Healthy Food Choices
Eating healthy is something we all would like to do, although it can be hard. In order to eat healthy, you must first make the right food choices. Eating healthy is all about what you eat, which makes the choices very
crucial to your results.
Grains
You should consume 6 ounces of grains per day. To do this you can eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, brown rice, or whole grain pasta. You can get an ounce of grains in a single slice of bread, or 1 cup of cereal.
Vegetables
These should be varied, as you should eat 2 1/2 cups of them each day. You should start eating more of the dark green leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach. Broccoli and other members of the Brassica family are also very important. Carrots and sweet potatoes are good as well. You can also add some dry beans such as peas, pinto beans, and even kidney beans.
Fruits
Fruits are very important. You should try to eat 2 cups of them each day. Focus on eating a variety, such as fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried fruit. You can drink fruit juices as well, but remember that juicing concentrates the sugar content, so have in moderation. A good idea is to mix a small amount of juice to a glass of pure water.
Milk
Milk is your calcium rich friend. For adults, 3 cups is the ideal goal. For kids 2 – 8, 2 cups is where you want to be. When choosing milk products or yogurt, it’s important to get the full fat choice. If you buy fat free or low fat, the fat has been replaced with sugar, which is not a good option. We need good fats for a healthy body, particularly our brains. Those of you who don’t like milk or can’t have it, can use alternatives such as coconut, almond or other nut milks.
Meat and beans
Eating 5 ounces a day is the ideal goal, as you should go lean with your protein. When eating meat, always bake it, grill it, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from adding to the equation. You should vary your protein
as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.
When cooking your food, you should also limit solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard. These foods may add flavor to your dishes, although they can also help raise your cholesterol as well. Therefore, you should try to limit these foods and any foods that happen
to contain them.
To help keep your saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium low, you can check the nutrition facts label. This label can be found on the food package and will tell you all the information you need to know about the food item.
By picking your foods wisely and watching what you eat, you’ll help to have a good lifestyle. Exercise is great as well, as it goes perfectly with a healthy eating lifestyle. No matter what your age may be, eating healthy will help you keep an active lifestyle for years and years.