A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve health. It is important for lowering many chronic health risks, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer. The following foods can help reduce these risks by 50%.
- grapes – reduce risk of cancer and heart disease
- garlic – reduces risk of infections, heart disease (including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure) and cancer
- tomatoes – reduce risk of cancer and heart disease
- dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, parsley, mustard greens, bok choy) – reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis
- carrots – reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, and improve vision, especially at night
- citrus fruits (oranges, grape fruits, tangerines, lemons) – reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, and flu
- green tea – reduces risk of cancer and heart disease
- fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring) – reduces risk of cancer and heart disease
- turkey – reduces risk of cancer and heart disease
- beans – reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and calcium deficiency
- oatmeal – reduce risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
- low fat yogourt – reduces risk of heart disease, excellent source of calcium, iodine
- honey – reduces risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, improves immune system
- seaweed – reduces risk of heart disease, excellent source of iodine
- bananas – reduces risk of heart disease, ulcer, excellent source of potassium
An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including: high blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal blood lipids, overweight/obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. These foods will increase risk of chronic diseases by 50%.
- bacon – salt, trans fat
- potato chips, crackers – salt, trans fat
- doughnuts, cookies – sugar, trans fat
- mayonnaise – salt, fat
- butter – fat
- egg yolk- cholesterol
- processed meat (ham, sausages, cured meat) – salt, trans fat, preservatives
- canned food – salt/sugar, preservatives
- fried foods (french fries, chicken wings) – salt, trans fat
- fast food (pizza, burgers, hot dogs) – salt, trans fat
- frozen meals – salt, trans fat, preservatives
- fat – hi cholesterol, increases risk of heart diseases, diabetes
- salt – higher blood pressure, increases risk of heart diseases
- sugar – increases risk of obese, diabetes and heart diseases
- nuts – possible allergy
- shellfish – possible allergy
- soda pop – hi sugar
- tuna – hi mercury content
- ice cream – hi sugar, possible teeth damage
- cheese – hi cholesterol
