It’s no secret that good nutrition is key to maintaining your body’s optimal health. Eating a balanced diet is essential in ensuring we are getting all the necessary nutrients our body requires to thrive. From proteins, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids, to vitamins and minerals – understanding what your body needs and when to nourish it can be an overwhelming prospect. This article delves deeper into the essential nutrients you should be including in your diet to hit peak performance.
1. Discover Your Daily Nutritional Needs
Understand Calorie Intake Basics
Getting an understanding of your daily calorie intake is essential when determining your nutritional needs. Calorie intake relates to the energy your body uses and the energy you expend. Individuals have different requirements for energy needs based on a variety of factors such as your weight, height and activity levels. To get an accurate picture of your daily calorie needs, you’ll need to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and adjust it based on your lifestyle environment.
Identify Macronutrients
Macronutrients, sometimes referred to as ‘macros,’ refer to the three primary components which make up the caloric content of our foods. These macronutrients include protein, carbohydrate and fat. Deciding the appropriate proportions of macronutrients and calories to consume can be a helpful tool to reach your personal health goals. Eating the right combination of macronutrients is essential for long-term health and nutritional balance.
Identify Micro-Nutrients
In addition to macronutrients, known as the “building blocks,” micro-nutrients are essential for building and maintaining a healthy body. Micro-nutrients are the vitamins and minerals which help us build immunity against various diseases and maintain healthy organs. So, getting a ample amount of these essential vitamins and minerals are also important to ensure a healthy body.
Understand Your Unique Needs
In order to , you must first get to know your unique needs. This means considering your age, gender, lifestyle, activity level and overall health. Your personal nutrition needs will vary based on all these factors, and it can be helpful to do research to find out more about how diet can affect if and how you function. Once you’ve identified your baseline needs, then you can move onto customizing and fine-tuning your nutritional plan.
- Understand Calorie Intake Basics
- Identify Macronutrients
- Identify Micro-Nutrients
- Understand Your Unique Needs
2. Eat the Variety Your Body Deserves
Your body needs a variety of foods to thrive, and favoring one type of food over and over again can easily derail your diet. Variety offers many benefits, including providing essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, plus giving you a broader taste and textural experience.
Take a break from the overdone kitchen classics to start a new trend with a more original, nutrient-rich food combination.
Adopt a Flexible Eating Plan
A flexible approach to eating that incorporates variety can help you get the most benefits from your meals. Each meal should include a good balance of proteins and healthy carbohydrates, taking you on a journey of satisfying flavors and textures. Incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables, plus whole grains like brown rice and wheat bread to get the variety your body deserves.
- Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables
- Switch up whole grains throughout the week
- Explore different proteins like tofu, eggs, and legumes
- Buy different condiments to add refreshing flavor to meals
For a truly diverse meal, break out of the traditional boundaries of a plate. Create an exciting masterpiece by combining different dishes, textures, and colors! Getting creative will help you discover a vast array of flavors to nourish both your body and your palate.
3. What Essential Nutrients Keep Your Body Healthy?
The human body needs proper nutrition in order to stay healthy. Essential nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals are needed to maintain your overall health and wellbeing.
Proteins – Proteins are the building blocks of the human body and are essential for the formation of muscles and other body tissues. They help with the repair and growth of cells, as well as providing a source of energy. Good sources of protein include eggs, fish, beans, nuts and dairy products.
Carbohydrates – Carbohydrates provide your body with glucose, which is a major source of fuel for your body. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates include grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
Fats – Fats play an important role in the proper absorption of vitamins and minerals. They also aid in cell development and help keep your energy levels up. Unsaturated fats such as those found in certain oils, nuts, and fish are considered healthy options.
Vitamins and Minerals – Vitamins and minerals work together to keep your body functioning properly and help fight off diseases. A balanced diet containing plenty of fruits and vegetables helps provide the body with the essential vitamins and minerals it needs. Vitamin C, vitamin B, iron and magnesium are all important for good health.
4. Fuel Your Body with Natural Sources of Vital Nutrition
Maintaining a nutritionally balanced diet is the key to unlocking the vitality of your body and spirit. But with so many processed and convenience options available today, it’s increasingly difficult to ensure you are meeting your body’s needs. Natural sources of vital nutrition are the best way to get all your body needs while avoiding potential substances that harm your health.
Fruits and vegetables are the top of the list when it comes to natural sources of nutrition. Most vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals that your body needs, including beta-carotene, potassium, and folate. Eating a variety of colorful vegetables every day helps your body in many different ways, and they have no added sugars or unhealthy fats. Combine them with whole grain products like brown rice and quinoa to get the full range of fiber, grain, and nutrients your body needs.
In addition to providing vitally important vitamins and minerals, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are also excellent sources of protein. A few tablespoons of chia seeds or almonds can provide your body with the needed variety of minerals and vitamins. Combine these with vegetable proteins like lentils and chickpeas, and you are providing your body with a very complete offering. Additionally, avocadoes, coconut oil, and other natural fats provide essential nutrients, minerals, and fatty acids needed for optimal health.
Finally, herbs, spices, and medicinal mushrooms are powerful sources of nutrition that offer a variety of phytonutrients needed for a healthy body. Ginger, turmeric, garlic, and oregano have long been used for medicinal purposes and can offer a wide array of minerals and vitamins to your diet. The medicinal mushrooms such as reishi and chaga are highly esteemed for their immune-boosting benefits.
In summary, there are many natural sources of nutrition that can help fuel your body and keep you healthy. Eating an array of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains is the best way to get your body the vitamins and minerals it needs, while avoiding processed and unhealthy options. Herbs and medicinal mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrition, and should be included in your diet as well.
As you can see, your body needs a range of essential nutrients to stay healthy and function optimally. As long as you know which nutrients you require, and make sure you get enough of them in your diet, you can ensure your body stays nourished and remain in its best condition. So, what are you waiting for? Start eating your way to better health and wellbeing today!
