People have continued with an impression that healthy foods are expensive. They believe that these healthy foods are out of reach of someone who wants to live on them.
Sadly, the perception is backed by the cost of living in Nigeria that is increasing everyday.
What Is A Healthy Food
Let us look at what healthy food means. These are variety of foods that provide the body nutrients needed to maintain a good health, feel good and have energy.
Another definition says a healthy food is believed to be good for you because it does not contain artificial chemicals.
These foods contain protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals.
One of the very constant thing in most foods is carbohydrate. This is because everything you eat is expected to give you energy.
However, there are issues that abound, as to why people draw back from eating these foods. Among these issues, the price of these foods have been emphasised.
Recently, there was an increase in the price of petrol and the expected increase of the electricity tariff will further change the figures.
We are expected to stay healthy amidst this increases cost of living.
The food we eat provides our body fuel that we need to go through the day.
However, foods go beyond giving us energy to keeping our body healthy.
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In the scriptures, this was emphasised. Ezekiel 47:12 is explicit about this. What we eat is medicine to the body.
The healthy foods we eat are there to keep us healthy and nourished.
Why You Think Healthy Foods Are Expensive
They are great foods, but many who have tried to live on them, believe they are expensive. Ask the ketogenic people. Whey they are not able to keep up with the expenses they return to their usual diet.
But what we teach out people is different and there is a reason for that.
For instance, red rice which is one of the best species of rice is not common in the market.
Other foods also considered expensive are vegetables and fruits.
Fortunately, we have found the real reason people allow this perception to hinder them from buying these foods is different.
Most persons do not know that this is the real issue behind their withdrawal.
For instance, some persons will drink 4 bottles of soft drink in a week, yet will not buy cabbage which is as low as 250 Naira to add to their diet.
How To Eat Healthy Without Spending Much
A cabbage and cucumber could serve you several times and may even last for up to a week if you preserve them well.
One assumption people have is that when they want to eat vegetables, it has to be vegetables all through until they are satisfied. That is not how it should be done.
Vegetables do better when added to other meals. They aid digestion and help ensure that your body absorbs the nutrients in your meal.
So, few slices of cabbage, cucumber and other vegetables could go well with your rice. This way, you give the body the nutrients it needs per day.
White rice is arguably the most eaten food in Nigeria’s populous cities and this is a source of concern.
One way to make your rice more nutritious is to mix the species. We know it will be difficult to stop eating white rice, this is why we make this recommendation.
If you want to cook three cups of rice, you can mix one cup each of white rice, brown rice and red rice.
This way, you do not overloaded the body with carbohydrate. Remember that carbohydrate breaks down to sugar.
Really, one of the reasons God made these varieties is this.
Not About Excluding Carbohydrates
You must have thought that you will need to cook just red rice alone and eat it till you are full.
But red rice is very chewy and that is because it is rich in fibre. This makes it very great for diabetics and persons who are on a weight loss journey.
With the mix, you do not consume so much and that also keeps you full longer than you would even imagine.
Eating healthy is not about loading the system with one particular food per time. It is not about not eating carbohydrate, but a combination of different foods – whole grains, vegetables, fat, vitamins and minerals.