At it’s most fundamental level good nutrition consists of the following:
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide your body with fuel. Due to many fad diet crazes in the UAE some people view ‘carbs’ as bad but nothing to be further from the truth.
Our bodies are designed to process carbs and obtain energy from these carbs. However, the confusion is often because there are ‘good carbs’ and ‘not so good carbs’.
When dieting or training you want to focus on good carbs because they will provide you with the best source of energy.
The simple truth is that good carbs are you friend. The easiest way to differentiate between good and bad carbs is very very simple.
Good carbs – unprocessed whole food sources. Think wholewheat grains, beans, pulses, brown rice, vegetables, etc
Bad carbs – processed foods like breads, pastries, white pasta, white processed flour, fried vegetables etc.
Proteins
Proteins and the amino acids found in them help your body build, maintain and repair muscle. They should be an essential part of your diet even if you get your protein from plant sources.
Many people in the UAE tend to eat too much meat. In fact, your protein intake doesn’t need to be the largest part of your plate.
Good sources of protein include lean meats, beans, seafood, nuts, eggs etc
However, you should try and limit the amount of processed meat you eat for health reasons.
Fats
Don’t be afraid of fats. There is far too much negative press about the amount of fats in our diet.
It’s not about the amount of fat but the type of fat you eat.
Fat plays a crucial role in keeping us fit and healthy. Men and women in Dubai think they need to cut all fat out of their diet in order to lose weight but this simply isn’t true. Fats are required for proper growth, cell growth, insulation, organ protection, joint help and also to absorb essential fat-soluble vitamins.
It’s easy to remember what fats are good for you. Plant based fats and oils like olive oil, avocado oils, sunflower oils are much better for us than saturated animal fats. That doesn’t mean you have to cut animal fats out of your diet complete – just consume them sparingly.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are an essential part of proper nutrition. They play major roles in all aspects of your bodily functions and basically help you to maintain an optimal level of health.
Many of us can easily get all the essential vitamins and minerals we need through our diet without the need to use supplements.
Fruit, vegetables, lean meats and fish (or a vegetable source of protein) should all be part of a proper, well balanced diet to ensure you meet your bodies vitamin and mineral need on a daily basis.