5 Benefits of Eating Healthy

Every other day I keep coming across a number of 'Before' and 'After' snapshots. More often than not, these photos advertise just one thing - tricks and tips for quick weight loss. A woman who seems plump (photoshop for all you know!) in the 'before' photo, transforms into a model-esque figure in the 'after' photo - and the impact of such photos is so beguiling that it is very easy to be taken in by them. Go on a crash diet, and you too can look like us, they stress. But doctors and health experts warn that people should not opt for quick-fixes to lose weight, for their benefits are only temporary and the ills effects permanent.

Instead of going on crash diets, eating healthy in the first place makes more sense.  A well balanced nutritional meal not just keeps us healthy but also prevents creating a scenario where one might have to go on diets or detox programs. While the advantages of eating healthy are many, listing below 5 benefits that inspires all of us to put nutritional food on our plates.

1. Eating a healthy well balanced reduces the risk of quite a handful of diseases including chronic diseases, such as heart diseases, cancer and diabetes. So make sure you include a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and unsaturated fats.

2. Another important benefit of switching to a healthy diet is increased energy levels. Avoiding excess fatty foods, sugars and refined carbohydrates helps prevent blood sugar fluctuations. On the other hand, unprocessed carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits and vegetables are nutritious, and allow us to maintain steady blood sugar level. In addition, they keep us energized through the day.

3. Include honey in your diet. Regarded as a power-food, honey is a treasure chest of nutritional and medicinal values and its health properties have been valued since ages. It contains antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart diseases. Recent research also shows that honey treatment may also help in reducing ulcers and gastrointestinal disorders. Also honey is fast becoming a healthier and tastier alternative to sugar since it is sweeter than sugar but contains fewer calories.

4. Eating balanced, nutritional food also helps in weight control. For example simple healthy choices such as replacing soda with water and choosing salads over fast food not only helps lose weight, it also ups your health quotient.

5. And last but not the least, eating healthy gives you cosmetic benefits too - a brighter smile and a flatter belly! Nutrition experts say that a healthy diet that limits sodium and high-sugar carbonated drinks promotes a flatter stomach. Also food with high water content, such as fruits and vegetables, moisturise  the skin and keep us hydrated. They also contain antioxidants that protect against cell damage thus helping the skin look fresh and younger.

Stressing on nutritional food does not mean starving oneself or being very picky about what to eat, rather it means eating a diet balanced in lean proteins, carbohydrates and fats. So fret not about crash diets any more and switch to a well-balanced, nutritional plate rich in healthy food. 

Photo Source: Natural Ways