Healthy Eating Is Human: Joys, Challenges, and 3 Things You Can Do
If you ask a group of people what eating healthy means to them, you’ll probably get a different answer every time.
For some, healthy eating means reining in a fast food habit or consuming more fruits and vegetables, while for others it may mean occasionally enjoying a piece of cake without feeling guilty.
Still yet, those who have certain medical conditions and even food allergies may conceptualize the concept of healthy eating in their own unique way.
In short, there’s no single right answer to what healthy eating means.
Healthy eating is human, and as humans, we all have different wants and needs, which inevitably affect our food choices.
What’s more, what healthy eating means to you may even change throughout the different stages of your life as you grow and adapt to your ever-changing needs.
This article explores the human side of healthy eating, and I provide my own go-to tips to make it easier.
The definition of healthy eating has changed for me a couple of times in the past few years.
By the time I was in college, healthy eating was about following nutritional guidelines and doing everything by the book. However, it meant that my view of the food on my plate had changed. I went from seeing meals I enjoyed to only seeing nutrients.
Suddenly, I went from seeing traditional Costa Rican gallo pinto — or rice and beans — to seeing complex carbs and plant-based proteins.
Then, when I started practicing as a nutritionist, the notion that a dietitian should look a certain way or fit into a specific body type led me to believe that healthy eating meant measuring my food to know exactly what I was consuming. I would eat whatever I wanted, as long as the nutrients I needed were accounted for.
I gave my body everything it needed to be healthy, but healthy eating goes beyond the nutrients. It’s also about how it makes you feel, and with food being an essential part of culture and social events, eating should be something we enjoy.
Today I have a different approach to healthy eating. I’m far more flexible with my meals, and I understand that balance is key to being nourished and happy with food.
Healthy eating now means that, most of the time, I make sure to have food from all food groups on my plate without measuring anything or thinking about plant-based vs. animal-based protein or simple vs. complex carbs.
It also means that I get to enjoy a bit of everything — including sweets, fast food, and desserts — with moderation and without the need to measure or account for it.
As you can see, finding the balance that worked for me didn’t happen overnight. On the contrary, my definition of healthy eating has been changing as I’ve gone through the different stages of my life.
As long as you aim to nourish your body and listen to what it needs, you can also give healthy eating your own meaning, because healthy eating is for everyone.
SUMMARYFor me, healthy eating is about nourishing your body and being at peace with food at the same time. Your definition of healthy eating may change over time as you mature and your priorities change.
As with many things in life, eating healthy doesn’t always end up as you planned.
You may find yourself stuck at work late at night or too tired to prepare a home-cooked dinner, and that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t order take-out and actually enjoy it.
If healthy eating means being flexible with what you eat, you’ll need to learn to adapt to the circumstances, which may happen more often than not.
In cases when I’m choosing food on the spur of the moment, I try to opt for the best choice out of what I’m given. Whenever I can, I try to order the closest thing to a home-cooked meal or go for a sandwich, salad, or bowl.
Yet, sometimes I do crave some pizza — so I eat and enjoy that, too!
At times like this, I remember to see the bigger picture. That is, that healthy eating is not defined by single meals but by the choices we make day after day.
A close friend once told me a saying that goes, “One bad meal will not make you sick, just as one good meal will not make you healthy.”
SUMMARYWhen it comes to eating healthy, one meal doesn’t define your habits — your overall food choices do.
When you’re a dietitian, many people think that eating healthy comes naturally to you. Yet, we’re human beings, too, and we love dessert and crave foods like anybody else.
In my case, one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face was when I had to give up most carb-containing foods to manage recurring infections.
Carbs are present in many food groups, including grains, starchy vegetables, legumes, fruit, and dairy. They’re also present in processed foods and sweets.
Experts often categorize them into two groups according to their fiber content (1):
- Whole grains: retain their naturally occurring fiber
- Refined carbs: are processed to remove their fiber and contain added sugar
In theory, I was supposed to eliminate refined carbs, which some people would argue is the healthiest thing to do.
However, in practice, I ended up giving up all kinds of processed carbs, including whole wheat bread and pasta, alongside starchy vegetables, grains, and dairy.
Thus, the list of carb-rich foods I could eat was limited to fruits, oats, quinoa, and legumes — lentils, beans, chickpeas, and edamame.
Some people told me that this transition wouldn’t be so hard for me as a dietitian. However, it took me a while to adjust to my new eating pattern, especially when planning on-the-go snacks or eating out.
I learned that organization and creativity are key to managing my nutritional needs.
SUMMARYRegardless of the reason, changing eating habits is challenging for everybody.
As I mentioned above, organization and creativity help me make the best food choices every day. This is because, the way I see it, healthy eating is a choice we make every time we eat.
For this reason, I try to make the decision-making process as easy as possible when I’m choosing a meal or snack. That way, I can continue to choose what is best for me.
Here are three things I do on a daily or weekly basis that make it easier for me to eat healthily.
Meal prep
While this may sound cliché, preparing my food beforehand for the week really does the trick.
Cooking can take up a lot of time, but having food that just needs to be heated and served allows me to have a nutritious meal ready in minutes.
One of my go-to meal-prepping tips is to cook a batch of proteins — usually chicken or another lean meat — that I can portion and freeze for over a week and just defrost as I need them.
I also make sure to prep vegetables for the week. This way, I don’t think twice before having some salad or cooking a side of veggies with each meal.
