How To Take Care Of Your Health With Food

We are always being told to avoid certain foods. Things like cakes and candies and white bread are supposed to be off the menu. Looking after our health and keeping our weight down is very important. But this doesn’t mean we have to stop eating everything we love. In fact, there are many foods that are thought to provide a lot of health benefits when we eat them.

So how can you tell which foods are good for us, and which are superfoods? It’s not just fruits and vegetables, such as avocados and kale, that provide us with health benefits. Other goodies from nature can also supply a lot of nutrition that is essential to a healthy body and mind. Treats like nuts and seeds can be very good for us. This is despite the fact they contain a lot more calories than vegetables.

There are also some man-made treats that are thought to have health benefits too. Red wine in moderation has been considered to be beneficial to heart health. Of course, excess alcohol is very bad for our health and our social life! Chocolate is another indulgence that you might be able to claim is good for you. Very dark chocolate in small amounts is thought to offer some useful health benefits.

Sadly, chocolate and wine can cause damage to your teeth. It is always important to keep your regular check up appointments with your dentist. Even fruit can contribute to cavities. The acid in fruit can quickly damage your teeth. While cheese may be high in fat and calories, it is thought to help reduce the risk of tartar and plaque building up on your teeth. Black tea could have the same benefits.

Carrots have been thought to provide nutrition relevant to good eye health. But crunching on a raw carrot could also offer your teeth some protection against the bacteria from other foods. Crunching makes the jaw work harder, and extra saliva is often secreted. The saliva can then protect your teeth from bad bacteria. Extra saliva can also aid the digestive process and reduce indigestion and stomach acid.

Women everywhere may have heard of the health benefits of the humble avocado. These little beauties don’t come cheap, but they are packed with folates and potassium. These are important to the female reproductive system. Many people avoid avocado believing them to be high in fat and calories. They are, but the fats are good fats, like those in olive oil.

So is it true you can eat your way to good health? Yes and no. Any underlying medical conditions should always be carefully monitored by your doctor. But the nutrition in food is essential to the body functioning well. Some diets are designed to help reduce the symptoms of medical problems, like high cholesterol and diabetes. Food can be used to help reduce the risk of other medical conditions occurring, like heart disease.

Eating your way to good health doesn’t necessarily mean cutting out all your favorite treats altogether. And it doesn’t mean piling your plate with portions in excess to your needs either. But you can eat well to feel healthy. Bon Appetite!

Thanks to Flickr.com for the pic