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A Quick Guide to Healthy Eating

Food, along with water, air and shelter, are the basic necessities of life. Yet, there is nothing basic about this necessity in the 21st century. There’s been an explosive growth in the quantity and variety of food available due to faster transportation, reliance on chemical farming and adoption of processed foods into our daily diets. Quality, however, hasn’t been given the same importance.

Eating mindfully has become a challenge. Most of us at some point in life, have had to sit back and re-evaluate our eating habits. The reasons may vary from different weight goals, to irregular health matrices, so on and so forth. But most of the information available to make an informed decision is fragmented, opinionated and contradictory.

So, to make your life easier, here’s healthy eating 101. We can broadly categorise it into –

1. Mindful consumption –

This is when we are more concerned with the quality of food consumed and the nutritional value of it. Health and quality of life are of importance here.

1. Efficient consumption –

This is when we are more concerned with our calorie intake and pay special attention to protein and carbohydrates. Weight goals and physique are of importance here.

There is no right or wrong approach. Everyone identifies with either or both of the above. At the end, the path to adopting healthy eating is similar for us all, no matter what the motivation may be. What will aid you reaching your goal is –

1. Treating product labels as a bible –

We often take the packaging of a product for granted. Instead, read the packaging. Go through the certifications, the nutritional values detailed behind, the suggested intake quantities listed by the manufacturer. Making an informed decision will never be easier and quicker.

1. Eating seasonal foods –

Ever notice how we have started getting almost all fruits and vegetables all year round? The reason for this is heavy focus on chemical farming and controlled farming environments. This produce does more harm than good. Stick to seasonal foods and your body will thank you in the longer run.

1. Consuming dehydrated produce –

This might sound like a contradiction to the previous point, but hear us out. Dehydrated produce lasts for a long time, without much change in the nutritional value. Also, there’s a major chance it was sourced in peak season, avoiding the exposure to unnecessary chemicals. So, the next time you crave a strawberry in April, simply eat the dehydrated version of it.

1. Avoiding highly processed foods –

Not all processed foods are bad. Take tinned nuts and dehydrated fruits for example. But there are foods like boxed cereals, wafers, soft drinks etc, which contain high amounts of artificial flavours, oils and sugars which will affect our bodies adversely in the longer run. Furthermore, the nutritional value of these products are minimal, if any.

1. Limiting indulgence –

Cheat meals are important. Almost sacred even. Once in a while, indulge in the foods you’re giving up (if any), not because it’ll make the journey easier, but because eventually you realise that you’re partaking in healthy eating for the right reasons. But the key here is occasionally.

In the end, even the smallest change will help you move in the right direction. As long as you do not lose sight of your goal and the reasons for chasing it, no one can stop you from eating healthy.