Healthy Food Help

Healthy Food Help
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You can get help with eating healthy by keeping an eye on food nutrition labels, steering toward fresh produce when shopping and avoiding processed foods. Keep healthy choices appetizing with inventive, low-calorie coatings and dips. Add interest by trying a variety of unfamiliar healthy food choices.

Calculate Calories

Since any calories you take in that don't get burned off will turn into unneeded weight gain, keep a tab on calories by paying attention to food labels. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that women should only take in 10 calories per pound of their own weight to keep from gaining. If you are a man, you can eat up to 13 calories per pound without gaining weight or even 15 calories per pound if you get at least a half hour of exercise daily.

Fresh Produce First

Focus on fresh produce when shopping in order to put your priority on the full nutrition in fresh fruits and veggies, along with needed dietary fiber. MayoClinic.com states that by starting with fresh produce, you will focus on full nutrition while avoiding the pitfalls of added sodium, sugars and preservatives in processed foods and snacks. Pick all the colors available in order to supply a wide variety of nutrition along with interesting choices for side dishes, snacks and salads.

Low-Fat Fish

Keep you protein low in fat by choosing fish and poultry over red meat and low-fat dairy products instead of whole milk foods. The Harvard School of Public Health states that by choosing salmon instead of steak, you will get plenty of protein with only a quarter of the fat. Low-fat yogurt can be used for veggie dips. Coat salmon steaks or poultry with crushed nuts and seeds or a fruit dip for tasty dishes that include heart-healthy oils.

Whole Kernel Carbs

Choose whole grain foods to make sure you get plenty of fiber, B-complex vitamins and iron with your carbs. About half your healthy diet should consist of carbs. MyPyramid.gov states you can keep those carbs healthy with brown rice, whole grain breads and cereals. Just make sure the foods are labeled whole grain and not just hearty grains or enriched flours, which won't have needed dietary fiber.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Jan 30, 2011

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