Real Food May Help Reduce Weight
To understand the human condition, one must also understand the relationship between food and human health. Food is any material consumed to give basic nutrition to an organism for the maintenance of health. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and has necessary nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or minerals, which are required for the growth and development of an individual. Most of us obtain most of our daily nutrients through food.
But in some modern lifestyles, especially in developed countries, food habits have changed. People often rely on highly industrialized and processed foods, sugary or sweetened foods, processed oils and sugars. Often, the lack of proper nutrition security is observed in such people. Their body weakness and various diseases, even obesity, are major causes of poor health. In such cases, food may not be eaten in proper proportion or quantity, leading to obesity, poor nutrition security and increased risk of chronic diseases.
Under such circumstances, it becomes necessary for the people to consume food in a proper manner, i.e., in a balanced way, to keep their health in good shape. A balanced diet must include food from all the five food groups, with the inclusion of adequate amounts of calcium, vitamin D, iron, folic acid and other minerals. If food is not eaten in the appropriate proportion, it becomes unbalanced and unhealthy. Inadequate intake of minerals can lead to mineral deficiency and result in reduced ability of the body to absorb nutrients and assimilate nutrients effectively.
It is wrong to think that real food is not healthy. According to food scientists, any food, real or artificial, if properly prepared and is wholesome, nutritious, and not deficient in calories and nutrients can play an important role in maintaining health. Real food is food that is prepared in the traditional method with enough use of wholesome ingredients with minimum processing and no addition of chemicals. Processed foods are those which are made by using low quality and synthetic ingredients, high quantities of artificial additives, coloring and flavoring, and low-grade carbohydrates and sugars. It is also necessary to check the calories content before purchasing food because foods that are heavily processed are less nutritious than real food.
There are several benefits associated with real food, apart from being better for your health. First of all, real foods like fresh fruits and vegetables contain a lot of nutrients like Vitamins and minerals that are vital for your body. Real food provides your body with plenty of fibers and enzymes, which are useful in digesting the food and improving your digestion. If you eat unprocessed foods like spinach and beans, you will feel full throughout the day without gaining weight. Processed food keeps some of these nutrients in the body and hence, makes you feel hungry for more.
Real foods may help reduce weight if they are consumed in the right proportion. You should make sure you consume a variety of vegetables and fruits in your diet and avoid eating too much of processed foods, which are full of artificial ingredients and calories. Some people may have difficulty in changing their eating habits, but if you try a little bit, you can eventually get rid of that extra belly fat. Processed foods take a long time to digest and do not provide your body with much fiber, so, they are likely to stay in your belly and add more weight than you want to lose. So, you need to make changes in your eating habits if you want to lose weight in a healthy manner.
