Food and diet-Healthy eating and wellness

 

Introduction:

Food is an essential source of energy that is needed to keep animals, people and plants alive.  Food and diet refers to any substance that can be consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. A diet is the combination of foods typically eaten by a specific group of people or other organisms.

A diet is all we consume in a day. And a balanced is a diet is a diet that contains an adequate quantity of nutrients that require in a day. It refers to the food and drink a person regularly consumes, and it plays a crucial in overall health and well-being. A healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grain and many other gains.

Types of food

There are numerous types of foods, each falling into different categories based on their characteristics and nutritional composition. Here are some common types of foods.

 Fruits and vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables should be an important part of your daily diet. They are naturally good and contain vitamins and minerals that can help to keep you healthy. They can also help protect against some disease. It comprises different parts of the plants from which they grow.  Fruits contain seeds and come from the flower of plant, while the rest of plant is considered a vegetable. Food and diet an essential for human health.

 Fruits and vegetables should make up just over one third of the food you eat every day. In cooking, fruits are considered to be sweet while vegetables are more savory.  They are considered edible parts of plants either cultivated or harvested wild, in their raw state or a minimally processed from.

 Excluded are the following:

Dry grain legumes (pulses) unless harvested when immature.

Cereals including maize (corn), unless harvested with immature.

Nuts, seeds and oilseeds such as coconuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

Medicinal or herbal plants and spices, unless used as vegetables.

 Grains:

 A grain is a tiny, dry hard, harvested seed of grasses like oats, corn, rice and wheat. Other less popular grains with names’ examples are millet, barely, rye and sorghum. Like wheat, these also have an ‘ear’ of grains on each stem. All grains are secured by a husk and inside these husk, we find the actual seed. Some grains can be eaten whole while some have to be ground floor (grain powder).

      Grains are made up of bran, which is the hard outer shell of the seed; endosperm, the middle layer; and germ, the inner layer. When all three layers are present in their original proportion, it’s considered a whole grain ----- even if that grain has been milled into flour or another form. Grains have two groups:

Whole grains:

Whole grains have the entire grain kernel, which includes the bran, germ and endosperm. Some whole grains examples are whole-wheat flour, bulger (cracked wheat), oatmeal, and brown rice. 

Refined grains:

Refined grains have been milled, a process that removed the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products of food and diet are white flour, de-gemmed cornmeal, white bread, and white rice.  

Protein:

Protein sources are foods that provide the macronutrient protein, which is essential for various bodily functions like growth, repair and enzyme production. Protein is a source of calories. Protein consists of long chains of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids. The specific order of amino acids determines the structure and function of each protein.

A protein is very large compared with molecules of sugar or salt and consists of many amino acids joined together to form long chains, much as beads are arranged on a string.

The highest sources of protein are as follows:

Meat

Fish

Poultry

Dairy

Eggs

 Fats and oils:

Fats and oils have many domestic and industrial uses. Soap for example can be made from tallow or coconut oil and a substance called a strong alkali, such as sodium hydroxide. Soap molecules of water loving heads and water repelling tails.  Oils and fats form an important part of a healthy diet. Structurally they are eater’s glycerol with three fatty acids. They are commonly of vegetable origin (e.g. palm oil, repassed oil, soya bean oil, olive oil, cocoa butter etc.)

Fats and oils in the body are as follows:

·         Energy storage

·         Insulation and protection

·         Cell structure

·         Nutrition absorption

 

Types of Diet

There are many different types of diets, each designed to achieve specific health, fitness and ethical goals. Here a breakdown of some types of diets. Each of these diets has its unique advantages and drawbacks, depending on individual’s health goals, lifestyle, and preferences.  Here are some types of Diets

 Balanced Diet:

A balanced diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly. To get the nutrition you need, most of your daily calories should form: 

Fresh vegetables

Fresh fruits

Whole grains

Legumes

Lean proteins

Why a balanced diet is important?

A balanced diet supplies the nutrients your body needs to work effectively. Without balanced nutrition, your body is prone to disease, infection, fatigue and low performance.

Children who don’t get enough healthy foods may face growth and development problems, poor academic performance, and frequent infections.  These are:

·         Heart disease

·         Cancer

·         Stroke

 

What to eat for a balanced diet?

A healthy, balanced diet will usually include the following nutrients:

·         Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

·         Carbohydrates, including starches and fiber

·         Proteins

·         Healthy fats

A balanced diet will include a variety from the following groups

     Fruits

   Vegetables

  Grain

  Dairy 

Protein foods

Vegetarian Diet:

Vegetarian diets may be associated with several health benefits and improved diet quality. However, proper planning is key to prevent nutritional deficiencies and negative effects on health.

A vegetarian diet focuses on plants for food. These include fruits, vegetables, dried beans and peas, grains, seeds and nuts. There is no single type of vegetarian diet instead; vegetarian eating patterns usually fall in to the following groups:

The vegan diet which excludes all meat and animal products.

The lactose vegetarian diet, which includes plants food plus dairy products.

The lactic-ova vegetarian diet which includes both dairy products and eggs.

  Mediterranean Diet:

The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. You focus on overall eating patterns rather than following strict formulas or calculations. 

 The Mediterranean diet has many benefits, including:

Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease, including a heart attack or stroke.

Supporting a body weight that’s healthy for you.

Lowering your risk of metabolism stroma.

Helping you live longer.              

Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.

Why is a Mediterranean-style diet healthy?

The Mediterranean-style diet is healthy because:

·         It has a good balance of healthy fats

·         It is high in fresh foods and has lower levels of highly processed foods

·         It is high in fiber. This makes the filling without providing excess calories

·         It is high in antioxidants and can reduce inflammation in the body

 Soft diet:

A soft diet consists of foods that are easily chewed, swallowed and digested, requiring minimal effort from the mouth and digestive system. A soft diet is a diet that includes soft, chopped, ground and pureed foods that can be easily mashed with a fork. They are easily chewed or don’t need to be chewed before safely swallowing them, and they are easy to digest.

What foods can you eat on a soft diet?

 Foods can be easily mashed with a fork are considered soft. Chopped, pureed, and ground foods that are easy to swallow are also considered soft.

Examples of soft food include:                          

Yogurt.

Oatmeal

Soft breads  

Well-cooked pasta or macaroni and cheese.

Cottage cheese or other soft cheeses.

Vegetables that are cooked and can be mashed with a fork.

Importance of food and diet

Food and diet are fundamental to human survival and well-being. The primary purpose of food is to supply energy and nutrients necessary for growth, maintenance, and overall health. Diet is extremely important. It is the foundation of how your body will function and how you will feel. A diet consists of energy- yielding, body building, and protective foods, which we eat to maintain normal growth, function and optimal health of body. Food and diet is very important in our daily life because it is necessary for good and better health.  

 Food and diet is an essential source of energy that is needed to keep animals, people and plants alive. Food refers to any substance that can be consumed to provide and plants alive. Food refers to any substance that can be consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. A balanced diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly. A diet is the combination of typically eaten by a specific group of people or other organisms. Food and diet provides minerals, vitamins, and fire.