Eating habits and diets that are simple, balanced, and consistent can help to maintain overall health for those who don’t have to spend a lot of money on their grocery bill.
Small food choices today can support a healthier tomorrow.
Food choices on a daily basis can affect the nutritional needs of the body. Some behaviors can make it harder to keep a well-balanced diet, such as not eating enough meals or drinking sugary beverages often.
The changes in eating habits that lead to good health don’t require costly foods or radical changes. Making small and real world changes with locally available ingredients can help people adopt more sustainable diets.
Here are 5 common eating habits to review with tips on how to make them better.
1.Skipping meals too often can affect energy.
Too frequent a loss of meals can have a negative impact on energy.Eating breakfast can quickly fall to the bottom of the to-do list when mornings are hectic, there’s work to get done, or school to attend. While it’s not always a bad thing to skip a meal, frequent meal skipping can make some people feel tired, hungry, or less focused.
Skipping meals for extended periods may also be more difficult for some individuals to keep up a regular meal pattern.
What Can You Do Instead?
There are a couple of practical adjustments that can help make normal eating easier:
Schedule meals with consideration to the time of day, as much as possible.
Have bite size snacks on hand, like bananas, ground nuts, yoghurt or boiled eggs.
Plan to prepare some meals or food ingredients ahead of time where feasible.
Listen to hunger, fullness and energy levels.
It is not necessary to have to spend a lot of money on food to eat well. Having a plan and selecting foods that are easy to eat can make a balanced meal manageable.
2. Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
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Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fibre, and other beneficial nutrients.
Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients which are essential for normal body functions.
But certain individuals may find it difficult to consume these foods due to their cost, availability, and their preferences. Variety in diet can be achieved by consuming different kinds of fruits and vegetables.
Finances: There are some choices to consider that will be affordable.
Try making fruits and vegetables a habit by:
Using locally grown vegetables like sukuma wiki, spinach, cabbage and carrots.
Serving tomato or other seasonal vegetables with meals.
If available, selecting bananas, oranges, mangoes or pawpaws.
Using fresh, frozen or suitable preserved alternatives, where available.
For instance, instead of a typical lunch or dinner without vegetables, try having vegetables with your meal, or opt for a piece of fruit as a snack.
The idea is to add variety slowly, by incorporating foods that are available and affordable.
3.Eating and drinking high-sugar foods too often.
Sugar from soft drinks, sweetened juices, energy drinks and strongly-flavored tea can make significant contributions to the diet.
Sugar drinks may lead to a high intake of energy and to tooth decay if consumed often. Limiting free sugars is recommended by the World Health Organization as a part of a healthy diet.
Frequent Simple Changes to Try – try them out for yourselves!
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Choosing water more often can help reduce sugar consumed through drinks.
Consider cutting back on sugary beverages by doing the following:
Making safety the first choice for drinking water.
Gradually reducing the amount of sugar added to tea or coffee.
Eating more whole fruit than sweetened fruit drinks.
When labels are provided, checking nutritional information for sugar added.
It will take time to break the habit. Make one small change and plan options that fit into your daily life.
4. Not Getting Enough Dietary Fibre
Foods derived from plants contain dietary fibre which helps with normal digestion and bowel movements. Fibre can be added to the diet from a variety of foods, including beans, green grams, lentils, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
In some individuals there may be a connection between a low fibre diet and constipation. A diverse diet with plentiful fibre sources can be beneficial to the digestive system.
What are some ways to add more fibre?
Here are some practical ideas:
Eat beans, green gram, pea or lentils.
Select whole grain foods (e.g., oats; whole-maize meal) more frequently as appropriate.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Slowly increase fibre and stay hydrated.
Carbohydrates, fibre and other nutrients can be provided by a familiar food like ugali with beans and Sukuma wiki.
There’s no need to make a complete diet overhaul. Incorporating additional fibre foods over time can be a viable strategy for changing the diet.
5. Not eating variety in meals
The body gets different nutrient components from different foods. A diet of foods that are predominantly from the same food group can make it more difficult to ensure all nutritional needs are met.
A meal can consist of a food for energy, protein and vegetables or fruit. Proportions and food selection will depend on the individual, age, activity level and health status.
Here are a few tips on how to make meals more balanced:
To enhance variety in meals, you can:
Incorporating protein foods, like beans, eggs, fish, or lean meat.
Incorporating vegetables and fruit.
Opting for staple foods like ugali, rice, potatoes or whole grains.
Changing food selection within the week, if possible.
For instance a combination of a staple food, beans or fish and vegetables can give you a variety of nutrients.
There is no reason why eating a balanced diet has to be costly. There is a place for local food in a nutritious diet – and it can be done effectively.
Making a difference is within reach with small changes.Change a little, change a lot!
There’s no need to be perfect with healthy eating, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. A diversified diet, increasing water intake, taking fibre and creating balanced meals can all contribute to good health.
It’s best to start with one easy habit at a time. It may be easier to make small, regular changes than make an effort to change all eating habits at once.
Food requirements vary from one person to another and those with medical conditions and/or specific nutritional concerns should always seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional or registered nutrition professional.
Key Questions Answered
What are some everyday eating habits that may affect health?
Frequently skipping meals, eating too few fruits and vegetables, drinking sugary beverages regularly, consuming insufficient fibre, and eating meals with limited variety may affect the quality of a person’s diet.
Why are fruits and vegetables important?
They provide vitamins, minerals, fibre, and other beneficial nutrients. Eating a variety can help support overall health.
Is drinking sugary beverages every day a concern?
Frequent consumption can increase free sugar intake and contribute to tooth decay. Choosing water more often can help reduce sugar consumed through drinks.
Which foods are good sources of dietary fibre?
Beans, green grams, lentils, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are useful sources of fibre.
Do healthy meals have to be expensive?
No. Foods such as beans, sukuma wiki, cabbage, seasonal fruits, eggs, and locally available staple foods can help form balanced meals.
What is the easiest way to start eating more healthily?
Begin with one realistic change, such as adding a vegetable to a meal, drinking water more often, or including beans in your weekly meals. Build additional habits gradually.
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