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Good Foods for Great Results

By: Ambrose Hutson We all know how important it is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. But eating well takes more than simple knowledge; it takes dedication, commitment and hard work.

It's so easy to stop for take-out or simply crack open a jumbo-size bag of chips, and we all do it from time to time. The trouble starts when these poor diet choices become habits. Take the time to consider what you're putting into your body, and you'll think twice before you pull into the drive-thru.

Veggies

Your mom was right; vegetables are essential for building a healthy body. The earth provides us with a huge assortment of delicious vegetables that should be the basis of your healthy diet. As a rule, you should eat no less than 2 cups of fresh vegetables every day. Choose a variety of vegetables, including dark, leafy varieties like broccoli and spinach. Sweet potatoes are a delicious alternative to white, and carrots make an excellent snack. Chickpeas and dry beans including kidney, lima and pinto beans are packed with beneficial nutrients. Meeting your daily vegetable requirements is easy when you reach for a fresh spinach salad instead of French fries, or grab a bag of baby carrots instead of chips.

Good Grains

Our food guide suggests that we eat six ounces of grains on a daily basis. The average slice of bread contains just one ounce. Cereal is an obvious choice, with about one ounce of grain per cup. If you want to boost your grain intake and eat less, choose whole grain products. Rice, pasta and crackers are also healthy grain choices to incorporate into your daily diet.

Fruits

There's no excuse for choosing fat and sugary snacks when you keep fresh fruits on hand. Just two cups of fruit per day, or the equivalent of one banana and one apple, can meet your daily requirement. Snacking aside, fruits are perfect accompaniments to virtually every meal. Slice a banana onto your peanut butter sandwich. Try sliced berries on your French toast, or grapes and mandarin wedges in your salad. Frozen, canned and dried fruits can work in a pinch, but fresh varieties are the best dietary choices. Fruit juice (not fruit punch) can also boost your daily intake, but these are loaded with sugars and should be limited.

Dairy

Your teeth and bones need calcium to stay strong and healthy at any age. Growing children from two to eight years of age require the calcium intake of about two cups of milk a day. Older kids and adults should boost the amount to three cups per day. Cheese and yogurt are also excellent calcium-rich options. If weight is a concern, choose low-fat milk and dairy products. Even those who suffer from lactose intolerance can incorporate calcium in their diets, with a good selection of lactose-free products on the market. When choosing dairy products including milk, cheese and yogurt, go for the low-fat options. If you are lactose intolerant, there are lactose-free and calcium-fortified products on the market.

Beans and Meat

Protein is a cornerstone of a healthy diet, and the food guide suggests no less than five ounces of protein-rich beans or meat every day. Remember, you're making healthy choices, so avoid big fatty steaks and double quarter-pounders at the burger joint. Grill or bake your meat to reduce your fat intake. Enjoy nuts for a high-protein snack or salad garnish. Peas, beans and fish are other great ways to boost your protein.

Trim the Fat

Certain fats are necessary for the body to function normally, but for the most part it's smart to limit fats wherever possible. Choosing healthy foods is only part of the equation. You also need to be smart in your preparation methods. Instead of loading your skillet with butter, margarine, lard or shortening, saut your food in a little broth, or just use a non-stick pan. Seasonings and fruit juices can add flavor to your food without loading it up with fat. Foods that are high in fat will raise your weight and your cholesterol, so avoid them whenever you can.

Processed foods are packed with salt, fats and additives, so try to limit your shopping to the fresh meat and produces aisles. If you must choose some pre-packaged foods, make sure to read the nutrition facts and ingredient labels before you buy. This is an important step to limiting your intake of sodium as well as saturated and trans fats.

Once you begin to make healthier food choices, you'll begin to notice a change in all aspects of your lifestyle. Fueling your body with a nutrient-charged diet will give you energy and a brighter overall outlook. Those evenings of lying on the couch after consuming an eight-slice pizza will be behind you, as you begin to enjoy evening strolls after your healthy dinners. It's not always easy to choose healthy foods, but your efforts will be rewarded with a lifetime of good health.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Ambrose Hutson writes for a variety of popular Internet sites, on health articles and family health themes.
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