Tips for Great Nutrition
Healthy Eating Tips
1. Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources. Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Don't forget to include other foods from plant sources such as breads, cereals, grain products, rice, pasta, and beans several times each day. Choose foods made with whole grains rather than processed (refined) flour products. Whole grains are higher in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. And do NOT forget to eat your beans. Beans are a great source of vitamins, mineral, fiber and protein.
2. Limit your intake of high fat foods, particularly from animal sources. Start switching to low or non-fat dairy products. Eat more poultry (without the skin), lean red meats, and fresh fish. When buying canned foods: choose canned meats and tuna packed in water instead of oil. Eat less processed sandwich meats such as bologna, salami, and hot dogs: choose turkey or ham instead. Another easy way to cut back on fat intake is by using less butter and animal fat oils: choose light margarine, canola and olive oils instead. Perhaps obvious, but eat less fried foods and instead choose broiled or backed fish and meat. When given the option, choose a tomato or marinara sauce instead of a cream sauce.
3. Try to eat less sugar. One way to cut back on sugar intake is to eat less commercially prepared fruit yogurt and instead add fresh fruit to plain yogurt. Another suggestion is to substitute unsweetened cereal for presweetened cereal. Drink fewer soft drinks and fruit "ades". Lemonade is very high in sugars (empty calories). Instead drink more water and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices.
4. Get more fiber into your diet. Select more whole- or coarse grain products such as oatmeal, wheat bread, and brown rice. Eat more legumes such as split peas and kidney, pinto and black beans. Eat more fresh or steamed vegetables and fruits (with skins), and fewer boiled, fried, breaded, or canned vegetables and fruits.
