Have you fallen into a routine that has you eating the same foods all the time? Then it is time for a change, as eating a variety of foods is more important than you might think. Below is some information on why a varied diet is beneficial to your overall health, along with some tips that will make it easier for you to add more nutrients you need to your meal plan.
Top Benefits of Eating a Variety of Foods:
Eating a Variety of Foods Ensures You Get All the Nutrients You Need
When you eat the same foods all the time, you increase your risk of becoming deficient in some key nutrients. That’s because not all foods will contain all of the nutrients that your body needs to thrive.
Eating a variety of foods helps ensure that your body could get important vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and probiotics from diverse sources. When all of those nutrients are combined in your body, you can feel more energized and your immune system can be supported as well.
Here’s an interesting fact: according to a study on variety in diet and death risk, women who consumed more than 17 foods from a list of healthy options actually reduced the risk of dying by 42% compared to women who only ate fewer than 9 foods from that list. So, as you can see, variety really is the spice of life!
Variety in Diet Prevents Boredom And Food Allergies
It should be pretty obvious that, if you end up eating the same foods all the time, you will eventually get bored. And that’s a bad thing because it could cause you to seek out new flavors from unhealthy sources, like those packaged cakes and doughnuts at the grocery store, or those potato chips and chocolate snacks in the vending machine at your job. On the other hand, simply focusing on enjoying a variety of foods from one day to the next could help keep your palate happy because there are always new flavors to indulge in.
Beyond preventing boredom, though, eating a wider range of foods could even reduce the odds of developing a food allergy or an intolerance to certain foods. This could be especially important for children, as researchers discovered that decreasing food diversity could increase the risk of food allergies even when kids are very young. For this reason, both kids and adults could benefit from eating a range of tasty fruits, veggies, and other fresh ingredients within home-prepared meals.
Eating a Variety of Foods Could Help You Lose Weight
People who focus on eating a variety of foods tend to be healthier, as the range of nutrients that you can derive from consuming different foods every day could help reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome. That includes conditions like high blood sugar, high body fat, and high blood pressure, all of which could increase your odds of being diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease.
But, in addition to helping to keep you healthy, a variety of foods might even be what you need if you struggle with weight loss. When you consume a diverse range of foods, your body could enjoy the perks of more bacterial diversity within the gut, and that could help keep your weight down.
How to Be Sure You’re Eating a Variety of Foods
If you think that it is hard to diversify your diet, think again. To be sure that your diet is varied enough, all you have to do is make it a point to consume healthy foods from every major food group. So alternate between various vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains to keep your taste buds happy and your body thriving.
Overall, eating a variety of foods is a great idea. Individuals who eat the same foods all the time tend to be less healthy compared to people who make it a point to vary their meals from one day to the next. Whether you need to lose weight or build muscle, or if you just want to be healthier as you age, make it a point to be a little adventurous by continually adding new foods into your diet. Doing so will help ensure that you are consuming a wide range of vital nutrients.
