6 Amazing impacts of food and nutrition on your life
Think foods are just foods and your meal is just another portion to get you going until the next one? Think again! Your food choices each day affect not only your energy level, but also your mood, mental ability, and long term health. That’s why good nutrition is vital to leading a happy, fulfilling and quality life.
Still, so many people make excuses when it comes to proper nutrition. From lack of time, resources to knowledge, it’s no wonder that the world population is facing problems such as stunting, obesity, and other serious concerns. It’s time that we learn about the everyday impacts of food and nutrition on our lives, so that foods and nutrition are not taken for granted – once and for all :
1. Energy Level
The general understanding is that foods work as fuel to power the human body throughout the day. But do you know that the wrong choice of food may actually zap the energy out of you? While nutrient-rich foods help boost and maintain your energy levels, poor choices of diet such as processed carbs, sugar, junk or fatty foods could easily drain your energy.
So, if you wonder why you’re feeling defeated before the day ends, time to switch to more nutritious foods. Eat smaller meals, incorporate all food groups, and be selective with your drink choices.
2. Weight
Your weight and food intake go hand in hand like everything in pairs. While working out plays an important role in your weight, it is a tough act to out-exercise each meal – even much tougher with a bad diet.
To achieve the most desirable weight, aim to consume the same number of calories that the body burns over time. Consume more than the body burns, weight goes up. Less, weight goes down. It’s that simple!
3. Aging Process
There’s no such thing as the secret to the fountain of youth. But if you have to find it, your best bet is on nutritional foods. Paying attention to nutrition can add extra years and quality to your life. A balanced diet will help stave off loads of different health risks like stroke, bone loss, high cholesterol and even cancer. Good nutrition can also boost immunity, bolster digestive functions and immune system – all key essentials to fight against degenerative changes.
4. Brain Function
Nutrient-rich foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados contain brain power-boosting Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Incorporating healthy foods into your diet can have excellent impacts on your mental capacity, such as improving short term memory, enhancing critical thinking skills and cognitive functions.
High-quality foods that contain fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress—the waste produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage brain cells.
5. Immune System
As we touch on the above, a well-balanced, nutritious diet can keep common illnesses at bay. Your immune system requires vitamins and minerals obtained in your daily diet to stay functioning at its highest level. Opt for a variety of food choices to reap the benefits of different vitamins and minerals. When consumed correctly, raw nutrients may work better than supplements.
6. Mood
According to research published by the University of Illinois Extension, eating regular meals and snacks at the same times every day helps keep your blood sugar levels steady and your continuous source of fuel, and this may assist in keeping your mood stable.
Some of the best foods to eat to stay healthy and happy are protein which helps slow carbohydrate absorption, thus increasing the release of dopamine, such as Vitamin D to boost your mood, and fiber that works with sugar absorption and increases serotonin.
