The Benefits of Real Food

The word food literally means to feed. Feeding is the process by which an organism nourishes itself so that it can grow and reproduce. Food is not only food eaten by animals; it can also be of plant, animal, or fungi origin, and often contains necessary nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals. Some foods are more nutrient-rich than others, including: milk, butter, cheese, eggs, honey, and tomatoes. Fruits and vegetables, in general, are a good source of nutrition for most people.

Real food may include foods that you eat regularly. Real food may not always consist of fresh, whole foods; it may consist of frozen or canned goods, which may contain various contaminants and additives, and which may contain sugars that could raise blood sugar levels and cause other health problems. Real food may be a good choice for those who follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. However, many people who do eat real foods occasionally suffer from deficiencies that are caused by eating too many processed or junk foods. If you are trying to lose weight, a diet consisting mostly of real foods may not be the best direction to take, since weight gain is typically the result of eating too many processed foods and refined sugars.

Most people who follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly consume diets that contain mostly natural, unprocessed food products, including fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes (such as beans), and whole grains. Those who follow this type of diet generally avoid food that contains artificial colorings, salt, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. Real foods that you consume on a regular basis include: whole grains, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry, cheese, fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes (such as beans), and breads. When shopping for packaged, processed foods, read the label of ingredients to make sure that the product is made with all of the healthy ingredients you need and avoid consuming any food product that is “marked” with an “E” in the ingredient list.