Tagged with: healthy food
We often wonder what we should eat for optimal health, and even the government has recently flipped its food pyramid, which you can see at MyPyramid.gov. Here is an overview of the government’s 2005 dietary guidelines. First of all, a healthy diet under the new government guidelines is one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs and nuts includes. The diet is also low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars. The main theme the government is proposing now is to eat a grain-rich diet and make half of the grains you eat whole grains. Whole grain products contain the whole grain – the bran, the germ and the endosperm, some examples would be: Whole wheat flour Bulgur (crushed wheat) Oatmeal Whole wheat flour Brown rice Next, you should vary your vegetables and generally buy fresh vegetables in season, stock up on frozen vegetables and vegetables buy something that is easy to prepare. For the best nutritional value, choose
Vegetables with higher potassium like sweet potatoes and spinach and limit sauces, which can add fats, sodium and extra calories. Make more of your food with fresh ingredients to reduce sodium content. Most sodium comes from packaged and processed foods. A healthy eating suggestion is to use a salad as your main lunch dish and use the salad dressing sparingly. Focus on fruits. To help you concentrate, always keep a bowl of fruit on the table, counter, or refrigerator. Store cut fruit in the refrigerator and buy fresh, seasonal fruit whenever possible. Also buy frozen, dried, and canned fruits so you always have some type of fruit on hand. Choose whole fruits when possible or cut fruits instead of juices to take advantage of the fiber. Choose fruits high in potassium such as bananas, apricots and melon. Place sliced fruit on your breakfast cereal. Have a tangerine, a banana or a few grapes for lunch. For dinner, you can add crushed pineapple or mandarin oranges to a salad. Consume calcium-rich foods and include low-fat or fat-free milk as a drink with meals. Have fat-free yogurt as a snack. Use low-fat cheese for salads and casseroles. For those who cannot consume dairy products due to lactose intolerance, choose lactose-free alternatives such as cheese, yogurt and lactose-free
Milk to get your calcium. Get lean with protein. The suggestions for your protein intake are to use the leanest cuts of meat such as sirloin and pork loin and when choosing ground beef, use extra lean meat that is at least 90% lean. Buy skinless chicken pieces because the fat is in the skin. Choose lean turkey and all types of fish. To keep your meat intake lean and as fat-free as possible, grill, broil, broil, or boil your meat instead of frying and drain any fat that may be produced during cooking. Choose dry beans like kidney beans and use them often as the main part of a meal. Use nuts for snacks and use them to replace meat or poultry.
Filed under: NutritionTagged with: healthy eating
Published by May Healthy Lifestyle