Some Foods Are More Nutritious Than Others, So What’s the Difference?

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Some Foods Are More Nutritious Than Others, So What’s the Difference?

Eating more nutritious foods can help you stay healthier, feel better, and ultimately live a happier life. But what exactly makes food nutritious in the first place? How is nutritious food different from other foods? And what steps should you take to make better eating choices in your own life?

The Complexity of Nutrition

It’s important to acknowledge that nutrition is a fairly complex subject. There are a lot of components to the foods we eat, and we genuinely don’t understand how all of them work. For decades, we’ve had a solid understanding of the macronutrients and micronutrients that human beings need to live and thrive generally, but even in this realm, individual differences and complex interactions have left the science world stumped.

That’s why many people choose to work with nutritional and health consultants. With a nutritional and health consultant, you can learn all the fundamentals that scientists have mastered in the realm of nutrition, but you can also get personalized recommendations and advice designed to help you as an individual.

It’s not clear whether science and research will eventually “crack the code” or fully solve the problem of nutrition. But in the meantime, we can only work with the information we have.

Are Some Foods Really “Better” Than Others?

Is it true that some foods are really “better” than others?

In a limited sense, yes. Intuitively, you probably understand that steamed broccoli is better for you than a chocolate candy bar, even if you don’t fully understand why. But when it comes to less extreme examples, the difference is less clear. Is it better to have a hamburger or a piece of pizza? Is it better to have carrots or peas?

In many of these closer scenarios, it’s very hard to categorize a single food as being better than another. Instead, it’s better to see foods in terms of advantages and disadvantages, so you can plan your meals appropriately and ultimately balance out whatever nutritional drawbacks or shortcomings there are in the foods you’re eating.

Core Factors to Consider

These are some of the most important factors to consider when evaluating the nutritional value of food:

·       Macronutrient balance. Macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You’ll need a combination of these to thrive, but you’ll need to maintain the balance very carefully. Excessive intake of any of these nutrients at the expense of others can be problematic.

·       Micronutrient balance. You must also consider micronutrient balance. There are many vitamins and minerals that we need to survive, and excessive amounts of some micronutrients can cause problematic complications in the body. Generally, foods with higher micronutrient content are better for you than their counterparts.

·       Caloric content. Caloric content is another consideration. Calories are a measure of the energy in various foods, and the more calories a food has, the more energy it gives you. Energy is ostensibly a good thing, but too much energy can cause you to store the excess as fat, ultimately compromising your health in large enough volumes.

·       Ingredients and additives. Certain ingredients and additives can also cause complications in health. In many cases, substances like preservatives and food dyes are poorly understood, and it’s not exactly clear what impact they can have on human health.

Shortcuts to Use

If you’re looking for shortcuts to determine which foods are more nutritious than others, consider enacting the following measures:

·       Reduce portion sizes. In America, we love large portion sizes, but they sometimes overload us with calories. In most instances, it’s better to reduce portion sizes (as long as you’re still getting enough to eat).

·       Include more vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are good bets for healthy, nutritious foods. They tend to be full of nutrients, low in calories, and high in fiber, with no additional additives. Most of us benefit from eating more vegetables and fruits.

·       Stick to raw, natural ingredients when you can. If torn between two options, choose the raw, natural version. As a simple example, it’s better to eat fresh fruits than canned fruits.

·       Reduce exposure to sugar and simple carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an important element of the human diet, but some carbohydrates are better than others. Complex carbohydrates like fiber are better for your digestive tract and overall health than simple carbohydrates like sugar. Try to keep your sugar intake low.

·       Prioritize healthy fats over other fats. It’s not exactly accurate to say that some fats are healthy and others are unhealthy. However, unsaturated fats tend to have more benefits than saturated fats. Optimize your diet for unsaturated fats when you can.

·       Select for protein sources. Finally, get lots of protein in your diet. It’s very hard to get “too much” protein, and protein is very filling, preventing you from indulging in caloric excess.

This guide is merely meant to get you started in the world of nutrition. If you want more personalized, specific advice, consider hiring a nutritional consultant.