If we want a healthy life, we need to have a healthy diet plan. Also, we need to plan for a sustainable diet. For having a healthy life not only a proper diet plan is necessary but also we need to focus on making the world a healthier place for living. Our diet plan contributes to the impacts that our food system has on this earth. So we can have a healthy life parallelly making our world a healthier place for living by simply making some changes to our diets.
Here I will give you 9 tips for a healthy and sustainable diet which might help you to live a healthy life. After all, health is our wealth. So read the article below:
1. Eat Fruits & Vegetables
A very good source of all nutrients for our body is fruits and vegetables and most importantly they come with a low environmental impact. But there are some exceptions. Some of them require a lot of resources to transport and also to keep them fresh for a certain period of time. That is why eating these less frequently will increase the sustainability of our diets. For example; vegetables like salad (tomatoes or cucumbers that grow in protected conditions) and fruit like berries are fragile, which required refrigeration. Another type of vegetable like green beans, mange-touts; need a lot of resources to transport.
2. Eat local Seasonal Food
Foods that are locally grown, can be a sustainable choice. But we have to choose those foods that are in the season where we live. If we try to produce or store the local foods beyond the natural growing seasons, the cost could be higher than shipping those foods that are in season somewhere else. So try to consume more foods that are locally grown and in the season of our living area.
3. Don’t Eat More Than You Need
If we consume only what we need, it will reduce the demands on our food supply as it will lead to decreasing the excess production of food. Also consuming a decent amount of food helps us to be healthy and avoid gaining excessive weight. If you limit snack items that are energy-dense low-nutrient foods and also pay attention to portion sizes, it will be a very useful way to avoid unnecessary overconsumption and you can be fit. Enhance your idea about a healthy diet plan from Kitchen Geeky.
4. Take Plant-Based Protein & Avoid Animal-Based ones
We all know, eating animal-based protein is not so good for our health. Besides, it needs more resources to produce animal-based proteins, especially for beef. On the other hand, plant-based proteins such as beans, pulses, and some grains don’t need that much resource compared to animal-based ones. Also, eating a more plant-based diet also brings health benefits. They provide more fiber and has a lower saturated fat content. These nutrients can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, animal proteins contribute to an increased risk of many diseases.
This is why we need to limit consuming animal proteins. Those who love to eat meat, need to limit meat consumption to 1-2 times in a weak. You can swap with sustainable meats like chicken over beef or mutton. It will help us reduce our ecological footprint.
Some of us prefer a vegetarian diet. They can combine different sources of plant-based protein as we have to get protein from somewhere for a healthy body. It will ensure our protein needs are fulfilled.
5. Choose Whole Grains
Cereals that are non-refined, are usually less resource-intensive to produce than the refined ones. The reason behind this is, they require fewer processing steps than refined cereals. Also, they have more health benefits such as they reduce the risk of our cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and most importantly overweight which is the root of all diseases.
You can eat whole meal bread, whole grain pasta, buckwheat, quinoa, unrefined barley, etc. These are very efficient for our bodies.
People who are habituated with white rice, they can substitute it with brown rice. but you should enjoy it in moderation because a lot of water is used to produce this.
6. Eat Sustainably Sourced Seafood
A good amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids comes from fishes. This omega-3 fatty acid contributes to normal vision, brain function, and also in heart health. This is why we need to put seafood in our diet chart. We should consume fish and seafood 1-2 times weekly. It will provide the necessary nutrients to our body as well as reduce pressure on wild fish stocks.
7. Eat Dairy Products In Moderation
Dairy products are an important source of protein, calcium, and essential amino acids for us. It is also called the ideal food. It reduces the risk of several chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, stroke, high blood pressure, bowel cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
8. Avoid Unnecessary Packaging
If food packages are made of non-recyclable materials, it can have a huge impact on the environment. We can easily reduce the amount of using packaged products we buy those are not recyclable to save our mother earth.
9. Drink tap water
Drinking enough water is very much important to get a good health. In countries like the USA or Europe region, the standards of water quality and safety are high. So instead of buying bottled water, we can use a reusable water bottle to store water from the tap as many times as we want and we can drink more compared to drinking water by buying them. This will also reduce the usage of plastic bottles.
10. Daily Exercise
Excise or yoga is also important for good health. Try to make it your routine and do exercise for at least 30 minutes daily. It will help you to maintain your health and body shape. Exercise does not mean you need to join a club or gym, you can do it at your home anywhere a place like in Metal Garages or outdoor building you have.
