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.
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