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, rice, crackers, or pasta. You can
get an ounce of grains in a single slice of bread,
or 1 cut 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 vegetables, such as broccili
and spinach. Carrots and sweet potatoes are good as
well. You should also eat more 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, although
you should use moderation when doing so.
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, you should go for fat-free or low-fat.
Those of you who don't like milk or can't have it,
should go for lactose free products or other sources
of calcium such as fortified foods and beverages.
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 add 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 control your lifestyle. Exercise
is great as well, as it goes along perfect with a
healthy eating lifestyle. No matter what your age
may be, eating healthy will help you keep your active
lifestyle for years and years - even help you and
your health in the long run as well.
