Choosing Healthy Foods Easily

We all know how important it is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. But eating well takes more than simple knowledge; it takes dedication, commitment and hard work.

It's so easy to stop for take-out or simply crack open a jumbo-size bag of chips, and we all do it from time to time. The trouble starts when these poor diet choices become habits. Take the time to consider what you're putting into your body, and you'll think twice before you pull into the drive-thru.

Veggies

Your mom was right; vegetables are essential for building a healthy body. The earth provides us with a huge assortment of delicious vegetables that should be the basis of your healthy diet. As a rule, you should eat no less than 2 cups of fresh vegetables every day. Choose a variety of vegetables, including dark, leafy varieties like broccoli and spinach. Sweet potatoes are a delicious alternative to white, and carrots make an excellent snack. Chickpeas and dry beans including kidney, lima and pinto beans are packed with beneficial nutrients. Meeting your daily vegetable requirements is easy when you reach for a fresh spinach salad instead of French fries, or grab a bag of baby carrots instead of chips.

Good Grains

Nutritionists recommend that we consume six ounces of grains everyday. To give you an estimate of just how much six ounces can be, consider that an average slice of bread contains one ounce. A cup of cereal also contains an ounce of grain. Of course, choosing whole grain products will boost your intake. Rice, crackers and pasta are also good grain choices.

Pass the Fruit!

Sweet, delicious fruits make choosing healthy foods so easy. Try to eat two cups of fruit each day. That's about the equivalent of an apple and a banana. Toss a handful of grapes into a salad, or slice a banana over a bowl of cereal. Fruit salad is a great way to get a variety of flavors in one sitting. Fruits can be canned, frozen or dried, but fresh is always the best choice. A glass of fruit juice can also count toward fulfilling your daily intake, although fruit juices should be consumed in moderation.

Don't Skip Dairy

Calcium is necessary for healthy teeth and bones, and is a vital requirement at any age. Children from two to eight years of age should have a calcium intake totaling about two cups of milk. Older children and adults need three cups. When choosing dairy products including milk, cheese and yogurt, go for the low-fat options. If you are lactose intolerant, there are lactose-free products on the market, as well as a variety of calcium-rich fortified foods and beverages.

Meat and beans

Protein is essential to every good diet, and meat is a natural choice. There are many other natural sources, however, and vegetarians lead protein-rich lives by choosing these alternatives. There is a wide variety of beans and peas that pack a protein punch in all sorts of recipes. Getting your five ounces of protein per day can also be achieved by eating fish and nuts. When you do choose meat, try to trim away any excess fat, and grill or bake your meat to avoid fatty greases.

Easy on the Fat

Fat is an important part of your daily diet, but you can certainly have too much of this good thing. You can use butter and other high-fat foods, but do so in moderation. Too much of this type of fat can send your weight and cholesterol levels soaring. Rather than frying your foods in butter, margarine, shortening or lard, try sauting them in vegetable or chicken broth. Pass the butter, and reach for seasonings and fruit juice to add flavour to vegetables.

Smart eating begins with smart shopping. Many processed foods are loaded with fat, salt and additives. Try to stay within the fresh produce and meat aisles at your supermarket. When you do purchase pre-packaged foods, check the ingredient labels and nutrition facts before you buy. This will help to reduce your intake of saturated fats, trans fats and sodium.

Put good things in to your body and you'll get good things from it. You'll feel more energetic, and may soon find that you're exercising more and thinking a little more clearly. Putting effort into your diet today will pay off with a healthy body that will serve you well for years to come.

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

Writer Ambrose Hutson contributes to a variety of well-known Internet sites, on senior health and child health themes.
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