Food is not created equal. There is unhealthy “food” and there is what is referred to as healthy food. You have probably been wondering why there is such a fuss about healthy food. After all you were taught to eat your meats for protein, carbohydrates for energy, milk for calcium and to take your supplements and you do exactly that. Right? That is what most people are doing too and they end up suffering from obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, problems of the digestive system, heart disease, cancers and many other problems. The problem is that what we have been taught about diet is incorrect as can be evidenced by the level of chronic diseases, cancers and heart attacks that keep rising every year. Most people are definitely eating unhealthy food. However, there is healthy food that some people eat that you must learn about.
What is Healthy Food?
Healthy food is food that enhances health and can even heal the body depending on nutrient and chemical makeup. Healthy food is mostly plant food which contains minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids and a number of phytochemicals that enhance health and even reverse diseases.
Here are a few examples:
Broccoli is high in antioxidants, contains many anti-cancer compounds and may provide protection against heart disease.
Citrus fruits have compounds that help the body to remove carcinogens, thus decreasing the chances of developing cancer.
Lemons and limes in particular are credited with many virtues, but most interestingly they are proven remedies against cancers of all types. So do you have a lemon a day in your water and tea?
Grapes contain a phyto-chemical that has been proven by scientists to protect DNA from damage.
A whole range of vegetables (Brussels sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, collards, kale, leeks, mustard greens, rutabaga, turnip greens, peppers, red beets, garlic, onions, and chives) have been found to have cancer-preventing phyto-chemicals.
Pumpkins contain carotenoids which enhance the immune system, prevent vitamin A deficiency, and promote proper cell communication.
Characteristics of Healthy Food
High Water Content: On the average the human body is 75% water. Obviously the body needs water to keep it healthy and functioning properly so drink plenty of water. It is also wise to eat fruits and vegetables because they are naturally high in water content. Cut any fruit and juice will flow out. That juice, which is water, ensures that all the nutrients and vitamins inherent in these foods are carried to the intestines where they are absorbed and used by the body. After that the water carries waste products out of the body through sweat, urine and faeces.
Easy to Digest: Fruits and most vegetables are very easy to digest. With the exception of denser fruits like bananas and avocados, fresh fruit passes right through the stomach within 30 minutes, into the intestines where it is digested and absorbed. A meal made up of vegetables is out of the stomach within 3 hours. No pain!
Alkaline in the Body: The body is slightly alkaline, with a pH value of that lies between 7.35 and 7.5. Fruits and vegetables turn alkaline once digested. After assimilation they neutralize any acids in the body and prevent/reduce inflammation anywhere in the body. The slightly alkaline environment is ideal for health and it does not attract disease. If you want to maintain harmony in the body, it makes sense to maintain that state of alkalinity by eating fruits and vegetables.
High Fiber Content: Because of high fiber content, fruits and vegetables pass easily through the digestive system, preventing constipation and more serious problems of the digestive system.
Mineral Sources: Plants send roots very deep into the soil to get minerals which they absorb and process into vitamins, proteins, organic minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and other nutrients and compounds which are useable by the body and beneficial to the body. By eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains, we benefit directly from all that.
Linked to Longevity: For a number of years, Dr. Alexander Leaf studied the oldest people in the world and published his findings in the January 1973 edition of National Geographic. He found that the three most consistently disease-free and long-lived people on Earth were the Abkhazians of Russia, the Vilacabambans of Ecuador and the Hunzukuts of Pakistan. At that time none of these peoples suffered from lifestyle diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease! On average, they lived to be over 100 years old and at that age men were physically active and still fathering children. Incidentally 70-80% of their diet consisted of raw fruits and vegetables. That is food for thought!
Immune-System Enhancers: Walnuts, Brazil nuts and almonds have been found to be powerful at improving the immune system. Nuts are difficult to digest because they contain a lot of oil so eat only small amounts at a time as a direct snack or chopped and sprinkled on a tossed salad. Alternatively make nut milk which is good for drinking, cooking and baking and is easier to digest than dairy milk.
Contain protein: Most meat eaters worry about eating a plant-based diet in case they suffer from protein deficiency. They are obviously not aware that protein is the building block of every part of the plant. Therefore all vegetables including legumes and greens, nuts, seeds, and grains all contain amino acids. Some of them containing all the essential amino acids (those amino acids that the body cannot synthesize and we must get from food). Eat a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread or rice with beans and you have all the amino acids that you need! So a varied plant based diet will ensure that you have all the amino acids that you need for health.
Fruit is the Best Healthy Food
Of the foods that are recommended, fruits are by far the best food because they:
Have the highest water content of any food.
Are easy to digest, requiring less energy for digestion than any other food.
Break down and release their nutrients in the intestines within a short time after eating.
Have the highest life force, containing all the minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids, and fatty acids that the human body requires for health.
Contain nutrients in the simplest form, ready to be absorbed and assimilated e.g. fructose is a monosaccharide that is easily converted to glucose, fatty acids do not need any breakdown, and amino acids found in fruits are ready for absorption.
Contain high amounts of both soluble and non-soluble fibre that keep the gut clean.
Do not leave toxic waste in the system.
Accelerate weight loss when eaten on an empty stomach, since they contain high quality calories which do not cause weight gain.
Do not need to be cooked. They are the original fast foods!
As you can see it is wise to know about healthy food so that you can make wise decisions. People who change to a plant based diet normally report a lot of health improvements. Others have managed to reverse chronic diseases including cancers. If you are suffering from a particular problem, even a small annoying one like flatulence, consider changing your diet to prevent the development of diseases.