I try to prepare them in different ways to avoid getting bored and choosing not to eat them.
For example, when it comes to carrots or zucchinis, I’ll either slice, dice, grate, or spiralize them, all of which help me incorporate them into my meals easily.
Keep fruit within arm’s reach
Keeping my fruit visible reminds me to eat fruit during the day.
Research shows that you’re most likely to eat more of whatever foods you place near you, regardless of whether they are fruits or sweets (2,
I implement this principle daily and choose to have my fruit on display on a table and my snacks and sweets stored away.
Follow a routine
While I don’t officially plan a weekly menu, I do have a specific set of dishes that I stick to at every meal.
For example, my breakfast choices usually include:
- a Costa Rican classic of gallo pinto and eggs
- toast with peanut butter and a side of eggs
- oatmeal with fruit
- oatmeal pancakes
The same goes for the rest of my meals and snacks, where I have at least three different options to choose from without giving it much thought.
Having a predetermined set of dishes that I know I like saves me time having to decide what to eat, and it allows me to vary my meals depending on whether I crave something sweet or savory.
It’s also very convenient for grocery shopping, as you already know what you’ll most likely be having at every meal.
SUMMARYMeal prepping, keeping my fruit within arm’s reach, and following a routine are three things I do to eat healthy that you could do, too.
We’re all humans who are constantly growing and adapting to change, and so does our concept of healthy eating.
Here I shared with you how the definition of healthy eating has changed for me through the years, the biggest challenge in my healthy eating journey, and my tips and tricks to make healthy eating easier.
However, my way definitely isn’t the “right way” — or the only way — to eat healthy. It’s only what works for me, and it may or may not work for you.
Healthy eating is human, and it looks different for each and every one of us. Consider what you could do in your own routine to set yourself up for success with healthy eating.
If you’re unsure about where to start, consider working with a registered dietitian, as they can help you conceptualize a sustainable, nutritious eating plan that works for your specific needs and lifestyle.
Just one thing
Try this today: Give this article a read if you feel like giving meal prep a try. Meal prepping truly makes a difference for me, and it might just do the same for you.
Noom helps you adopt healthy habits so you can lose weight and keep it off. Your program is customized to your goals and fitness needs. Just take a quick assessment and get started today.
Last medically reviewed on June 29, 2021
NUTRITION
Is Fruit Good or Bad for Your Health? The Sweet Truth
“Eat more fruits and vegetables.”
This is probably the world’s most common health recommendation.
Everyone knows that fruits are healthy — they are real, whole foods.
Most of them are also very convenient. Some people call them “nature’s fast food” because they are so easy to carry and prepare.
However, fruits are relatively high in sugar compared to other whole foods.
For this reason, you might wonder whether they are truly healthy after all. This article sheds some light on the subject.
A lot of evidence has shown that excessive intake of added sugar is harmful (
This includes table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup, both of which are about half glucose, half fructose.
One reason that excessive added sugar intake is harmful is the negative metabolic effects of fructose when consumed in large amounts.
Many people now believe that because added sugars are bad, the same must apply to fruits, which also contain fructose.
However, this is a misconception. Fructose is only harmful in large amounts, and it’s difficult to get excessive amounts of fructose from fruit.
SUMMARYEvidence suggests that fructose can cause harm when consumed in excess. However, there is not enough fructose in fruit to cause concern.
Eating whole fruit, it is almost impossible to consume enough fructose to cause harm.
Fruits are loaded with fiber, water and have significant chewing resistance.
For this reason, most fruits (like apples) take a while to eat and digest, meaning that the fructose hits the liver slowly.
Plus, fruit is incredibly filling. Most people will feel satisfied after eating one large apple, which contains 23 grams of sugar, 13 of which are fructose (4).
Compare that to a 16-ounce bottle of Coke, which contains 52 grams of sugar, 30 of which are fructose, and has no nutritional value (5).
A single apple would make you feel quite full and less inclined to eat more food. Conversely, a bottle of soda has remarkably poor satiety and people don’t compensate for the sugar by eating less food (
When fructose hits your liver fast and in large amounts, as is the case when you drink soda, it can have adverse health effects over time.
However, when it hits your liver slowly and in small amounts, as is the case when you eat an apple, your body is well adapted to easily metabolize the fructose.
While eating large amounts of added sugar is harmful to most people, the same does not apply to fruit.
SUMMARYWhole fruits take time to chew and digest. Because of this, you feel fuller and your body can easily tolerate the small amounts of fructose.
Of course, fruits are more than just watery bags of fructose.
There are lots of nutrients in them that are important for health. This includes fiber, vitamins and minerals, as well as a plethora of antioxidants and other plant compounds.
Fiber, especially soluble fiber, has many benefits, including reduced cholesterol levels, slowed absorption of carbs and increased satiety. Plus, studies have shown that soluble fiber can help you lose weight (
What’s more, fruits tend to be high in several vitamins and minerals that many people don’t get enough of, including vitamin C, potassium and folate.
Of course, “fruit” is an entire food group. There are thousands of different edible fruits found in nature, and their nutrient compositions can vary greatly.
So, if you want to maximize fruits’ health effects, focus on ones that are rich in nutrients. Try fruits with more skin.
The skin of fruits is usually very rich in antioxidants and fiber. This is the reason that berries, which have greater amounts of skin, gram for gram, are often considered healthier than larger fruits.
It is also a good idea to switch things up and eat a variety of fruits because different fruits contain different nutrients.
