Healthy diet

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Fresh vegetables are important components of a healthy diet.

A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve health. It is important for the prevention of many chronic health risks such as: obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

A healthy diet involves consuming appropriate amounts of all nutrients, and an adequate amount of water. Nutrients can be obtained from many different foods, so there are a wide variety of diets that may be considered healthy diets.

Dietary recommendations

There are a number of diets and recommendations by numerous medical and governmental institutions that are designed to promote certain aspects of health.

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) makes the following 5 recommendations with respect to both populations and individuals:

• Achieve an energy balance and a healthy weight
• Limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from saturated fats to unsaturated fats and towards the elimination of trans-fatty acids
• Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts
• Limit the intake of simple sugars
• Limit salt / sodium consumption from all sources and ensure that salt is iodized

Other recommendations include:

• Sufficient essential amino acids ("complete protein") to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins. All essential amino acids are present in animals. A select few plants (such as soy and hemp) give all the essential acids. A combination of other plants may also provide all essential amino acids. Fruits such as avocado and pumpkin seeds also have all the essential amino acids.
• Essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals.
• Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic (e.g. benzene) substances;
• Avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens (e.g. E. coli, tapeworm eggs).

DASH diet

Main article: DASH diet

Composition

Macronutrients

Protein

Protein is needed primarily for repair and growth of the human body. Protein consists of amino acids, some of which can be made from other proteins, some of which are essential amino acids. A healthy diet requires sufficient quantities of all essential amino acids. Increased requirements of amino acids occur for repair of muscles after strength training and a small amount is used for growth. Amino acid requirements are largely dependent on muscle mass; men generally require larger dietary protein intake for this reason.

Some strictly epidemiological evidence shows an increased mortality with high red meat intake.

Fat

Main article: Fat

Fat (or fatty acid) is used in the body for forming cell membranes, oxidized for energy, and can be stored by the body for later use if food intake is inadequate.

Fats come in three main types: saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Trans fat, a kind of unsaturated fat found in large quantities in processed foods such as some margarine products, is now known to be harmful. Many countries, such as Denmark, have outlawed Trans fat in commercial products.

Although the human body can make some types of fat, others, essential fatty acids are required. Fat consumption helps absorb fat soluble vitamins in the diet such as vitamin A.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are chemicals that can be broken down in the body to simple sugars like glucose and fructose. Glucose is primarily used by the body in muscles but is the primary energy source used by the brain. If an excess of carbohydrate is consumed then it is stored with a large quantity of water as glycogen in the skeletal muscles and the liver. Fructose cannot be used by the skeletal muscles, but is converted into glucose by the liver. However, if large quantities of fructose are consumed, the conversion produces triglycerides which are thought to be unhealthy. One major source of fructose is sucrose (table sugar); fruits also contain substantial quantities.

Energy

The human body creates energy from chemical reactions (mainly oxidation) of food. Due to conservation of energy if more energy is absorbed from food, then weight gain occurs (in the form of glycogen and its associated water) and fat. Some variation in weight can also occur due to hydration levels.

Different components of the diet provide different number of net calories, roughly speaking proteins provide about 4.5 kcal, carbohydrates about 5 kcal and fats 9.5 kcal per gram.

Research has showed that the idea of thin people having a 'fast metabolism' is false; human beings burn energy at quite predictable rates, and gain or loss of weight is mostly to do with calorie intake versus the bodies' basal metabolism (with people with more lean bodyweight burning more calories) as well as (usually to a lesser degree) activity levels; with any long-term excess being stored as fat.

Energy is also used for growth and repair.

Minerals

Salt

While a moderate amount of salt is required for health, a high salt diet can have detrimental effects on blood pressure and long term high levels of salt intake is associated with increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Potassium

Potassium is used by the body for a number of purposes, and tends to lower blood pressure. An inadequate supply can cause heart arrhythmias.

Magnesium

Main article: Magnesium in biology § Food sources

Magnesium salts are used in the nervous system, and tends to lower blood pressure. They are mostly water soluble and so are easily absorbed.

