Most people understand the importance of eating healthy to maintain a healthy weight. However there a many benefits to healthy eating that are often overlooked. Consider the following 5 unique reasons to eat healthy food.
Healthy food reduces inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s responses to something that is threatening. When you think about all of the foods with preservatives, trans fat, and other substances that the body might find strange, you can understand why an inflammatory response might occur. An example of an inflammatory response is?how the body responds when cholesterol and fat build-up?in the blood vessels. The body’s response to this build-up is to form a covering over the plaque so that it does not restrict blood flow. Plaques narrow the blood vessels, making blood flow difficult. If the covering over these plaques ruptures, a blockage can occur resulting in a heart attack. The good news is that avoiding unhealthy fat and eating heart-healthy foods such as olive oil, nuts, fresh vegetables, and fruit can lower your risk for dangerous plaques.
Healthy food helps build bones
Calcium-rich foods whether dairy or plant-based options like spinach and broccoli, help build strong bones. Failing to get enough calcium can cause osteoporosis or brittle bones. Years of neglecting calcium intake can result in weak bones later in life, which is why everyone needs to consume?calcium-rich foods?every day.
Healthy food can reduce joint pain
Foods that are high in vitamin C can help make collagen and promote healthy cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Collagen helps cushion the joints and acts like shock-absorber. When you start to lose collagen, the bones that make up your joints start to rub together and cause pain. Foods that offer healthy amounts of vitamin C include red peppers, strawberries, oranges, and apples. Omega 3 fatty-acids also help reduce joint inflammation. Salmon, sardines and healthy oils are good sources of?Omega 3s.
Healthy food promotes eye health
Healthy foods can protect the?eyes,?helping you avoid problems such as being unable to see well at night. Carrots, sweet potatoes and other orange foods with the anti-oxidant beta-carotene have long been known for helping the eyes stay healthy, especially preventing night-blindness. However, the risk of a condition known as age-related macular degeneration that can cause blindness, can be reduced by eating a variety of healthy foods with antioxidants. Some of the healthy foods that promote healthy eyesight include tomatoes which contain lycopene, eggs that contain lutein,and dark leafy greens known for lutein and zeaxanthin. Each of these antioxidants contributes to eye health.
Healthy food can contribute to a healthy brain
Plaques reduce blood flow to the brain and can result in hardening of the arteries which impacts thinking and can cause strokes. Research suggests that cutting back on unhealthy artery-clogging fat and cholesterol and consuming healthy oils, fruits, vegetables, and healthy seafood may boost brain health.?Eating for brain health?may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Studies suggest that people with Alzheimer’s disease may be genetically predisposed to the condition due to a certain protein that causes plaque deposits in the brain. These plaque deposits can destroy brain cells and have been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease. This points to the need for individuals to eat healthy foods that can possibly help them avoid or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
The key to eating healthy is to choose nutrient-dense foods. Processed foods with sugar, added salt, and unhealthy fats don’t provide much in the way of nutrient density. Nutrient-dense foods are foods that are loaded with healthy substances like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for optimal health. When selecting foods for nutrient density, look for foods with minimal processing. Brown rice, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables prepared in healthy ways are all examples of nutrient-dense foods.