SUMMARYFruits contain large amounts of important nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and various antioxidants and plant compounds.
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Multiple observational studies have shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of various diseases.
Many of the studies pool together fruits and vegetables, while some only look at fruits.
One review of nine studies found that each daily portion of fruit consumed reduced the risk of heart disease by 7% (
Also, a study including 9,665 US adults found that a high fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a 46% lower risk of diabetes in women, but there was no difference in men (12).
Furthermore, one study that looked at fruits and vegetables separately found that vegetables were associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, but this didn’t apply to fruit (13).
Many other studies have shown that eating fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of heart attack and stroke — the two leading causes of death in Western countries (
One study looked at how different types of fruit affect the risk of type 2 diabetes. Those who consumed the most grapes, apples and blueberries had the lowest risk, with blueberries having the strongest effect (
However, one problem with observational studies is that they cannot prove that the associations they detect are direct causal relationships.
People who eat the most fruit tend to be more health conscious, less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise.
That said, a few randomized controlled trials (real human experiments) have shown that increased fruit intake can lower blood pressure, reduce oxidative stress and improve glycemic control in diabetics (17,
Overall, it seems clear from the data that fruits have significant health benefits.
SUMMARYPlenty of evidence shows that a high fruit intake is associated with a lower risk of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
It’s often forgotten that fruits are incredibly filling.
Because of their fiber and water contents and the extensive chewing involved in eating them, fruits are very satiating.
The satiety index is a measure of how much different foods contribute to feelings of fullness.
Fruits like apples and oranges are among the highest scoring foods tested, even more filling than beef and eggs (
This means that if you increase your intake of apples or oranges, you will likely feel so full that you will automatically eat less of other foods.
There is also one interesting study that demonstrates how fruits can contribute to weight loss (
In this six-month study, nine men ate a diet consisting only of fruits (82% of calories) and nuts (18% of calories).
Not surprisingly, these men lost significant amounts of weight. Those who were overweight lost even more than those who were at a healthy weight.
Overall, given the strong effects that fruits can have on satiety, it seems beneficial to replace other foods, especially junk foods, with fruit to help you lose weight over the long term.
SUMMARYFruits like apples and oranges are among the most filling foods you can eat. Eating more of them should lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake and ultimately, weight loss.
Even though fruit is healthy for most people, there are some reasons why others may need to avoid it.
One is intolerance. For example, eating fruit can cause digestive symptoms in people with and intolerance to FODMAPs.
The other reason is being on a very low-carb or ketogenic diet. The main goal of these diets is to reduce carb intake sufficiently for the brain to start using mostly ketone bodies for fuel instead of glucose.
For this to happen, it’s necessary to restrict carbs to under 50 grams per day, sometimes all the way down to 20–30 grams.
Given that just a single piece of fruit can contain more than 20 grams of carbs, it’s obvious that fruits are inappropriate for such a diet. Even just one piece of fruit per day could easily knock you out of ketosis.
SUMMARYThe main reasons to avoid fruit include a relevant intolerance or being on a very low-carb or ketogenic diet.
Even though whole fruits are very healthy for most people, avoid binging on fruit juice or dried fruit.
Many of the fruit juices on the market aren’t even “real” fruit juices. They consist of water mixed with some sort of concentrate and a whole bunch of added sugar.
But even if you get 100% real fruit juice, keep your intake moderate.
There is a lot of sugar in fruit juice, about as much as a sugar-sweetened beverage.
However, there is no fiber and chewing resistance to slow down consumption, making it very easy to take in a large amount of sugar in a short period of time.
Similarly, dried fruits are very high in sugar, and it’s easy to eat large amounts of them.
Smoothies are somewhere in the middle. If you put the whole fruit in the blender, it’s much better than drinking fruit juice. Still, eating the whole fruit is best.
SUMMARYAlthough eating whole fruits is very healthy, the same isn’t necessarily true for fruit juice and dried fruit. Both are high in sugar and easy to overeat.
Fruit is healthy for most people.
While excessive sugar intake can be harmful, this doesn’t apply to whole fruits. Rather, they are “real” food, high in nutrients and satisfyingly filling.
If you can tolerate fruit and you’re not on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, by all means, eat fruit.
Try eating more whole fruits as part of a healthy, real-foods-based diet to enjoy their health benefits.
Noom helps you adopt healthy habits so you can lose weight and keep it off. Your program is customized to your goals and fitness needs. Just take a quick assessment and get started today.
NUTRITION
Why Is Fiber Good for You? The Crunchy Truth
Fiber is one of the main reasons whole plant foods are good for you.
Growing evidence shows that adequate fiber intake may benefit your digestion and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
Many of these benefits are mediated by your gut microbiota — the millions of bacteria that live in your digestive system.
However, not all fiber is created equal. Each type has different health effects.
This article explains the evidence-based health benefits of fiber.
Put simply, dietary fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate found in foods.
It’s split into two broad categories based on its water solubility:
- Soluble fiber: Dissolves in water and can be metabolized by the “good” bacteria in the gut.
- Insoluble fiber: Does not dissolve in water.
Perhaps a more helpful way to categorize fiber is fermentable versus non-fermentable, which refers to whether friendly gut bacteria can use it or not.
It’s important to keep in mind that there are many different types of fiber. Some of them have important health benefits, while others are mostly useless.
There is also a lot of overlap between soluble and insoluble fibers. Some insoluble fibers can be digested by the good bacteria in the intestine, and most foods contain both soluble and insoluble fibers.
