Eat a wide variety of
foods for a healthy diet
One
of the most frequently cited reasons that diets and attempts at healthy eating
fail is boredom. Many people simply do
not know how to keep a healthy diet interesting day after day, and it can be
quite a challenge.
Given
the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats and other healthy
foods at the local grocery store, however, it is definitely possible to create
exciting, nutritious meals that will keep boredom at bay.
Your
key to healthy eating
The
key to the success of any plan for healthy eating is to eat what you like, but
to exercise moderation when it comes to the less healthy foods. Improving your level of health and fitness
does not mean forgoing that piece of chocolate cake, for instance. It does mean, however, limiting yourself to
one piece. A healthy diet contains all
types of foods, including carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats. The key is choosing foods that provide the
best combination of taste and nutrition.
After all, if your diet consists of foods you hate, you will not stick
with it.
The
revised USDA food pyramid contains five major food groups – grains, vegetables,
fruits, milk and dairy, and meat and beans.
When choosing foods from these groups, it is important to eat a wide
variety of foods from every food group.
Doing so will not only give you a great deal of variety and keep boredom
from setting in, but it will provide the best nutritional balance as well. In addition the widely known micronutrients,
such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, etc. all foods contain a variety of
macronutrients, like fats, proteins, fiber and water. Though present in extremely tiny amounts,
micronutrients are vitally important to good health. That is why a healthy, varied diet is so
important.
In
addition, when choosing foods from within the various food groups, some choices
are naturally better and healthier than others.
For instance, choosing skim or 2% milk instead of full fat whole milk is
a good way to cut down on both fat and calories. And choosing poultry or lean meat is a great
way to get the protein you need every day without extra fat, cholesterol and
calories.
Likewise
cereals and breads that carry the whole grain label are healthier than those
who do not. Even in the world of fruits
and vegetables some choices are better than others. For instance, peaches packed in heavy syrup
add unnecessary sugar to the diet, while those packed in water or juice provide
only good nutrition.
There
has been a trend lately to add vitamin fortification to food, and this can
sometimes be a good way to maximize nutrition.
It is important to remember, however, that proper nutrition comes from a
healthy diet, not from vitamin supplements.
It is fine to buy calcium fortified cereal, but the bulk of your calcium
intake should still come from milk, dairy products and green leafy veggies.
Choosing
the best foods
Knowing
the five major food groups and how much of each to eat every day is only part
of the picture. The other part is
choosing the best foods from within those food groups. That means things like choosing the leanest
cuts of meat, using egg substitutes instead of whole eggs, choosing the
freshest fruits and vegetables, etc.
Even
with fruits and vegetables, some choices are better than others. Some fruits, such as avocados, for instance,
are packed with fat and calories. It is
important to check the nutritional qualities of the fruits and vegetables you
buy, and not simply assume that all fruits and vegetables are equally healthy.
One
way to maximize nutrition while minimizing cost is to buy fruits and vegetables
that are in season. Fruits and
vegetables that are in season are usually quite a bit cheaper than those that
must be shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles, and they are generally
much fresher too. Of course, depending
on where you live, there may be varieties of fruits and vegetables that are not
available locally, so the northerner in search of citrus fruits will just have
to watch the sales and buy accordingly.
