You are what you eat - the basis of a healthy diet is good nutrition

If you are looking to reduce weight but also see an overall improvement in your health, you will no doubt be aware that this is not just a matter of burning more calories than you take good nutrition for a healthy life skills are also part of the equation simply because proper nutrition can help reduce your risk of a variety of health problems.
To reach your goal weight and perfect health, you will need to eat a variety of healthy and balanced food nutritionally and count calories at the same time.

A good diet should offer balanced nutrition that not only reduces cholesterol and blood pressure, but also helps in weight loss. The basis of a healthy diet is good nutrition our bodies need a balanced combination of nutrients to function properly.

Vitamins are nutrients as they ensure that our bodies function as they were designed for. Vitamins can work together with the metabolism to help with energy levels and the body's protection against various infections and diseases. Although vitamins are classified as essential, the body has no mechanism to produce its own. Instead, we must rely on outside sources to meet our nutritional needs.

Another major nutrients your body needs are carbohydrates.
The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose levels which are used immediately or stored in the body for later use. However, if you consume too many carbohydrates, the body will build too much glucose which is then stored as fat.

There are two types of carbohydrates that are called simple and complex. Sugars are considered simple carbohydrates whilst fibers and starches fall into the category of complex carbohydrates.

Proteins are another important nutrient that helps the body build and repair muscles and other tissues. Proteins are also used in the creation of hormones as carbohydrates but, to the amount of protein in the body is stored as fat.

Two main categories of animal and vegetable proteins are. Excessive consumption of animal protein can lead to high cholesterol because it is high in saturated fat. That being said, fat is an important nutrient that your body needs. However, there are two versions of fat which are classified as saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fat is not good for you because it can put you at risk for health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy provided it was not through any type of refinement process. If it has, chances are that the refinement process has turned it into saturated fat is not good for you.
In order to create a balanced diet, several guidelines must be followed.
Try to eat three to five servings of vegetables each day with three to four servings of fruit. Select all vegetable subgroups at least four times a week and choose good quality varieties, preferably organic.

Six to eleven servings of grains should be consumed on a daily basis. Products such as rice, bread, pasta and grains fall into this group. It is preferable that at least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based.

Two to three servings of milk fat or low dairy products such as yoghurt, should also be part of your daily intake.

The basis of a healthy diet is a way of balancing the food you eat so that you maintain your body for optimal health.

As well as get the vitamins that your body needs, you will also have the energy to continue your daily activities while maintaining a healthy weight. The saying of "You are what you eat" is very true when it comes to food and nutrition.

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