Health authorities recommend that men and women eat 38 and 25 grams of fiber per day, respectively.
SUMMARYNon-digestible carbohydrates are collectively known as fiber. They are most often categorized as soluble or insoluble.
The bacteria that live in the human body outnumber the body’s cells 10 to 1.
Bacteria live on the skin, in the mouth and in the nose, but the great majority live in the gut, primarily the large intestine (
About 500 different species of bacteria live in the intestine, totaling about 100 trillion cells. These gut bacteria are also known as the gut flora.
This is not a bad thing. In fact, there is a mutually beneficial relationship between you and some of the bacteria that live in your digestive system.
You provide food, shelter and a safe habitat for the bacteria. In return, they take care of some things that the human body cannot do on its own.
Of the many different kinds of bacteria, some are crucial for various aspects of your health, including weight, blood sugar control, immune function and even brain function (
You may wonder what this has to do with fiber. Just like any other organism, bacteria need to eat to get energy to survive and function.
The problem is that most carbs, proteins and fats are absorbed into the bloodstream before they make it to the large intestine, leaving little for the gut flora.
This is where fiber comes in. Human cells don’t have the enzymes to digest fiber, so it reaches the large intestine relatively unchanged.
However, intestinal bacteria do have the enzymes to digest many of these fibers.
This is the most important reason that (some) dietary fibers are important for health. They feed the “good” bacteria in the intestine, functioning as prebiotics (
In this way, they promote the growth of “good” gut bacteria, which can have various positive effects on health (
The friendly bacteria produce nutrients for the body, including short-chain fatty acids like acetate, propionate and butyrate, of which butyrate appears to be the most important (
These short-chain fatty acids can feed the cells in the colon, leading to reduced gut inflammation and improvements in digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (
When the bacteria ferment the fiber, they also produce gases. This is the reason high-fiber diets can cause flatulence and stomach discomfort in some people. These side effects usually go away with time as your body adjusts.
SUMMARYConsuming adequate amounts of soluble, fermentable fiber is very important for optimal health because it optimizes the function of the friendly bacteria in the gut.
Certain types of fiber can help you lose weight by reducing your appetite.
In fact, some studies show that increasing dietary fiber can cause weight loss by automatically reducing calorie intake (
Fiber can soak up water in the intestine, slowing the absorption of nutrients and increasing feelings of fullness (
However, this depends on the type of fiber. Some types have no effect on weight, while certain soluble fibers can have a significant effect (
A good example of an effective fiber supplement for weight loss is glucomannan.
SUMMARYSome types of fiber can cause weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness, leading to a reduced calorie intake.
High-fiber foods tend to have a lower glycemic index than refined carb sources, which have been stripped of most of their fiber.
However, scientists believe only high-viscosity, soluble fibers have this property (
Including these viscous, soluble fibers in your carb-containing meals may cause smaller spikes in blood sugar (
This is important, especially if you’re following a high-carb diet. In this case, the fiber can reduce the likelihood of the carbs raising your blood sugar to harmful levels.
That said, if you have blood sugar issues, you should consider reducing your carb intake, especially low-fiber, refined carbs, such as white flour and added sugar.
SUMMARYFoods that contain viscous fiber have a lower glycemic index and cause smaller spikes in blood sugar than foods that are low in fiber.
Viscous, soluble fiber can also reduce your cholesterol levels.
However, the effect isn’t nearly as impressive as you might expect.
A review of 67 controlled studies found that consuming 2–10 grams of soluble fiber per day reduced total cholesterol by only 1.7 mg/dl and LDL cholesterol by 2.2 mg/dl, on average (
But this also depends on the viscosity of the fiber. Some studies have found impressive reductions in cholesterol with increased fiber intake (
Whether this has any meaningful effects in the long term is unknown, although many observational studies show that people who eat more fiber have a lower risk of heart disease (
SUMMARYSome types of fiber can reduce cholesterol levels. However, most studies show that the effect isn’t very large, on average.
One of the main benefits of increasing fiber intake is reduced constipation.
Fiber is claimed to help absorb water, increase the bulk of your stool and speed up the movement of your stool through the intestine. However, the evidence is fairly conflicting (26,
Some studies show that increasing fiber can improve symptoms of constipation, but other studies show that removing fiber improves constipation. The effects depend on the type of fiber.
In one study in 63 individuals with chronic constipation, going on a low-fiber diet fixed their problem. The individuals who remained on a high-fiber diet saw no improvement (
In general, fiber that increases the water content of your stool has a laxative effect, while fiber that adds to the dry mass of stool without increasing its water content may have a constipating effect.
Soluble fibers that form a gel in the digestive tract and are not fermented by gut bacteria are often effective. A good example of a gel-forming fiber is psyllium (
Other types of fiber, such as sorbitol, have a laxative effect by drawing water into the colon. Prunes are a good source of sorbitol (
Choosing the right type of fiber may help your constipation, but taking the wrong supplements can do the opposite.
For this reason, you should consult with a health professional before taking fiber supplements for constipation.
SUMMARYThe laxative effects of fiber differ. Some reduce constipation, but others increase constipation. This appears to depend on the individual and type of fiber.
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the world (
Many studies have linked a high intake of fiber-rich foods with a reduced risk of colon cancer (
However, whole, high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain various other healthy nutrients and antioxidants that may affect cancer risk.
