Nutrition for women: What is "healthy food"?

Has it ever been difficult for you to determine if your favorite foods are really healthy?

Between misleading labels and the endless supply of "healthy" foods on every supermarket shelf, healthy eating can be a daunting and even overwhelming task.

If you are between the ages of 35 and 50, the decisions you make about your health are more important than ever. In fact, the decisions you make today can help you stay healthy now and in the future.

Take a look below as we explore "health foods" and give you an idea of ​​whether the foods in your diet provide the nutrients you need. Read more: 13 Low Effort and Healthy Dinner Recipes.

What is considered "healthy food"?

While fads come and go, there are some essential elements of healthy eating that remain unchanged.

This is what we know:

Definition of "healthy food"

Healthy foods are foods that provide you with the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy body and maintain energy. Water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals are the main nutrients that make up a healthy and balanced diet.

This information tells us that we should focus on eating fresh foods that provide us with the nutrients our bodies need.

Unfortunately, the food industry does not benefit much from fresh food; Processed foods where the money is. Even major food companies have lobbied heavily against public health plans, such as a campaign ordering the removal of junk food from schools.

These unwanted foods, made from crops like corn, wheat, and soybeans, are high in calories (fillers) and lack the nutritional value your body needs. However, since it is derived from crops, it can be difficult to tell if it is healthy or not, and misleading claims on the labels only make matters worse.

How to read food labels

According to a recent Nielsen report, nearly 60 percent of consumers misunderstand food labels or find it difficult to understand them.

One of the most important parts of reading food labels is looking at serving sizes. 160 calories may not sound like a lot, but that could only be for a small cookie. Read on for other factors to consider when shopping for healthy foods at the grocery store.

Saying "no trans fat," "all natural," or "whole wheat" can mislead you into believing that the product is healthy, even when its nutritional value is removed after processing.

Instead, many packaged products contain salt, sugar, and saturated fat. In other words, these statements make you forget about the added calories. Here is a list of what you should know before reading the nutrition information on your foods:

1. Sugar: women should try to limit sugar intake to 25g / day or 6 teaspoons
2. Fat: There are about 9 calories per gram of fat; limit yourself to around 50 grams / day
3. Sodium: Women should not consume more than 1500 mg or 3.8 grams of salt / day.
4. Protein: Women who exercise less than 30 minutes a day should eat about 46 grams of protein a day.
5. Vitamins: Natural vitamins are ideal, but added vitamins can also be helpful.
6. Calories: Average amount for women is 2000 / day and 1500 / day for weight loss based on 150 pounds for women

Since women are between the ages of 35 and 50, not knowing what is good or bad for your body can lead to undue stress. Use the following as a resource to alleviate concerns that arise as you take appropriate steps to strengthen your health in the future.

What should women eat to stay healthy?

A healthy eating plan is one that includes all the nutrients your body needs on a daily basis without non-food additives.

A healthy and balanced diet includes:

• Vegetables and any subset such as beans, peas, starches, and those that are dark green, red, or orange.
• Whole fruits
• Whole grains like quinoa, corn, millet, and brown rice
• Low-fat dairy products.
• A variety of proteins such as lean meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
• Oils such as olive, flaxseed, canola, and avocado

About a quarter of the population only eats the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and oils. However, more than half of the population meets or exceeds the general recommendations for grains and proteins.

When eating grains, it is recommended to eat only whole grains that include the whole grain, bran, and germs. If you eat refined grains (or processed grains), the bran and germs have been removed, which remove iron, dietary fiber, and other key nutrients.