Eating healthy is something that we should all strive to do, eventhough it can be hard at times. To truly eat healthy, you need to really make the right food choices. Eating healthy is all about what you eat, and how much you eat, which makes the choices that you make very important to the results that you are looking for. Let’s cover some of the sections of the food pyramid and learn a little about your daily intake requirements.
Grains:
You should try and take in about 6 ounces of grains a day. To do this, try and eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, rice, crackers, or pasta. You can get about an ounce of grains in a single slice of bread, or 1 cup of cereal.
Vegetables:
Vegetables should be varried. You should try to eat 2 1/2 cups of vegetables every day. You need to start eating more of the dark vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach. Carrots and sweet potatoes are good vegetables also. Do your best to also eat more dry beans. Examples of some different dry beans can be peas, pinto beans, and even kidney beans.
Fruits:
Fruits are extremely important in your nutrition. You need to try and eat 2 cups of fruits every single day. Try and focus on eating a variety, like fresh fruits, frozen fruits, canned fruits, even dried fruits as a snack is nice to have. You can drink fruit juces too, but try and use moderation. Check the labels for the amounts of nutrients in the juices.
Milk:
Milk is your friend which is very rich in calcium. Adults should aim for 3 cups of milk a day. Kids however need 2-8 cups of milk a day. Generally 2 cups of milk is where you want to be. When deciding on different milk products or yogurt, try and focus on the fat-free or low-fat options. If you do not like milk, or even can’t have milk, get your hands on some lactose free products or other means of calcium like fortified foods and beverages.
Meat and Beans:
With meat and beans you should aim for 5 ounces per day as the ideal goal. Always try for lean when it comes to your protein. When you are preparing meat, always bake it, broil it, or grill it. Doing this can help keep grease out of the equation, and then you are eating healthier. You should do your best to have a variety as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.
When cooking the food, try and limit the solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard. These foods can really add some flavor to your meals, but at the same time they also raise your cholesterol. So do your best to keep track of how much you add to your meals as well as how much of this is in other foods you eat.
When dealing with your saturated fat, trans fat, and low sodium, you can check the nutritional facts label. This label can be found on any food package you pick up, and it will inform you of all the facts you need to know about the food item.
When you make the right choices in what you eat, you will start having more control over your lifestyle. Don’t forget to exercise, as this goes perfectly with a healthy eating lifestyle. It does not even matter your age. You can be young or old, short or tall, eating healthy will help you get and keep an active lifestyle for years and years to come.
