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Home | Health | Nutrition


Feed Your Body Better

By: Ambrose Hutson

You are what you eat. It's more than an adage, it's the truth. If you want to get the most out of your body, you've got to know which foods to choose, and have the dedication to follow a smart diet every day.

We all know how hard it can be to stay away from the drive-thru on the way home from work. Knowing what you're putting into your body can make it easier to make the right choices.

Vegetables

The earth provides us with a huge assortment of delicious vegetables that should be the basis of every healthy diet. Choose a variety of vegetables, and eat no less than 2 1/2 cups per day. Select an assortment of dark, leafy vegetables including spinach and broccoli. Carrots and sweet potatoes are excellent choices as well. Dry beans including kidney, lima, pinto beans and chickpeas are loaded with nutrients. Pass up the French fries for a leafy spinach salad, skip the chips and grab a bag of baby carrots, and you will easily meet your daily recommended vegetable intake.

Good Grains

When you consider that the average slice of bread contains just one ounce of grains, it can be a little daunting to think of satisfying your required intake of six ounces per day. An easy option is choosing whole grains and multi-grain alternatives wherever possible. Most breakfast cereals contain about one ounce of grains per cup, but whole grain choice can up the ante. Adding whole wheat pasta, rice and bran to your recipes also contributes to your daily intake, and reaching for a handful of whole grain crackers or popcorn is a sensible way to satisfy your snacking urges.

Fruits

There's no excuse for choosing fat and sugary snacks when you keep fresh fruits on hand. Just two cups of fruit per day, or the equivalent of one banana and one apple, can meet your daily requirement. Snacking aside, fruits are perfect accompaniments to virtually every meal. Slice a banana onto your peanut butter sandwich. Try sliced berries on your French toast, or grapes and mandarin wedges in your salad. Frozen, canned and dried fruits can work in a pinch, but fresh varieties are the best dietary choices. Fruit juice (not fruit punch) can also boost your daily intake, but these are loaded with sugars and should be limited.

Don't Skip Dairy

People of all ages need calcium for healthy teeth and bones. Kids from two to eight years of age require the calcium equivalent of about two cups of milk per day, while older kids, teenagers and adults need about three cups per day. At snack time, reach for calcium-rich yogurt and cheese. Watching your weight? Choose low-fat milk and dairy products. Even if you're lactose intolerant, you can still reach your calcium requirements with lactose-free and calcium fortified food choices.

Beans and Meat

The food guide suggests that we eat five ounces of protein-packed meat or beans every day. This doesn't necessarily mean that sitting down to a ten-ounce strip loin or a half-pounder at the burger joint is a wise idea. Remember, you should be choosing healthy foods. Meat should be baked, grilled or broiled to prevent grease from spoiling your diet. It's easy to vary your protein intake with options like nuts, peas, beans and fish.

Easy on the Fat

Your body needs certain fats to function normally, but fats must be taken in moderation. The important thing is to know how to choose between "good" and "bad" fats. Foods that are high in fat, such as butter, will only add to your weight and cholesterol levels, so take steps to limit your intake. Saut your food in a little chicken or vegetable broth, or use a non-stick pan instead of loading your skillet with butter, margarine, lard or shortening. You can also add to the flavor of foods without the fat by using fruit juices and seasonings.

Try to avoid purchasing processed foods that are high in fat, salt, and additives, and limit shopping to the produce and meat aisles. If you choose processed or packaged foods, read the labels and avoid those that are loaded with saturated fats, trans fats and sodium. Read the nutrition and ingredient labels before you buy, and it will be easier to make smarter choices at snack and meal time.

It really is amazing how choosing healthy foods can literally change your entire lifestyle. When you fuel your body with a nutrient-charged diet, you'll have more energy and a brighter overall outlook. Where you used to lie on the couch after consuming an eight-slice pizza, you'll find you have enough energy after your healthy dinner to enjoy an evening stroll around the neighborhood. Choosing healthy foods can be hard work, but you'll receive a lifetime of good health for your efforts.

Article Source: http://www.simplepetcare.com/pet-articles

Columnist Ambrose Hutson is a regular contributor to several web sites, on womans health and health questions subjects.
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