Why is it important to eat healthy?
By Meredith French and Mollie Sandler
Have you ever wondered...
- Why do we need to eat healthy?
- What restaurants in Athens serve healthy food?
- What are some healthy snacks?
Why eat healthy?
Healthy habits can also prevent health conditions and boost your immune system! By boosting high-density "good" cholesterol and reducing "bad" cholesterol, you can decrease you chance of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Have you ever experienced a drop in energy after consuming a high in sugar and saturated in fat meal? Well, you can prevent this by eating a balanced diet consisting of whole grains, lean meats, low-dairy products, and fruits and vegetables. When you practice these healthy eating habits, you boost your chances of a longer life.
Now that you know the benefits of eating clean, lets discuss some healthy alternatives of snacking in between meals. One of our favorite healthy snacks are vegetables and hummus. Hummus is not only filling, but it is made from chickpeas mixed with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Another low-calorie snack is smart popcorn. There is only 35 calories per cup! Another healthy snack is non-fat Greek yogurt with fruit.
Some of our favorite restaurants in Athens, GA
The Grit
The Grit is a local restaurant located at 199 Prince Avenue. It is an all vegetarian restaurant that serves soy-based food, rather than meat. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our favorite meal is the egg-white veggie omelet with a side of fresh fruit.
Zoes Kitchen
Zoes Kitchen is an example of a healthier fast food chain with many locations across the country. Their food is Mediterranean based so it includes hummus and pita bread, greek salad, chicken roll-ups, and many other options. Our favorite meal is the greek salad plate, which comes with your choice of pesto, red pepper, or regular hummus on the side.
Trappeze Pub
Trappeze Pub is a great example of finding healthier food in any restaurant. While this restaurant serves a variety of unhealthy food, it also features some great healthy ones! Our personal favorite is adding chicken to the Quinoa Salad, which includes roasted sweet potatoes, walnuts, parsley and dried cranberries.