Knowing What Foods Are Healthy
The question of what foods are healthy can often be quite a difficult one to answer. The research often seems to be in conflict, The studies that say a particular food is great for you one day often turn around and warn against that very food the next day. Sorting through all this clutter to find the real deal on nutrition and what foods are healthy can be difficult.
Dietary fads seem to come and go on an alarmingly regular basis as well. The low fiber high fat diets of yesterday give way to low fat low protein diets, and the wheel just keeps rolling, with too little thought given to what foods are healthy.
Understanding Your Current Diet
When evaluating your own diet, it is important to take a couple of steps back and evaluate your own health, including what you want to get out of your diet. Knowing your own tastes and preferences, in addition to knowing which foods are healthy, will help you create a diet you can stick to for the rest of your life.
When choosing what foods are healthy, it is essential that you choose foods you actually like. If you choose a list of healthy foods you hate, you will obviously have trouble sticking to your diet long term, and your overall health and fitness level will suffer as a result. It is best to choose from the long list of healthy foods you already like, and to incorporate them into your diet for maximum benefit.
The Importance Of Fruits And Vegetables In The Diet
Among the healthiest of all foods are fruits and vegetables. There is a good reason that fruits and vegetables make up such a large part of the government's new food pyramid. The new government guidelines recommend that everyone eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, but unfortunately most people fall far short of this important goal. It is important, however, to incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into your diet as you possibly can.
Eating fruits and vegetables does not mean you are limited to simply eating pieces of fruit and raw carrots all day. When choosing what foods are healthy, it is just as important to prepare them in new and interesting ways. You can add fresh fruits to your favorite energy drink or smoothie, for instance, top your yogurt with strawberries or enjoy a sliced banana with your morning cereal.
Learn To Think Long Term
This kind of variety is vital to the long term success of any diet. It is not enough to simply know what foods are healthy. It is vital to use that knowledge to create healthy meals that you and your family will love.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, of course, there are a wide variety of foods that are good for the body. These excellent foods include whole grains, including whole wheat bread and crackers, low fat meats, chicken, turkey and other poultry products and fresh fish. There are so many answers to the question of what foods are healthy that the hardest part may be choosing among them.
About Nutrition
| Gulf Coast Seafood Safety |
 The BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill has resulted in personal tragedy and loss of lives. It's also affecting the environment along the coasts. A reader asked me if the seafood caught on the gulf coasts is still safe to eat. So far, it is safe to eat gulf coast seafood.More About Marine Life in the Gulf and the Oil Spill:
Photo © Mark Schweizer Gulf Coast Seafood Safety originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, July 26th, 2010 at 14:21:17. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Healthy Eating and Travel |
 Will you be traveling yet this summer? When you're on the road, it may seem like healthy food is difficult to find and that you're doomed to eat junk food until you reach your destination. But that doesn't have to be the case; you can find healthy foods while you're traveling if you know where to look. Many convenience stores offer fresh fruit (you just need to search beyond the greasy chips and candy bars that are usually displayed prominently). You might want to pack a small cooler with fresh snacks and beverages that you have at home. This also saves you money since many things at the convenience stores are a little more expensive than what you already bought at the grocery store. Here are some more of my tips for healthy eating when you travel. More About Foods and Travel Daily Nutrition TipPhoto © Mark Schweizer Healthy Eating and Travel originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, July 19th, 2010 at 08:49:39. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Six Weeks to a Healthier Diet |
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Photo © Richard S Six Weeks to a Healthier Diet originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 07:00:26. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Review Your Diet Program |
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Have you ever joined a diet program to help you lose or maintain your weight? Was it a good experience and did you meet your goals or were you disappointed, and left feeling like you wasted your time or money? I'm collecting reader reviews for diet programs: Review Your Diet Program originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 09:44:04. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| US FDA Seeking Comments On Menu Nutrition Information |
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The Food and Drug Administration invites the public to submit comments and information about the new law (Section 4205 of the Affordable Care Act) requiring restaurants and similar retail food establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations to list calorie content information on menus and menu boards, including drive-through menu boards. Other nutrition information such as fat, sodium and sugar content must be offered upon request.
If you'd like to leave a comment, or read comments, you'll find them on Regulations.gov, docket number FDA-2010-N-0298. To leave a comment click on 'comment due' to reach the comment page. US FDA Seeking Comments On Menu Nutrition Information originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 10:42:13. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
If you don't think your diet is on the right track, I created this