Therefore, it’s difficult to isolate the effects of fiber from other factors in healthy, whole-food diets. To date, no strong evidence proves that fiber has cancer-preventive effects (
Yet, since fiber may help keep the colon wall healthy, many scientists believe that fiber plays an important role (
SUMMARYStudies have associated a high fiber intake with a reduced risk of colon cancer. However, correlation doesn’t equal causation. To date, no studies have proven the direct benefits of fiber in cancer prevention.
Dietary fiber has various health benefits.
Not only does it feed your gut bacteria, fermentable fiber also forms short-chain fatty acids, which nourish the colon wall.
Additionally, viscous, soluble fiber may reduce your appetite, lower cholesterol levels and decrease the rise in blood sugar after high-carb meals.
If you are aiming for a healthy lifestyle, you should make sure to get a variety of fiber from whole fruits, vegetables and grains.
Meal Prep: Apples All Day
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NUTRITION
9 Health Benefits of Eating Whole Grains
Whole grains have been a part of the human diet for tens of thousands of years (
But proponents of many modern diets, such as the paleo diet, claim that eating grains is bad for your health.
While a high intake of refined grains is linked to health problems like obesity and inflammation, whole grains are a different story.
In fact, eating whole grains is associated with various benefits, including a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Here are the top 9 health benefits of eating whole grains.
Grains are the seeds of grass-like plants called cereals. Some of the most common varieties are corn, rice, and wheat.
Some seeds of non-grass plants, or pseudocereals, are also considered whole grains, including buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth.
Whole-grain kernels have three parts (
- Bran. This is the hard, outer
shell. It contains fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. - Endosperm. The middle layer of the
grain is mostly made up of carbs. - Germ. This
inner layer has vitamins, minerals, protein, and plant compounds.
Grains can be rolled, crushed, or cracked. Nonetheless, as long as these three parts are present in their original proportion, they’re considered whole grains.
Refined grains have had the germ and bran removed, leaving only the endosperm.
Though enriched refined grains have had some vitamins and minerals added back, they’re still not as healthy or nutritious as the whole versions.
Common varieties of whole grains include:
- oatmeal
- popcorn
- millet
- quinoa
- brown rice
- whole rye
- wild rice
- wheat berry
- bulgur
- buckwheat
- freekeh
- barley
- sorghum
Products made from these foods are considered whole grain. These include certain types of bread, pasta, and breakfast cereals.
When you purchase processed whole-grain products, read the ingredient list to make sure they’re made entirely from whole grains, not a mixture of whole and refined grains.
Also, keep an eye on the sugar content, especially in the case of breakfast cereals, which are often loaded with added sugar. Seeing “whole grain” on the packaging does not automatically mean that the product is healthy.
SUMMARYWhole grains contain all three parts of the grain. There are many different kinds, including whole wheat and whole corn, oats, brown rice, and quinoa.
Whole grains deliver many important nutrients. These include:
- Fiber. The bran provides most of the fiber in whole grains.
- Vitamins. Whole grains are particularly high in B vitamins, including
niacin, thiamine, and folate (3,
4). - Minerals. They also contain a good amount of minerals, such as zinc,
iron, magnesium, and manganese. - Protein. Whole grains boast
several grams of protein per serving. - Antioxidants. Many
compounds in whole grains act as antioxidants. These include phytic acid,
lignans, ferulic acid, and sulfur compounds (5 ). - Plant
compounds. Whole grains deliver many types of plant compounds that play a
role in preventing disease. These include polyphenols, stanols, and sterols (6 ).
The exact amounts of these nutrients depend on the type of grain.
Nevertheless, to give you a sense of their nutritional profile, here are the key nutrients in 1 ounce (28 grams) of dry oats (4):
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Manganese: 69% of the Reference
Daily Intake (RDI) - Phosphorous: 15% of the RDI
- Thiamine: 14% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 12% of the RDI
- Copper: 9% of the RDI
- Zinc
and iron: 7% of the RDI
SUMMARYWhole grains deliver a variety of important nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and other healthy plant compounds.
One of the biggest health benefits of whole grains is that they lower your risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide (
A review of 10 studies found that three 1-ounce (28-gram) servings of whole grains daily may lower your risk of heart disease by 22% (
Similarly, a 10-year study in 17,424 adults observed that those who ate the highest proportion of whole grains in relation to their total carb intake had a 47% lower risk of heart disease (
Researchers concluded that heart-healthy diets should include more whole grains and fewer refined grains.
Most studies lump together different types of whole grains, making it hard to separate the benefits of individual foods.
Still, whole-grain breads and cereals, as well as added bran, have been specifically linked to reduced heart disease risk (
SUMMARYEating whole grains may lower your risk of heart disease, especially when they replace refined grains.
Whole grains may also help lower your risk of stroke (
In an analysis of 6 studies in nearly 250,000 people, those eating the most whole grains had a 14% lower risk of stroke than those eating the fewest (
Furthermore, certain compounds in whole grains, such as fiber, vitamin K, and antioxidants, can reduce your risk of stroke.
Whole grains are also recommended in the DASH and Mediterranean diets, both of which may help lower your risk of stroke (
SUMMARYAs part of a heart-healthy diet, whole grains may help lower your risk of stroke.
Eating fiber-rich foods can help fill you up and prevent overeating. This is one reason high-fiber diets are recommended for weight loss (
Whole grains and products made from them are more filling than refined grains, and research suggests that they may lower your risk of obesity.
