy diet involves more than just individual choices; it also requires supportive environments and policies:

1. Government Actions:

• Support policies that encourage the production and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Reduce incentives for processed foods high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt.
• Implement regulations on marketing unhealthy foods to children and improve food labeling.

1. Consumer Education:

• Raise awareness about healthy eating through public health campaigns.
• Educate children and adults about nutrition and healthy cooking practices.
• Encourage better food choices and provide clear information on nutrition labels.

1. Infant and Child Feeding:

• Promote and support breastfeeding practices.
• Ensure that complementary foods for infants are safe and nutritious without added salt or sugar.

Conclusion

Adopting a healthy diet is fundamental to preventing diseases and maintaining overall health. By balancing your calorie intake, choosing healthy fats, reducing sugar and salt, and ensuring proper nutrition from infancy, you can significantly improve your well-being. Supportive policies and education also play a crucial role in promoting healthy eating habits. Make these principles part of your daily life to enjoy long-term health benefits and well-being.