A healthy plate for a healthy state

By Jemaa El Bahraoui

What is healthy eating? For humans and other living beings, eating is the process of taking in food. This is how we obtain the necessary nutrients to survive and carry out daily activities. If we want to grow healthy and strong and stay energized throughout the day, we should eat healthy. 

Healthy eating should be complete including foods that contain all nutrients and balanced. Our intake of every nutrient should come in the right proportion. During the digestion process, nutrients and foods are absorbed in the intestines and from there they are distributed all over our body through the circulatory system. 

We could group food sources in many ways. One way of doing that is by looking at the nutrients they provide. These nutrients are:  

• carbohydrates also called blue sides.
• fats also called lipids proteins.
• vitamins and mineral salts 
• water 

Carbohydrates are nutrients that provide our body with energy so we can exercise or play but not all carbohydrates are healthy. Bread, rice, or pasta are healthy high carb foods. There are high carb foods also called foods high in glucosides which are not good for our health and example would be sweets like pastries or candy. Eating fruit is a healthy way to include blue sides or carbohydrates in your diet. Besides, fruits provide us with vitamins too.

 Fats are nutrients that provide us with energy and help with vitamin absorption. That’s why they are essential for our body. Nuts, avocados or olive oil are all  high fat foods. Other foods like meat or butter are also high in fats. Eating too much of them may be harmful to your health.

Eating healthy is not about adding many high fat foods to your diet. Proteins are nutrients that make up the tissues of our body like muscles or bones.  Proteins transport some vitamins and boost our immune system. Animal proteins are found in food sources like meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products. There are also vegetable proteins like the ones found in legumes. Remember to combine both for a balanced diet. 

 Vitamins and mineral salts are nutrients that help us stay healthy so that our body can carry out the vital functions. Fruits like oranges, strawberries or bananas and leafy greens, or vegetables like spinach, broccoli or carrots are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are found in the water in small amounts and in different types of food like lentils or meat that contain iron.

In order for our body to get the vitamins it needs, we should eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Water is very important for us to stay hydrated. It is the most abundant substance in all living beings. Most of your body consists of water. That’s why it is vital to drink water throughout the day and drink even more when we do physical exercise or when it’s hot outside. 

A good approach would be to eat different kinds of foods that will provide you with all the nutrients you need. Eat at least four meals a day with the right portion size. Drink water frequently to stay hydrated, do physical exercise to strengthen your body and use the energy from the nutrients in the food you’ve eaten. If you follow this advice, you’ll prevent diseases like obesity or diabetes. Watch what you eat to grow healthy and stay strong.