Adding colours to your plate aids in managing your weight

NEW DELHI: You can maintain your health by eating the right food because you are what you eat and what your body absorbs and assimilates, the food you eat affects both your physical and emotional health. A nutritious and well-balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of developing conditions like diabetes, cancer, inflammation, and heart disease.

According to Azhar Ali Sayed, a holistic health coach, utilising intriguing and healthful concepts, you can make your food both tasty and nutritious. She says, "A novel way to eat well is to stick to a rainbow diet. As the name implies, a rainbow diet emphasises eating more colourful foods. Fruit and vegetables must be a part of a healthy diet since they are a great source of many essential nutrients, such as dietary fibre, vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and several other beneficial substances like flavonoids and phytochemicals. Fruits and vegetables with a high water content can also be a great source of hydration."

"To be lively and healthy, you must consume the complete colour spectrum. Each colour denotes a particular chemical compound that is present in plants naturally and that nourishes and protects the body. For instance, yellow and orange foods denote the presence of carotene, green foods denote the presence of chlorophyll, and red and purple foods indicate the presence of anthocyanins. As each colour plays a specific role in the body, it is essential to include all of them in your diet," added Azhar Ali Sayed.

The expert also suggests eating at least three to four portions of fruit and vegetables each day in your diet which are often low in calories, fat, and sugar and high in fibre and health-promoting polyphenols-you may be able to lose weight while also reducing your cravings for sweets.

Azhar Ali Sayed said, "Eating fruit will assist in reducing excess calories consumed from junk food, which is crucial while attempting to reduce weight. Although some fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, avocados, sweet corn, green peas, grapes, dates, figs, and coconut, are higher in calories and fat than others. Despite the fact that these fruits and vegetables have a higher calorie count, you don't need to completely avoid them because they're still a valuable source of numerous nutrients. Additionally, the fibre they contain will help to keep you full so you're less likely to graze on fatty and sugary foods."

The author of "Eat your cake, lose your weight," further continued to say, "Try steaming your vegetables, adding low-calorie or low-fat ingredients, and flavouring them with herbs and spices. Avoid cooking methods that will significantly increase the number of calories and fat in the dish, such as breading and frying, as well as the use of high-fat dressings or sauces. Fruits and vegetables that are canned or frozen can be just as nutrient-dense as their fresh counterparts, making them excellent convenience options. Picking those without additional sugar, syrup, cream sauces, or other calorie-dense additives should be done with caution. Also, it is recommended to choose whole fruit over fruit juices and drinks because juicing removes healthy fibre."

However, bear in mind that if you begin eating fruit and vegetables in addition to what you already eat, you will be consuming additional calories and could potentially gain weight. As a result, you should include them in your diet plan and make sure they don't exceed your daily calorie allowance to prevent weight gain.