When it comes to living a long and healthy life good nutrition is of high importance. Eating a balanced diet will help keep you feeling your best and can assist with warding off ill health. Whilst poor nutrition has been linked to lifestyle diseases such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and a number of cancers. To help you choose foods that will help you live a long and healthy life we have compiled a list of the best foods for a longer life.

Fruit

Not only does fruit taste great, it is also full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Aim to eat 2-3 pieces of fruit daily. It is important to note that fruit juice is not a good substitute for whole fruit as it can be very high in sugar and lacks the fibre of whole fruit. When choosing a fruit juice look for ‘no added sugar’ varieties and keep serving sizes sensible as a small glass of juice can often require the juice of 5-7 pieces of fruit.

Vegetables

Each day you should aim to consume 5 serves of vegetables. These nutrient packed foods delivery a wide variety of phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals with the added benefit of dietary fibre. Diets high in fibre have been strongly linked to assisting the prevention of diseases such as heart disease and bowel cancer. When choosing vegetables for your next meal, preference should be given to fibrous options, with starchy vegetables such as corn, potato and sweet potato also included but in smaller quantities.

Wholegrain cereals and breads

When choosing cereals and breads it is best to go for wholegrain varieties as these are a significant source of dietary fibre and will keep you full for longer. When possible also choose products that are low glycaemic index as these are digested more slowly, which can also assist with keeping you full and help to prevent overeating. Great ways to include these foods include using wholegrain bread for sandwiches and wholegrain cereals with milk for breakfast.

Dairy

As we age our bones become more brittle making it easier for them to break. Consuming dairy products can help keep our bones strong helping prevent fractures due to osteoporosis as they deliver the nutrients calcium and vitamin D, which are crucial for bone health. When selecting dairy products choose those that are low in fat and added sugar.

Summing it all up

Good nutrition is a key factor in living a long, happy and healthy life. People that eat a balanced diet including the five food groups, maintain a healthy weight and engage in regular physical activity can dramatically decrease the risk of developing lifestyle related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. When making you food choices be sure to follow our advice and include fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains each day. Not only will these foods help you feel great, they could also help you live a longer life.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here