Doris Obinna
Nutrition is a critical part of our development as humans. This could explain why a nutritionist and health expert Adedotun Owolabi declared: “Eating healthy carries a lot of benefits for us including, but not limited to, building a stronger immune system, lowering the risk of non-communicable diseases and improving longevity. One develops a healthy eating habit by ensuring you maintain a healthy diet.”
According to him, a healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition, providing sufficient nutrients to fuel the body and protect it against many chronic non-communicable diseases such as; heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. “We can maintain a healthy diet by making sure we eat a balanced diet and consume less salt, sugars and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fat.
“Globally, dairy plays an important nutrition delivery and cultural role in our everyday diets. Dairy and dairy-containing foods contribute many essential nutrients including protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium.”
More importantly, several studies have linked higher vitamin D levels to a lower risk of respiratory infections, and less severe symptoms when they develop, a very good example is according to Owolabi is peak milk, a leading dairy product in Nigeria. “This product is enriched with essential vitamins A, B1, B6, D3, B2, B12, and keep the body in a good working condition. “A daily consumption of at least one glass of this milk, particularly during breakfast, will without a doubt, give you a healthy start to your day and support your immune system. Many countries recommend milk, cheese and yogurt as core aspects of a healthy diet, and diary ingredients like whey and milk proteins, which support healthy diets can be found in beverages, yogurt, nutrition and energy bars, ready-to-drink beverages, oatmeal, snacks and powder for homemade smoothies and shakes.
“Something else we should take note of is how important it is to invest in good nutrition. When you eat healthy, you can truly worry less about the fragility of your immune system,” he stated.
As Professor of Immunobiology at Yale University, Akiko Iwasaki puts it “while there are lots of companies out there selling products to boost immunity, you’re probably better off getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well and worrying less.”
Owolabi continued: “In addition to peace of mind, investing in a healthy diet will also save you money in the long run. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has published that a healthier diet could prevent at least $71 billion per year in medical costs and lost lives.
“The beauty of healthy nutrition is that you can begin immediately by building a healthy eating pattern. This means choosing a variety of nutritious foods in the right amounts for you — and making these choices part of your everyday routine.”
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily intake of 400g of fruit and vegetables per day, 25-50g of sugar daily, and less than 30 per cent of total energy intake from fats. We are advised to take a daily average of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber which the body requires.
“The foundational meal for healthy nutrition is breakfast. Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day for a good reason. Breakfast helps the body refuel with a variety of nutritious foods, including milk, yogurt and even cheese.
“It is important because it replenishes the stores of energy and nutrients used in the body after long hours of abstinence from food arising from sleep. You wouldn’t want to work on an empty stomach, and no child can focus on any tasks when they haven’t had something to eat.”
Also, noting the part dairy play, Owolabi said, we often connect dairy solely to calcium, vitamin D and bones, but it’s also connected to healthier elements, like protein.
“A breakfast of pap, cereal, or oats with peak milk, which has B vitamins – B12, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid – that help make energy is a fine source of energy to start the day.”