Food variety means eating a wide variety of foods from each of the five food groups, in the amounts recommended. Eating many different foods helps maintain a healthy and interesting diet which provides a range of different nutrients to the body. Eating a variety of foods promotes good health and can help reduce the risk of disease. The five food groups are vegetables and legumes/beans fruit lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes/beans grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fiber varieties milk, yogurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat. Foods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients. For example, key nutrients of the milk, yogurt, cheese and alternatives group include calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. These food groups make up the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Eating a varied, well-balanced diet means eating a variety of foods from each food groups daily, in the recommended amounts. It is also important to choose a variety of foods from within each food group because different foods provide different types and amounts of key nutrients. Choosing a variety of foods will help to make your meals interesting, so that you don?t get bored with your diet. Some foods do not fit into the five food groups because they are not necessary for a healthy diet. These foods are called discretionary choices? and they should only be eaten occasionally. They tend to be too high in either energy (kilojoules), saturated fat, added sugars, added salt or alcohol, and have low levels of important nutrients like fibre.

Click to learn more about Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Benefits & Sources!

Key Takeaways:

  • Eating fish has been found to reduce the risk of decline in age-related cognitive functions including reducing the risk of dementia.
  • Because there is no known cure for dementia, people place a high value on finding natural, effective ways of reducing their risk to it.
  • Eating a balanced diet to reduce the risk of dementia can be complemented with regular daily exercises.

“According to Garikiparithi (2018), incorporating more fish into your diet can go a long way in slowing the decline of memory loss (para 1).”

Read more: https://www.belmarrahealth.com/eat-better-memory/