The first step to achieving a healthy diet is to opt for foods which include plenty of fibre. Not only do fibre-rich foods help you to feel fuller for longer, which helps you to limit the chance of you overeating or snacking throughout the day, but it also helps to trick your food into believing that there is more food in the stomach than there is. This helps to limit food cravings, which is great news if you’re trying to lose weight.
Fruit and vegetables are a vital part of a balanced diet, as they offer such a vast range of nutrients – from vitamins and minerals, to fibre and antioxidants, these ingredients offer so many health benefits. Those who eat plenty of fruit and veg have been proven to suffer from fewer heart diseases, strokes and some cancers. You don’t have to eat fresh goods each time in order to benefit from their goodness – frozen, dried and canned foods all count towards your five a day, as well as juicing being a great way to get plenty of goodness too. Many people don’t realise that beans and pulses count towards their five a day too, so be sure to include these in soups, stews or salads.
Lean meats are another great addition to your diet, providing your intake of protein. Other sources of protein can come from fish, peas, pork, seeds, beans and nuts. Protein is crucial for growth and repair of the muscle tissues, so if you want a healthy body, be sure to get your intake of protein.
Lastly, limit your intake of salt, fat and sugar – Trans and saturated fats, in particular, are damaging to your health. Too much of these ingredients can cause health problems such as heart disease or obesity, so keep these types of foods to a minimum.