In fact, eating 3 servings of whole grains daily was linked to lower body mass index (BMI) and less belly fat in a review of 15 studies in almost 120,000 people (
Another study reviewing research from 1965 to 2010 found that whole-grain cereal and cereal with added bran were associated with a modestly lower risk of obesity (
SUMMARYDecades of research suggest that whole grains are linked to a lower risk of obesity.
Eating whole in place of refined grains may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes (
A review of 16 studies concluded that replacing refined grains with whole varieties and eating at least 2 servings of whole grains daily could lower your risk of diabetes (
In part, this is because fiber-rich whole grains can also help with weight control and prevent obesity, a risk factor for diabetes (
Moreover, studies have linked whole grain intake to lower fasting blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity (
This could be due to magnesium, a mineral found in whole grains that helps your body metabolize carbs and is tied to insulin sensitivity (
SUMMARYFiber and magnesium are two nutrients in whole grains that help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
The fiber in whole grains can support healthy digestion in various ways.
First, fiber helps give bulk to stools and lowers your risk of constipation.
Second, some types of fiber in grains act as prebiotics. This means they help feed your beneficial gut bacteria, which are important for digestive health (
SUMMARYDue to their fiber content, whole grains help support healthy digestion by giving bulk to stools and feeding your beneficial gut bacteria.
Inflammation is at the root of many chronic diseases.
Some evidence suggests that whole grains can help reduce inflammation (
In one study, women who ate the most whole grains were least likely to die from inflammation-related chronic conditions (
What’s more, in a recent study, people with unhealthy diets replaced refined wheat products with whole wheat products and saw a reduction in inflammatory markers (
The results of these and other studies support public health recommendations to replace most refined grains with whole grains (
SUMMARYEating whole grains regularly could help lower inflammation, a key factor in many chronic diseases.
Research on whole grains and cancer risk have provided mixed results, though they show promise.
In one review of 20 studies, 6 showed a reduced risk of cancer, while 14 indicated no link (
Current research suggests that whole grains’ strongest anticancer benefits are against colorectal cancer, one of the most common types of cancer (24,
Additionally, some health benefits linked to fiber may help lower your risk of cancer. These include its role as a prebiotic (24,
Lastly, other components of whole grains, including phytic acid, phenolic acids, and saponins, may slow the development of cancer (24).
SUMMARYWhole grains may help prevent colorectal cancer, one of the most common types of cancer. Still, research on whole grains’ anticancer effects is mixed.
When your risk of chronic disease is reduced, your risk of dying prematurely also goes down.
In fact, one study suggested that whole grain intake specifically lowered the risk of dying from heart disease, as well as any other cause (
The study used data from two large cohort studies, adjusting for other factors likely to influence death rates, such as smoking, body weight, and overall eating patterns.
Results indicated that every 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of whole grains was linked to a 5% lower risk of death (
SUMMARYWhole grains are linked to a lower risk of dying prematurely from any cause.
While whole grains are healthy for most people, they may not be appropriate for all people at all times.
Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity
Wheat, barley, and rye contain gluten, a type of protein that some people are intolerant or allergic to.
Having a gluten allergy, celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity can cause a range of symptoms, including fatigue, indigestion, and joint pain.
Gluten-free whole grains, including buckwheat, rice, oats, and amaranth, are fine for most people with these conditions.
However, some have difficulty tolerating any type of grain and experience digestive distress and other symptoms.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Some grains, such as wheat, are high in short-chain carbohydrates called FODMAPs. These can cause symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is very common.
SUMMARYSome people have difficulty tolerating grains. The most well-known issue is gluten, which affects people with gluten allergy, celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity.
You can incorporate whole grains into your diet in many ways.
Perhaps the simplest thing to do is to find whole-grain alternatives to refined grains in your diet.
For instance, if white pasta is a staple in your pantry, replace it with a 100% whole-wheat or other whole-grain pasta. Do the same for breads and cereals.
Be sure to read the ingredient list to see if a product is made from whole grains.
Look for the word “whole” in front of types of grains. If it simply says “wheat” instead of “whole wheat,” it’s not whole.
You can also experiment with new whole grains that you may not have tried before, such as quinoa.
Here are some ideas for adding whole grains to your diet:
- Make a cooked porridge out of oatmeal or other grains.
- Sprinkle toasted buckwheat groats on cereal or yogurt.
- Snack on air-popped popcorn.
- Make polenta out of whole-grain cornmeal.
- Swap out white rice with brown rice, or for a different whole grain
like quinoa or farro. - Add barley to vegetable soups.
- Try using whole-grain flours, such as whole-wheat pastry flour,
in baking. - Use
stone-ground corn tortillas rather than white tortillas in tacos.
SUMMARYThere are many ways to work whole grains into your diet. Replacing refined grains with whole grains is a good place to start.
Whole grains deliver a variety of health benefits.
Regularly eating whole grains may reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. This is particularly true when they replace the refined grains in your diet.
High-fiber foods like whole grains also significantly improve your digestive health, though people with gluten intolerance must avoid wheat, barley, and rye.
For improved health and longevity, consider adding whole grains to your diet every day. Healthy, whole-grain breakfast cereals, such as steel-cut oatmeal, are a popular choice.
Noom helps you adopt healthy habits so you can lose weight and keep it off. Your program is customized to your goals and fitness needs. Just take a quick assessment and get started today.
