While healthy eating is important for all ages, the changes you go through in your 20s—emotionally, mentally and physically—make it particularly important for you to adopt healthy eating to help you through those specific transformations.
You enter your 20s having just come out of your teens, which was a time when could probably eat just about anything and not suffer the consequences. But, by the end of your 20s, you may not be as physically active, you may be facing the combined stresses of work and family, and preparing healthy meals can be a chore.
5 Healthy Eating Tips for Your 20s
If there is an overall tip for healthy eating when you turn 20, it is to start being more mindful of what you eat. Yes, you may be able to eat endless processed foods, burgers and sugary drinks without gaining a pound now. But, sooner or later, your body will need the support of the vitamins and minerals that eating a healthy diet can deliver.
The sooner you start being aware of what you’re eating and taking small steps to improve your diet, the easier it will be to maintain your health and weight later on.
Protein
The building block of every cell in your body, especially your muscles, you need protein to fuel your continued growth and your busy life. Choose healthy sources of protein, including chicken fish and tofu.
Complex Carbohydrates
This is where healthy habits may be needed most. Complex carbs are perfect for giving you the energy you need without the “sugar rushes” of simple carbs. Instead of foods and drinks with lots of added sugar, try sweet potato, quinoa, brown rice and vegetable juice.
Healthy Snacks
You can avoid ruining all your other efforts by swapping all the salty and sugary snack options, like potato chips and ice cream, for nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Yes, they sound boring, but you won’t believe the flavour rush you can get from a great hummus recipe, dipped with a cool, crisp crescent of bell pepper.
High-Calcium Foods
In later years, women are more prone to bone-health issues than men. The sooner they start to eat foods that help strengthen their bones, like calcium-rich, dark, leafy greens, oranges and broccoli, the more they’ll be able to avoid bone-density issues like osteoporosis later on.
Iron-Rich Foods
Women need more than twice as much iron as men. Fortunately, you can get that extra iron in your diet from many different healthy food choices, including dried beans, eggs, lean red meat, poultry, salmon, almonds and whole grains.
Everyone needs a diet that is specific to them, including their age, body type and goals for losing weight and/or healthier eating. The nutritional counsellors at your nearest Herbal One location will prepare a healthy, balanced diet personalized just for you.
To learn more about the benefits of personalized advice on nutrition and healthy eating, check out our post “What is Nutritional Counselling?”