Healthy eating can be confusing, and sometimes even frightening due to misleading labels and the endless supply of healthy foods on every supermarket shelf.
The choices you make about your health now, if you are between the ages 35 and 50, are crucial. You can make choices today to support your health in the future.
Below, we will be discussing ‘healthy food’ and providing some insight as to whether your diet is providing the nutrients you require.
What is considered “healthy food”?
There are some key principles to healthy eating that have not changed despite the many fads in food.
Here’s what we know:
Definition of “Healthy Food”
Healthy food is one that provides you with the nutrients you require to maintain your body’s health and energy. A healthy and balanced diet includes water, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
This information tells you that fresh food should be a priority to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs.
The food industry does not make as much profit from fresh foods. Instead, processed foods are the most profitable. Even large food companies have been vocal in their opposition to public health plans, such as the campaign for the elimination of junk food from schools.
These junk foods, made from crops like corn, wheat, or soybeans, are high-calorie fillers and do not provide the nutrition your body requires. It can be hard to tell if these junk food items are healthy because they are made from crops. Labels that make misleading claims only make matters worse.
How to read food labels
A Nielsen survey found that almost 60% of consumers misunderstand or have difficulty understanding nutrition labels.
Reading food labels is crucial. It is important to check the serving size. 160 calories may seem like a lot, but it could be enough for two cookies. Keep reading to learn more about other important factors to consider when shopping for healthy foods.
You may be fooled by claims like “zero trans fat”, or “all-natural” to believe that the product is healthy. However, it can also trick you into believing that the product has lost its nutritional value after processing.
Alternatively, many packaged products are packed with salt, sugar, and saturated fat. In other words, these claims make you forget about the added calories. Here is a list of what you should know before you read your food’s nutritional facts:
Protein Women who exercise less than 30 minutes a day should consume 46 g of protein per day.
Vitamins Natural vitamins are the best, but additional vitamins may be beneficial too.
Calories Based on a 150-lb. woman, the average weight loss for women is 2,000 calories per day and 1,500 daily for men.
Unwarranted stress can be a problem for women aged 35-49. The following information can help you to reduce your worries and take the right steps to improve your future health.
What should women eat to stay healthy?
Healthy eating is one that includes all the nutrients your body requires on a daily basis, without any other nutritional additives.
A healthy, balanced diet includes:
Vegetables and all subgroups thereof, such as beans and peas, starches and dark green, red, or orange-colored vegetables
Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, millet, and corn are all available as whole grains.
There are many protein options, including lean meats, eggs, and nuts, as well as soy products.
About one-fourth (or about 3) of the population eats the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables, milk, and oils. Over half of the population is meeting or exceeding the recommended total grains and proteins.
It is best to eat whole grains. This includes the kernel, bran, as well as germ. Refined grains or processed grains are those that have had the germ and bran removed, which removes iron and other key nutrients.
What do you consider your lifestyle to be healthy? Take this quick quiz to find out!
Some fats are good for you, but not all fats! Avocados are high-fat, which you may already know. However, it is a good fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are found in avocados, nuts, and canola oil.
These good fats are an essential source of energy for the body. These good fats are also essential for blood clotting and reducing inflammation.
Avoid saturated and trans fats as much as you can. These fats are bad for your body. They come from the hydrogenation process, which solidifies healthy oils to keep them from going bad.
Trans fats can be found in baked goods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, fried foods and chips, as well as creamer and margarine.
Saturated fats are common in foods such as cheese, whole milk, red meat, and coconut oil.
Consuming foods high in saturated and trans fats can cause inflammation and artery blockages, which can lead to heart disease and chronic conditions like diabetes and stroke.
Is it healthy to eat carbs?
They can. Carbohydrates can be healthy if eaten in moderation. However, too much of any food can cause weight gain.
Carbs and other foods that have minimal or no processing are healthier. Whole-grain bread, for example, is healthier than refined white bread.
You can also get healthy carbohydrates to boost your mood and promote weight loss.
It can be hard to determine which carbs are good and bad. It can be difficult to determine if food has been processed. Ask yourself “Can this product be found naturally?”
If it isn’t, you know that it has been processed. Chips, cookies, and pasta are not natural products. They have been modified and refined from whole grains to become sugars and starches. It is also possible to determine if the product comes in a container – if so you don’t need to eat it.
Preventative health for women with Women’s Vitamins
It is recommended that you include these nutrients in your vitamins or incorporate them into your daily food.
Calcium Women may be less likely to develop osteoporosis if they eat a higher calcium diet.
Iron Women are losing iron with each cycle. Premenopausal women should consume 18mg of iron per day as the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: As women get older, their estrogen levels decrease which can increase the risk of developing heart disease. These fatty acids may be beneficial for your body as they can help to reduce inflammation.
Most doctors agree that eating antioxidants and vitamins from your food is the best way of getting your daily intake. But, talk to your women’s preventative health specialist if supplements might be an option.