Calcium

Calcium is used by the body to form and maintain bones and teeth and is used in the nervous system. Inadequate supply can result in osteoporosis.

Iron

Iron is used by the body to form red blood cells, which carry the oxygen for the body. Lack of iron can cause anemia. High doses of iron in a short period may cause death.

Copper

Although toxic in high doses, copper is an essential nutrient. Low levels cause progressive failure of the nervous system. Up to around half of the copper can be obtained from drinking water fed by copper pipes.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential component of many thousands of chemical processes throughout the body. A deficiency can cause skin problems, but also impairs the immune system and can cause impairment of repair and growth.

Chromium

Chromium is used by the body to process carbohydrates. High doses of chromium are toxic.

Selenium

Main article: Selenium

Although selenium is an essential trace mineral it is toxic at high doses. At normal levels it is used by the body to produce antioxidant chemicals, and some studies show an inverse relationship between intake and cancer, and the studies seem to show that it is unwise to be deficient in it. Few foods are high in selenium; one exception is Brazil nuts; one and half brazil nuts per day give the recommended intake.

Vitamins

Main article: Reference Daily Intake

The target amount of vitamins that are thought to be needed for good health are expressed as RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) or Reference Daily Intake (RDI). RDAs vary somewhat with age, sex and bodyweight and may be increased or reduced by medical conditions.

Fiber

Main article: Dietary Fiber

Fiber in the diet may be of benefit to health. Fiber is an important part of our diet. It is sometimes called roughage and its scientific name is "non-starch polysaccharides" (NSP). These are all terms for the same thing: complex carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the body. There is some evidence that fiber lowers LDL cholesterol but does not lower HDL cholesterol.

Unhealthy diets

An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including: high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal blood lipids, overweight/obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

The WHO estimates that 2.7 million deaths are attributable to a diet low in fruit and vegetable every year. Globally it is estimated to cause about 19% of gastrointestinal cancer, 31% of ischaemic heart disease, and 11% of strokes, thus making it one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide.

Food additive controversy

Some claim that food additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colorants, preserving agents, and flavorings may cause health problems such as increasing the risk of cancer or ADHD. ur mum has a fat hairy minge flap for a face

Fast food

Examples of fast food critics include Jamie Oliver, Morgan Spurlock and Eric Schlosser.

Fad diets

Main article: Fad diet

Public health

Fears of high cholesterol were frequently voiced up until the mid-1990s. However, more recent research has shown that the distinction between high- and low-density lipoprotein ('good' and 'bad' cholesterol, respectively) must be addressed when speaking of the potential ill effects of cholesterol. Different types of dietary fat have different effects on blood levels of cholesterol. For example, polyunsaturated fats tend to decrease both types of cholesterol; monounsaturated fats tend to lower LDL and raise HDL; saturated fats tend to either raise HDL, or raise both HDL and LDL; and trans fat tend to raise LDL and lower HDL. Dietary cholesterol itself is only found in animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy, but studies have shown that even large amounts of dietary cholesterol only have negligible effects on blood cholesterol.

Media coverage of mass-produced, processed, "snack" or "sweet" products directly marketed at children has worked to undermine policy efforts to improve eating habits. The main problem with such advertisements for foods is that alcohol and fast food are portrayed as offering excitement, escape and instant gratification.

Particularly within the last five years government agencies have attempted to combat the amount and method of media coverage lavished upon "junk" foods. Governments also put pressure on businesses to promote healthful food options, consider limiting the availability of junk food in state-run schools, and tax foods that are high in fat. Most recently, the United Kingdom removed the rights for McDonald's to advertise its products, as the majority of the foods that were seen have low nutrient values were aimed at children under the guise of the "Happy Meal". The British Heart Foundation released its own government-funded advertisements, labeled "Food4Thought", which were targeted at children and adults displaying the gory nature of how fast food is generally constituted.

