Nutrition is a very integral part of our health and bodily development and it helps build our immune system and makes it stronger. Thus, a stronger immune system can help fight diseases and ailments more efficiently.
Therefore, what’s important is that we take in the sufficient doses of a variety of foods to have a balanced diet, that will give us the sufficient amount of nutrition we need on a daily basis. Foods coupled with a healthy amount of exercise, can do our bodies good!
Here, I’ve let you in on some important aspects of what the ideal foods we should consume and incorporate into our daily routine, in addition to what the ideal amount of exercise is, to help us ensure that our health and well-being is optimal.
Daily Nutritional Guide
1. Greens
You need to have at least two servings of greens in a day. This will include about 60 grams of raw greens like lettuce, spinach, kale, beetroot etc., and 90 grams of cooked greens like bok choy, cabbage, Swiss chard, arugula, watercress etc.
2. Beans
Consumption of about 3 servings of beans in a day is good. This can be in the form of 130 grams of cooked beans like black eyed peas, green beans, chickpeas, soy beans, black beans, kidney beans etc., and 60 grams of hummus or a substitute like Greek yogurt, tahini sauce, mayonnaise or any other nut hummus.
3. Berries
Berries should be had at least once a day. You can have berries like strawberries, black berries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries etc., in the form of 60 grams of fresh berries or frozen berries and 40 grams of dried berries.
4. Flaxseed
Consume one serving of 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds (or in the form of seeds added to a smoothie, porridge etc.) Substitutes for flaxseeds can be chia seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds etc.
5. Protein
You should consume about 40 to 60 grams of protein in a day, in the form of eggs, fish, lean meats, poultry, seafood etc.
6. Cruciferous Vegetables
Consuming at least 1 serving of cruciferous vegetables in a day is essential. This can be about 30 to 80 grams of cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, radish, turnip etc.
7. Dairy
As for dairy, an average adult needs to consume about 3 cups of dairy a day. This can be in the form of milk, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, cream, cheese spread etc.
8. Other Vegetables
You need to have 2 servings of vegetables in a day. This will include 50 grams of non-leafy vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, okra, bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, chayote, carrots, tomatoes etc.
9. Beverages
Consumption of at least 1,750 milliliters (1.75 litres) of beverages in a day for optimal health and well-being. This will include herbal teas, water, fruit juices, black coffee etc.
10. Grains
You need to consume 3 servings of grains in a day. This will include 100 grams of hot cereals like brown rice bran, corn meal, oatmeal, millets, farro etc., and about 1 slice of bread.
11. Spices
A serving of spices a day is good for health. Say for example adding ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder or cinnamon powder into an herbal drink is ideal.
12. Fruits
Make sure to have at least 3 servings of fruits of your choice per day. This will include 1 medium sized fruit and 40 grams of dried fruits.
13. Nuts
You can consume 1 serving of nuts in a day. This can be in the form of 30 grams of any nuts of your choice and 2 tablespoons of any nut butter.
14. Exercise
Exercising at least once a day is very important to our health and well-being. You need to do about 90 minutes of moderate exercise and about 40 minutes of vigorous exercise every day for optimal health maintenance.