A healthy diet is essential for the well-being of the body. According to the World Health Organization, this is one of the tools to prevent and combat non-communicable diseases.
“Eating a healthy diet throughout life helps prevent malnutrition in all its forms, as well as different non-communicable diseases and disorders. However, the increase in the production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a change in eating habits. Currently, people consume more hypercaloric foods, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium; besides, many people do not eat enough fruits, vegetables and dietary fiber, such as whole grains, “explains the entity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a healthy eating plan is characterized by:
- Emphasize the importance of consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk and dairy products without or low in fat.
- Include a variety of protein foods.
- Low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
In addition to choosing nutritious foods, it should also be taken into account that the timing of meals is important, so that the body and metabolism can do their job optimally. This can also help fight conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Breakfast
As explained The universe It is recommended to eat breakfast one hour after getting up. The ideal is to do it between six and ten in the morning.
Lunch
The time difference between lunch and breakfast should be 4-5 hours. “An investigation confirms that eating lunch outside the time established in the biological clock favors obesity. Eating after 3:00 p.m. hinders weight loss, establishing that the best time to do so is between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. “, details the website.
Merienda or scene
The ideal times to eat dinner are between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm This schedule gives the body time to rest and renew its tissues, explains The universe. “SIt is recommended to have dinner between four and five hours after lunch, but in order not to be so strict with the schedule, we should have dinner at least two hours before going to sleep and thus help the digestive process”.
Tips for healthy eating
Mayo Clinic, a non-profit entity dedicated to clinical practice, education and research, points out some recommendations to take into account, focused on replacing saturated fats, which do so much damage to the body:
- Replace the butter, using oil. For example, it can be sautéed with olive oil and canola oil for baking.
- Increase the consumption of salmon, which is a fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Repeat it twice a week.
- Choose lean meat and skinless poultry meats. Remove fat and skin from poultry meat.
- Avoid consuming processed foods as much as possible. If you are hungry, you can choose to eat fruits and vegetables.
Some research, explains the Mayo Clinic, shows that “Eating foods high in unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats improves blood cholesterol levels, which can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
It should be noted that, although saturated fats are not very healthy for the body, it does not mean that they should be completely eliminated from the diet, but that their consumption and quantity should be moderated. Experts recommend eating foods rich in unsaturated fats to replace saturated fats. As a form of replacement, not to combine them.