With all of the information that is out there, it can be easy to get confused when researching good nutrition. There is a lot of contradicting information which creates mistakes and confusion when it comes to nutrition and can impact your ability to achieve your goals.
AFC Urgent Care Waltham is here to provide you with the health resources you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Learn more about common nutrition mistakes and call or visit our center for more information.
Calories vs. Food Quality
No matter what your health goal is, the quality of the food you eat is the backbone to achieving it. It’s crucial not to focus too much on the calories in your food compared to the quality of the food you’re eating. That being said, too much of a good thing can easily become a bad thing. Foods like kale, avocado, and chicken are all good for you, but eating too much of one thing can cause you to go over your calorie goal.
Healthy fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are all good to include in your diet but don’t overdo them. Healthy fats contain twice as many calories as other foods, so it’s important to keep in mind both the quality of your food and how many calories are in them.
Natural Sugars
Similar to the idea above, too much natural sugar is still a bad thing. Fruits, maple syrup, and fruit juices are all good in smaller doses. Our bodies can only take on so much sugar at once. Overconsuming sugars can negatively impact one’s blood sugar and potentially develop into diabetes later.
While it’s better to consume natural sugars over refined sugar, it’s best to eat them along with foods high in fiber. To achieve this, try eating more vegetables than fruit. Vegetables still contain natural sugars, but they also have a high presence of fiber. This allows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream to be much slower.
Not Enough Protein
No matter how active your lifestyle is, protein is a key component of a healthy diet. Most Americans undereat protein on a daily basis. The amino acids in proteins play a large role in the body, acting as neurotransmitters and antibodies.
Not only are proteins crucial for your diet, but it also helps you to feel fuller. The amount of protein you need in your diet depends on your lifestyle and health goals. However, you should aim to have a source of protein in every meal.
