Eat Right: 5 must-have foods in your daily diet

Eating healthy food is crucial for maintaining overall health and well-being. It provides essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and other components that our bodies need to function properly.

Healthy foods are rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are essential for various bodily functions, including energy production, tissue repair, immune system support, and maintaining healthy organ function.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins has been associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. The antioxidants and phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables also play a role in reducing inflammation and supporting the immune system.

According to Dr Monika Anand, Head, Department of Home Science at Apeejay College of Fine Arts in Jalandhar, eating good food is nice but what is even more important is eating the right kind of food which is required for everyone.

“For this, knowledge of food groups can help make the right choice of food easier. Our daily diet should contain the food items from all the food groups to get the right kind of nutrients. There are foods that have been recognised as healthy and nutritious by experts as powerhouse foods. These are packed with nutrients and provide several health benefits,” Dr Anand explained and shared a list of foods that must be included in the daily diet for everyone, especially school-goers.

Eggs: They are a very rich source of protein which has a high biological value right. It is a complete protein with minimum calories; it contains all the essential amino-acids required by the body. Eggs are also considered to be heart healthy as they alleviate good cholesterol. Egg yolk has a high content of vitamin B 12 and vitamin A and that is considered to be very good for kids.

“While some people may overdo it when it comes to eating eggs, optimisation is the key. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle or do desk work, can eat five to six eggs in a week. Individuals who work out can eat more after consultation with the certified health professional. Eggs are a fantastic source of protein for adolescents and growing children. They can eat the eggs in any form – boiled, scrambled, and even omelette,” Anand opined.

Nuts: These are considered as nature’s powerhouse. They are nutritionally rich and have high fibre content that can help in weight loss. They are packed with Omega 3 fats. They have a significant role in lowering bad cholesterol by raising the level of good cholesterol. Nuts are a great source of antioxidants as well. Almonds, cashews, Brazilian nuts, and pistachios are some nuts that should be part of the diet. Again, optimization is important.

Seeds: These are very good source of protein, healthy fats (higher proportion of polyunsaturated fats) and fibre; minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, plant iron and zinc, vitamins B1, B2, B3 and vitamin E. Some seeds that can eaten daily are chia seeds, flax seed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon seeds. A good mixture of all these seeds are a source of healthy fat. These seeds are known to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, Type-2 diabetes and bowel cancer and improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Avocados: While they are a bit expensive, they should be part of the daily diet since they can replace the fat that we use. You can use avocados in salads, mash it and put on toast or sandwiches. They are the powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. They provide mono-saturated fats which are considered healthy for the body. People who are on a diet are advised avocados since they give a feeling of satiation for a longer time and help in weight management. Including avocados in our daily diet reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Broccoli:  It is called the vitamin C gold mine and plays an important role in strengthening our immune system. It is a good source of antioxidants. Since broccoli has calcium, vitamin K, magnesium, vitamin C, potassium, and contains various phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory properties, it can prevent osteoporosis and is good for bone health.