NUTRITION
Mindful Eating 101 — A Beginner’s Guide
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Mindful eating is a technique that helps you gain control over your eating habits.
It has been shown to promote weight loss, reduce binge eating, and help you feel better.
This article explains what mindful eating is, how it works, and what you need to do to get started.
Mindful eating is based on mindfulness, a Buddhist concept.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation that helps you recognize and cope with your emotions and physical sensations (
It’s used to treat many conditions, including eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and various food-related behaviors (
Mindful eating is about using mindfulness to reach a state of full attention to your experiences, cravings, and physical cues when eating (8).
Fundamentally, mindful eating involves:
- eating slowly and without distraction
- listening to physical hunger cues and eating only until you’re full
- distinguishing between true hunger and non-hunger triggers for eating
- engaging your senses by noticing colors, smells, sounds, textures, and flavors
- learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food
- eating to maintain overall health and well-being
- noticing the effects food has on your feelings and figure
- appreciating your food
These things allow you to replace automatic thoughts and reactions with more conscious, healthier responses (
SUMMARYMindful eating relies on mindfulness, a form of meditation. Mindful eating is about developing awareness of your experiences, physical cues, and feelings about food.
Today’s fast-paced society tempts people with an abundance of food choices.
On top of that, distractions have shifted attention away from the actual act of eating toward televisions, computers, and smartphones.
Eating has become a mindless act, often done quickly. This can be problematic, since it takes your brain up to 20 minutes to realize you’re full.
If you eat too fast, the fullness signal may not arrive until you have already eaten too much. This is very common in binge eating.
By eating mindfully, you restore your attention and slow down, making eating an intentional act instead of an automatic one.
What’s more, by increasing your recognition of physical hunger and fullness cues, you are able to distinguish between emotional and true, physical hunger (
You also increase your awareness of triggers that make you want to eat, even though you’re not necessarily hungry.
By knowing your triggers, you can create a space between them and your response, giving you the time and freedom to choose how to react.
SUMMARYMindful eating helps you distinguish between emotional and physical hunger. It also increases your awareness of food-related triggers and gives you the freedom to choose your response to them.
It’s well known that most weight loss programs don’t work in the long term.
Around 85% of people with obesity who lose weight return to or exceed their initial weight within a few years (
Binge eating, emotional eating, external eating, and eating in response to food cravings have been linked to weight gain and weight regain after successful weight loss (
Chronic exposure to stress may also play a large role in overeating and obesity (
The vast majority of studies agree that mindful eating helps you lose weight by changing your eating behaviors and reducing stress (
A 6-week group seminar on mindful eating among people with obesity resulted in an average weight loss of 9 pounds (4 kg) during the seminar and the 12-week follow-up period (
Another 6-month seminar resulted in an average weight loss of 26 pounds (12 kg) — without any weight regain in the following 3 months (
By changing the way you think about food, the negative feelings that may be associated with eating are replaced with awareness, improved self-control, and positive emotions (
When unwanted eating behaviors are addressed, your chances of long-term weight loss success are increased.
SUMMARYMindful eating may aid weight loss by changing eating behaviors and reducing the stress associated with eating.
Binge eating involves eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time, mindlessly and without control (
It has been linked to eating disorders and weight gain, and one study showed that almost 70% of people with binge eating disorder are obese (
Mindful eating may drastically reduce the severity and frequency of binge eating episodes (
One study found that after a 6-week group intervention in women with obesity, binge eating episodes decreased from 4 to 1.5 times per week. The severity of each episode decreased as well (
SUMMARYMindful eating can help prevent binge eating. It can both reduce the frequency of binges and the severity of each binge.
In addition to being an effective treatment for binge eating, mindful eating methods have also been shown to reduce (
- Emotional eating. This is the act of eating in response to certain emotions (
31 ). - External eating. This occurs when you eat in response to environmental, food-related cues, such as the sight or smell of food (
32 ).
Unhealthy eating behaviors like these are the most commonly reported behavioral problems in people with obesity.
Mindful eating gives you the skills you need to deal with these impulses. It puts you in charge of your responses instead of at the whim of your instinct.
SUMMARYMindful eating may effectively treat common, unhealthy eating behaviors like emotional and external eating.
To practice mindfulness, you need a series of exercises and meditations (
Many people find it helpful to attend a seminar, online course, or workshop on mindfulness or mindful eating.
However, there are many simple ways to get started, some of which can have powerful benefits on their own:
- Eat more slowly and don’t rush your meals.
- Chew thoroughly.
- Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting down your phone.
- Eat in silence.
- Focus on how the food makes you feel.
- Stop eating when you’re full.
- Ask yourself why you’re eating, whether you’re truly hungry, and whether the food you chose is healthy.
To begin with, it’s a good idea to pick one meal per day to focus on these points.
Once you have the hang of it, mindfulness will become more natural. Then you can focus on implementing these habits into more meals.
SUMMARYMindful eating takes practice. Try to eat more slowly, chew thoroughly, remove distractions, and stop eating when you’re full.
Mindful eating is a powerful tool to regain control of your eating.
If conventional diets haven’t worked for you, this technique is worth considering.
If you want to give mindful eating a try, you can find many good books on the topic in stores and online. Alternatively, you can join the Healthline Mindful Eating Challenge to get you started.
6 Steps to Break Up with Diet Culture for Good
I’m healthy. I feel good. Why deprive my body just to reach a certain number on the scale?