Cultural and psychological factors

From a psychological perspective, a new healthy diet may be difficult to achieve for a person with poor eating habits. This may be due to tastes acquired in early adolescence and preferences for fatty foods. It may be easier for such a person to transition to a healthy diet if treats such as chocolate are allowed; sweets may act as mood stabilizers, which could help reinforce correct nutrient intake.

It is known that the experiences we have in childhood relating to consumption of food affect our perspective on food consumption in later life. From this, we are able to determine ourselves our limits of how much we will eat, as well as foods we will not eat - which can develop into eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, or orthorexia This is also true with how we perceive the sizes of the meals or amounts of food we consume daily; people have different interpretations of small and large meals based on upbringing.

While plants, vegetables, and fruits are known to help reduce the incidence of chronic disease, the benefits on health posed by plant-based foods, as well as the percentage of which a diet needs to be plant based in order to have health benefits is unknown. Nevertheless, plant-based food diets in society and between nutritionist circles are linked to health and longevity, as well as contributing to lowering cholesterol, weight loss, and in some cases, stress reduction.

Indeed, ideas of what counts as "healthy eating" have varied in different times and places, according to scientific advances in the field of nutrition, cultural fashions, religious proscriptions, or personal considerations.

See also

• Diet and cancer
• Diet and heart disease
• Diet (multiple sclerosis)
• Food Balance Wheel
• Health food
• Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
• Health promotion
• List of diets
• Nutrigenomics
• Nutritional genomics
• Standard American Diet
• Raw foodism
• CRON-diet a diet intended to increase lifespan by about 30%
• Nutritional gatekeeper
• Online weight loss plans

Notes

1. ^ MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) 1990: Eight Guidelines for a healthy diet London: Food Sense
2. ^ Barasi, Mary E. (2003) Human Nutrition: A Health Perspective London:Arnold
3. ^ Spurlock, M. Supersize Me - A film of epic Proportions Columbia Tristar
4. ^ Nestle, M. (1998) Animal v plant foods in human diets and health - Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
5. ^ National Health Service (2005) Five a day - a guide to healthy eating NHS Press (http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/)
6. ^ Johnson, R. K. (2000). The 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: foundation of US nutrition policy. - British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin 25. p241-248
7. ^ Achterberg, C., McDonnell, E., Fagby, R. (1994) How to put the Food Guide Pyramid into practice - Jornal of the American Dietetic Association Volume 94 p 1030-1035
8. ^ United Kingdom Department of Health (2005): Choosing Health: making healthier choices easier -- Public Health White Paper CM 6374 retrieved from: United Kingdom Department of Health Website
9. ^ United States Department of Agriculture (2005) . MyPyramid - Guidelines for healthy eating - Dietary guidelines for Americans USDA Press/Printing retrieved from United States Department of agriculture - MyPyramid replaces food pyramid guide
10. ^ Oliver, J., Channel Four (2005) Jamie's School Dinners - Documentary produced for channel four Television Programme.
11. ^ Food standards Authority (2005) 8 easy steps to keeping a healthy and balanced diet - Eat well, be well retrieved from Eat well, be well website.
12. ^ National Cancer Institute (2005) Eat five to Nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day retrieved from 5-a-day National Cancer institute
13. ^ British Heart Foundation (2005). Food4Thought - Campaign against junk food within children's diets. retrieved from British Heart Foundation Food4Thought

External links

• United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency recommendations on a healthy diet
• Cuban Food Habit Challenges By Lucia Lopez Coll, Havana Times, June 5, 2009
• Diet, Nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, by a Joint WHO/FAO Expert consultation (2003)
• Healthy Children, Healthy Choices, from the Center for Disease Control's website
• Making Healthy Food Choices; guidelines for heart healthy eating from the American Heart Association
• US Department for Health & Human services recommendations on a healthy diet for women
• Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid
• British Nutrition Foundation
• Diet and Nutrition News, peer reviewed articles from MedPage Today
• Foods for Healthy Diet - A searchable collection of nutritional data on thousands of foods for healthy diet. Based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture database for standard reference SR22.