But what does it mean to practice good nutrition? How do we eat healthy? The tips below (from about.com) provide good information on making healthy choices:
1. The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy a craving for sweets. Whole vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, so eat more green, orange and yellow vegetables. Steam them to retain the most nutritional value and be careful with sauces, they may be high in calories and fats that aren't good for you.
2. Any pasta or baked goods should be made from whole grains. Avoid sugary snacks and pastries as well. An apple is good for you, an apple pie really isn't.
3. Shop for lean meats and don't forget the fish. The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in ocean fish are often deficient in our diets, so serve seafood two or three times per week. Baked fish and chicken are healthier than fried, and lean meats like bison or venison may be healthier than higher fat beef.
4. Processed lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages have a lot of saturated fat and nitrates in them you don't want in your body. If you love these meats, you can find healthier versions sold at health food stores.
Remember to eat a variety of foods to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.
5. Stick to water, milk and 100% fruit and vegetable juices as your main beverages and limit sugary soft drinks. If you get tired of plain water, add a slice of lemon or lime to add a touch of flavor. For kids, try some fruit juice jazzed up with carbonated water.
6. If you can't transform your unhealthy diet overnight, don't despair. Most people can't. Start implementing some of these ideas, even just one at a time. Every change you make will be one step in the right direction.
Ideas for Healthy Choice: Nutrition
- Do not eat after 7:00 PM.
- Drink 64 oz of water per day.
- Do not drink sodas.
- Eat four servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
- Choose an eating habit you’d like to break and work on improving each day.
- Choose a food that isn’t good for you and replace it with a healthy food each day.
- Eat one meal a day made up of only fruits and vegetables.
- Read the word of wisdom, evaluate your eating habits, and work each day to make an improvement in your diet.
- Keep a food journal and count all calories, carbohydrates or fat grams eaten. Set a healthy limit and stick to it.
- Stay away from sweets or treats.
- Eat only at meal times.
- Eat the recommended amount of fiber each day (20-35 grams/day).
- Eat 15 – 30% of total calories in lean protein a day.
- Read a different nutrition article each day.
- No fast food this week.
