7 Ways Eating Natural Foods Benefits Your Health
It is an undeniable fact that eating natural foods has remarkable health benefits.
Natural foods are a gift of nature and they improve your well-being.
Nutritionists believe that eating natural foods benefits your body.
But you must first understand the concept of natural foods and which foods fall in this category.
To elucidate what are natural foods and how they affect your bodies, let’s dive in!
What are natural foods?
According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, foods that are free of any sort of synthetic additives fall in the category of “natural foods”.
Man-made synthetic foods are highly processed. These foods lack certain nutrients that are essential for a healthy human body.
Now, let’s see which foods are included in the natural foods.
Natural foods examples
Several natural foods are a part of your everyday life. These include:
- Fruits
- Green leafy vegetables
- Grains
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Beans
- Eggs
- Milk
- Fish
Importance of natural foods
Nowadays, most people are transforming traditional healthy diet into western diet.
Studies have supported the fact that this conversion in dietary patterns is imposing serious health risks to people especially among young men and women.
The prevalence of various disorders today is due to changed dietary habits. Young people prefer to have a western diet.
These foods contain an enormous amount of fats and unhealthy components.
According to a meta-analysis, protection from certain diseases like cancer is attributed to the intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Natural and organic foods come on the healthy foods list. Natural foods contain “antioxidants”.
Antioxidants are free-radical scavengers and they prevent oxidation. Let’s understand this.
Free radicals cause damage to the cells of your body. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals. It means they don’t let them harm your body cells.
Likewise, they prevent oxidation. Thus, they prevent you from getting various diseases and protect your body.
The nutrition food chart shows that organic food like fruits, vegetables, and legumes should be added to the diet.
Eating natural foods benefits may not be evident instantly but have long-term health effects on your body.
This means you must incorporate healthy organic foods in your diet to prevent your body from diseases at an old age!
Now, we will let you know the 7 health benefits of eating natural foods.
Eating natural foods benefits
1. Improve Cardiovascular Health
According to the CDC, cardiovascular diseases take a life every 36 seconds in the U.S alone.
The shift of eating habits to unprocessed and organic natural foods will lead to a healthy heart.
Recent findings from the research show that fruit and vegetables contain antioxidants which are very crucial to improve heart health.
One study found that dietary fiber obtained from natural foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans lowers CVD risk.
Another study illustrated that including low-fat dairy products instead of saturated or trans fats, grains, and cereals in the diet reduces blood cholesterol levels.
It further reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as diabetes type-2.
2. Keep the Gut healthy
Our digestive tract contains a large number of microorganisms that are responsible for proper metabolism and food digestion in the gut.
According to scientists, consumption of natural foods provides the gut with dietary fibers which are indigestible by the body.
These fibers are digested and utilized by healthy bacteria residing in the gut. Resultantly, the digestion and metabolism of food take place efficiently.
This improves gut health. Thus, natural foods like fruit and vegetables provide nutrients to microbes of the gastrointestinal tract.
It has been reported that the use of fiber-rich natural foods relieves constipation. Fruit, vegetables, and seeds add bulk to stools.
This softens them and relieves constipation by stimulating bowel movements.
Related: Gut Microbiome: Everything You Need to Know
3. Prevent Cancer
Another benefit of eating natural food is cancer prevention. Dietary measures can prevent cancer by 30% to 40%.
Meals rich in fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants that reduce the risk of cancer.
Phytochemicals obtained from plant-based foods like broccoli prevent cell damage and mutations, thus preventing cancer.
4. Improved brain health and cognition
Natural foods are cognitive enhancers.
Diet has a major role in brain health and memory-related cognitive issues.
Scientists claim that antioxidants present in natural foods benefits and promote brain health.
Related: 10 Healthy Brain Foods to Keep Your Mind Super Sharp
5. Immunity and strength
Natural foods containing antioxidants strengthen your immune system.
Did you know if your immune system is strong, you will overcome severe health issues?
Yes, you will!
This is because the immune system is your body’s defense mechanism. It aids in fighting every disease you encounter.
Moreover, it also nourishes your bones and dental health.
6. Weight loss
Do you know what’s the best way to lose weight?
By eating natural foods.
Also, natural plant foods contain bioactive compounds, which have anti-obesity properties. They affect adipose tissues in your body.
This helps in weight loss and prevents you from being obese!
Related: Easy Routines to Lose Weight for the Long Term
7. Aids in blood sugar management
According to WHO, 422 Million people are living with diabetes worldwide.
An unprocessed, organic, and fiber-rich diet reduces blood sugar levels.
Scientists claim that a natural diet improves glucose tolerance and diabetics should take them frequently in their diet.
Takeaway
Eating natural foods benefits you by promoting health and preventing diseases.
It is now evident from a scientific point of view that natural foods contain antioxidants that prevent you from getting susceptible to certain diseases.
Eating natural foods at a young age can have long-lasting health effects. It keeps you healthy at old age!
Furthermore, the increased prevalence of certain diseases like diabetes and obesity is attributed to consumption of unhealthy Western diet.
Hence, don’t fall prey to unhealthy western food that contains a high amount of fats.
Try to add natural foods to your diet frequently.
Transform your dietary patterns from western to natural food and live a healthy life!