Last fall, I pulled out my favorite pair of jeans, which I hadn’t worn in months. My pandemic wardrobe consisted exclusively of stretchy yoga pants and other elastic waistband loungewear.
As I pulled my skinny jeans up over my thighs, I noticed the denim hugged my flesh a bit more snugly than I remembered. When I tried to zip them up around my hips and waist, I realized no amount of sucking in was going to make these pants fit.
Like so many, I’d gained weight during quarantine, a time when I no longer felt the need to wear pants that buttoned. Plus, I was stuck at home with plenty of snacks and food delivery.
I’ve gained significant weight in the past. From the “freshman 15” in college, to the “happy weight” I gained after meeting my husband, and the pounds I packed on during pregnancy, my body has ridden the roller coaster of weight gain and loss many times.
Back then, I’d simply cut way back on my caloric intake. I’d subsist on frozen diet meals and half-size portions while increasing my exercise.
Usually that worked to lose the weight — although it made me cranky and obsessive about every morsel that went into my mouth.
And though I’d drop a pants size, invariably I’d regain weight, restarting the diet cycle.
“Weight cycling is really risky,” says Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDRD, a registered dietician and author. “It’s a risk factor for all these things that get blamed on weight: heart disease, certain forms of cancer, mortality. Not to mention, it’s associated with anxiety, depression, binge-eating — all these things we want to help people avoid.”
While my first instinct was to return to my old dieting habits to shed the extra pounds, I realized something: I may have gained weight, but I was healthier than ever.
Being at home meant cooking my own meals more. Instead of nuking a frozen diet dish full of preservatives and sodium for lunch like I would have in an office, I had the time and provisions to make something better.
Quarantine also afforded me the freedom to incorporate regular gentle exercise, be it a walk around the neighborhood or yoga in the living room with my son.
Though I’d gained weight, I was eating better and moving more than I had when I was thinner. I felt good, and my blood work at my annual physical reflected that healthy feeling.
Our free assessment ranks the best diets for you based on your answers to 3 quick questions.
So, why did I feel as though I needed to lose weight? I realized my desire to drop pounds had less to do with fitting into my pants than fitting an unrealistic ideal of how my body should look.
“Weight stigma is out there in society, and it’s not something you can snap your fingers and avoid,” Harrison says. “Breaking up with diet culture and starting to move away from internalizing its beliefs help you stop with the weight self-stigma and help you reframe your thoughts when you find yourself self-stigmatizing.”
I grew up in a home with a mother who was unhappy with her weight and always on a diet. Coupled with the constant messages from media and society that the only “acceptable” size is thin, I adopted a distorted view of how my body should look fairly early.
But living through a pandemic made me re-evaluate a lot of things in my life, including my health.
If I was healthy and felt good, why should I deprive my body just to reach a certain number on the scale?
These tips worked for me in deprogramming my diet mindset:
- focusing on intuitive eating
- including low-impact exercise, like walking, in my routine
- unfollowing body-shamers
- seeking out supportive relationships
- setting boundaries
- being gentle with myself
“The first step is becoming aware, starting to notice when you’re doing things according to diet rules,” Harrison says.
“A lot of people have been on so many diets in their lives, and they may not consciously adhere to that diet. But unconsciously, they’re still following the rules of that diet: trying to avoid carbs, counting calories, or trying to eat before a certain time at night.”
Eating intuitively
Deprogramming my brain from years of dieting has been an ongoing process. I began to loosely follow intuitive eating principles: eating when my body feels hungry and not restricting my eating by calories, food type, or time of day.
This style of eating is a gentle way to respond to your body’s needs rather than rules about what they should be.
Making exercise just a part of life
I maintain a regular exercise routine of low-impact activities, like walking, but I don’t beat myself up if I miss a few days of working out.
Weaving exercise into my life like this feels natural and makes it easier to stay consistent.
Doing a social media shake-up
I also changed the way I consume social media, limiting or unfollowing accounts that made me feel bad about my body or eating and exercise habits.
“Unfollow or mute people who are putting diet culture stuff out there in your feed,” Harrison says. “And follow those who are putting out anti-diet stuff: plus-sized authors and influencers, like Jes Baker or Ragen Chastain, and people who are showing how you can live life in a larger body.”
Rethinking relationships
Breaking up with diet culture also made me rethink my relationships with friends and family. I sought out connections with those who were on the same page with intuitive eating or who were willing to listen to my perspective.
Setting boundaries
I limited the time I spend with diet-obsessed people and let those I do spend time with know that I’m not interested in discussing diets.
“Having conversations with the people in your life about what you’re doing and setting boundaries if needed is important,” Harrison says.
“A lot of people bond over diet talk, so when you’re having those conversations and setting those boundaries, it’s really helpful to keep it as ‘I’ statements and really focus on your own experience.”
Practicing self-compassion
The biggest, and sometimes hardest, thing I’ve done through this process is make a conscious choice to be gentle with myself.
Are there days when I backslide and worry about calories or not exercising enough? Sure. But I try to remember these little setbacks will happen, and I won’t let them derail my progress.
“Approaching it with self-compassion is the best way to make things stick and also to help yourself have better mental well-being in this process,” Harrison says.
Months after breaking up with diet culture, I still can’t fit into my old skinny jeans. Instead, I bought a new pair in a larger size that I like even better than the old ones.
Every time I put them on, they remind me that my body is an ever-changing work in progress. As long as it’s healthy and strong, the size on my pants label shouldn’t matter.
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