You Are What You Eat
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on January 5th, 2009 in Health, Linked Articles, Tips & Tricks.
You are what you eat. It’s a saying I take to heart.
The new year is a perfect time to start eating right. Forget about fad diets. Concentrate of fueling up on what your body needs to function properly.
A well-balanced diet is essential to overall good health and to ward off preventable illness brought on by poor nutrition. It’s not as difficult as you might think.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, and whole grains should form the bulk of your shopping list.
Use white foods such as sugar, white flour, pasta, rice and potatoes sparingly. The same holds true if it comes in a bag, box or can.
Use only olive oil, extra virgin if possible, because it provides more flavor. Canola oil is another good choice. Choose foods with lower amounts of saturated fat, trans fats, and cholesterol. Eat whole grain foods and plenty of vegetables for fiber and antioxidants.
Stay away from margarine. Buy butter or a butter substitute that contains no hydrogenated oil, no trans fatty acids, and has a precisely balanced oil blend to help balance fats in your diet.
Read labels! Look carefully at the amount of sugar, salt and unnecessary chemicals in the foods you buy. Pay careful attention to rules regarding refrigeration and expiration dates. Be sure to cook meats to the recommended temperature and follow proper cleaning guidelines to avoid contamination.
Don’t discount the extra pounds you will gain with those little in between meal snacks and sugary drinks. Don’t make dessert a part of everyday meals – save them for special occasions only.
High carbohydrate foods will give you a boost in energy due to a surge in blood sugar. That will be followed by lower energy and cravings for more high carb foods. You’ll be amazed how healthy and energetic you will feel if you manage to keep your blood sugar at a steady rate throughout the day.
Moderation, as always, is key.
Additional reading:
10 Tips for Shopping Smart: It’s Healthier and Less Expensive
