You may be eating 'POSH' but are you eating healthy?

Eating healthy is vital for your health but do people really know how to eat well?

I would say that most Sierra Leoneans do not know the importance of eating healthy food. How to eat, when to eat and what to eat aren’t things we are taught.

What we see as ‘posh’ food, the likes of the sardines, luncheon meat etc could cause harm in the long term.

Zwan Luncheon Meat

Sepia Sardine

Daily consumption of tin foods should be avoided as most of them have preservative chemicals in their containers.

Breakfast is considered the most important meal. It is supposed to energize and sustain you. Eat breakfast like a king, if you want to eat for your health.

Lunch and dinner are equally important. Lunch can be skipped if you are busy but dinner is a must because it is very difficult to sleep on an empty stomach.

In Sierra Leone, some of the food we eat for lunch are rice and cassava leaves, potato leaves, beans and a list of others. However, most people eat these foods for dinner which makes it unhealthy. Remember the rule is to eat breakfast like a king, not dinner.

Boiled Rice

Potato Leaves

Cassava Leaves Credits: Immaculate Bites

It is not just about eating but eating for your health. Learn when and how to eat. That is very essential in maintaining good health.

A meal must consist of all nutrients from carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats and oil, minerals. A combination of these makes your meal balanced.

Eating a balanced diet is a must. Each nutrient in a meal has a vital role to play in the body for the proper functioning of organs.

Nutrients from food crops

What is often not practiced in Sierra Leone is the consumption of fruits before a meal, while some people don’t even eat vegetables but can we blame them? How many people can actually afford a meal in Sierra Leone?

Avoid eating food from people whose hygiene is questionable because that is how you might get typhoid or cholera.

If you cant prepare your own meals, ensure those who prepare it are hygiene conscious.

Eat well, eat healthily. Avoid unhealthy combinations. Make it a must to eat a balanced diet and your system will function well.

Eat on time to save yourself from ulcers because self-care is paramount to your existence.