Healthy Eating: What Really Is Healthy To Eat?
By Trevor John
Ok, you've decided that you are going to eat healthily.
But with so many "experts" and reports on hand, what really
counts as healthy food? There's so much conflicting advice, it's
difficult to know where to start. Use this simple guide to set
you on the right track.
1. Fruit and Vegetables.
The recommendation is at least 5 portions a day. That's a good
target (but don't beat yourself up if there are occasional days
when you miss it). An apple, orange or banana counts as one
portion. Fruit like this is easy to "count". But what about
vegetables? Don't get too hung up on what counts as a portion.
If it looks right on the plate, it's probably correct. The trick
is to eat fruit and vegetables regularly and to ring the changes
so that you're not just stuck on 3 apples, a portion of frozen
peas and a tomato each day.
2. Bread, Cereals and Potatoes
These are generally considered healthy (although some diets
that go back to ancient times, as well as low carb diets, would
argue differently). If your chosen diet includes them, aim for
whole grain breads and cereals as well as jacket potatoes. The
best rule here is the lower the amount of processing the food
has undergone, the better. Brown rice is more natural than
white, for instance.
3. Milk and Dairy Products
Again, go with your chosen diet on these. Most diets will
include milk and dairy products as they contain essential trace
nutrients that are difficult for you to get elsewhere. Beware of
too much fat though. Whole milk obviously has more fat than
skimmed or semi skimmed. If you're used to whole milk, consider
making the trade down to skimmed milk gradually, otherwise it
will just seem watery.
4. Meat, Fish and Alternatives
You need to get protein in your diet and these are all good
sources of it. Of course, if your chosen healthy eating plan is
low carb then meat and fish will be heavily featured. Check out
the fat content and if necessary, trim off excess fat or skim it
off it you are cooking. Broiling rather than frying will help to
keep the fat levels down as well.
Keep your sugar intake to a minimum. Learn to read the label,
especially the umpteen different names that food manufacturers
use to disguise the high sugar levels in many foods.
Try to keep your fat intake biased towards the healthier fats
that are unsaturated, such as olive oil. Avoid hydrogenated fats
if at all possible. If you're tempted to use margarine, read up
on how it's produced and then decide. You may well be better to
use real butter in moderation than a highly processed substance
like margarine.
About the Author: If you've got children, check
http://healthy-eating-for-kids.com Healthy Eating For Kids for
lots of practical, healthy, tasty recipes.
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=160613&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet
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