Nutrition and Diet Tips

There is talk of varied diet when selecting foods from the different basic groups (cereals and meats vegetables, fruits, beans, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, fats, sugar and sweets), always prioritizing natural foods. It should be borne in mind that any food is capable of providing the body all the nutrients necessary for their development and operation.

To remain healthy you need to consume more than 40 different nutrients, fiber and other compounds such as phytochemicals, which have demonstrated a protective role in various diseases. This is only possible to obtain through diet.

Diets with a predominance of plant foods are bulky and contain a low concentration of nutrients. Moreover, diets with a high proportion of animal foods promote the risk of certain diseases.

There is no food that by itself provide all the nutrients the body needs. For example, milk is one of the most complete foods, is good source of protein and calcium, but not of iron and vitamin C.

The simultaneous intake of various foods also facilitates the assimilation of different nutrients.

For example:

• The consumption of foods rich in vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron in the egg, vegetables and beans.
• The consumption of fat promotes the absorption of carotenoids from vegetables and fruits.

The quality of plant proteins is improved by combining cereals (rice, wheat, corn) and grains (beans, lentils) or by combining cereals with small amounts of animal products.

The variety in food consumption also has a psychological effect, to improve the appearance and palatability of the diet, which encourages consumption, especially in children and the elderly.

One practical step that is eating a varied diet is the color of the diet, the more colors are present are eating more nutrients.

Although eating is a pleasure, it is important to know which foods can be enjoyed in larger quantities and which lesser amount, representing the damage to health.