1. Nutrition is one of the most fundamental aspects of health. It can seem complicated, but the underlying principle is that you need to consume a balance of all the nutrients your body needs.
2. When it comes to “unhealthy” foods, most are only harmful if you eat it to excess. With moderation, you can have a little bit of everything, even salt, fat and sugar. Just don’t make it the entirety of your diet.
3. In fact, salt, fat and sugar all have some nutritional value. Salt is sodium, one of the five major minerals in the human body. The others are calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, although there are more trace elements. We can’t make our own minerals, so we get them from eating vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and dairy.
4. Fat may sometimes be demonized, but it does have an important role. It provides energy that’s more long-lasting than that we receive from carbohydrates, as well as serving an insulating role and helping process vitamins. Vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower and rapeseed contain some of the best types of fat.
5. Carbohydrates include sugar, the quick-burning kind of energy. There’s more moderate-burning starch as well, found in flour (whole grain is better), and therefore in bread and pasta. It’s also in staples like rice and potatoes.
6. Fiber has a similar structure to starch and helps with digestion, though you can’t digest it completely. It’s found in whole grains, cereals, nuts, legumes, vegetables and fruit.
7. Often mentioned alongside minerals are equally important vitamins. Most Americans don’t get enough of these, which are often found in fruit and vegetables. You need vitamins A, C, D, E and K, as well as multiple different B vitamins, if you want to be healthy. Each has a different role.
8. We’re almost through the nutrients, but you still need protein. That’s the one that builds and repairs muscle and helps you grow. You can get it from meat and dairy, or soy, nuts and legumes if you’re vegan.
9. Don’t forget you need to drink plenty of water or other fluids. The human body is mostly water, and dehydration can cause a lot of potentially fatal problems.
10. Remember all the nutrients and you should be able to balance your diet and maximize your health – as long as you don’t forget to exercise, too.