Nutrition is the key to a healthier you. People generally think that nutrition takes a lot of effort and time. If you know where to look and what to change in your diet, you will have a much easier time in incorporating nutritious food into your diet. Use the tips below to help you determine what you should add or take away from your current diet.
Be aware of how many nutrients are lost in the processing of your food. A whole-grain wheat bread is a much better choice than a multi-grain processed bread, for example. Even items that seem to be high in good foods, such as a bowl of vegetable soup, are not as healthy as an unprocessed counterpart.
Even artificial sweeteners can raise your blood sugar and insulin levels in much the same way as sugar. Although they may be lower in calories, they are not necessarily any more healthy. Instead change on how much you depend on sweet things. Start by cutting your sugars in half and work you way to not needing them at all.
Drink skim, low-fat, or non-fat milk on a daily basis. There are less calories and fat in these types of milk, but exactly the same calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Your body needs calcium to have strong bones. This is especially important in childhood while bones are forming and in old age when bone loss can occur.
If you are concerned about healthy nutrition, you will want to look into the growing movement for locally grown food. By buying produce from local small farms you get a fresher product. It hasn't been shipped across country in refrigerated cars! If organically grown, it won't be laden with pesticides.
Quinoa is a dieters dream. It is an amazing grain that is very easy to cook, and tastes great with sauteed vegetables. It is not that expensive, and can be used in place of rice. You can find some wonderful recipes that use quinoa on any recipe website, so experiment and have fun with it.
It is tempting to blame the culture we live in for the fact that so many of us have poor nutrition habits. Yet the fact remains that we, as individuals, are ultimately in control of what goes into our mouths. In order to be in control, we must first be more aware of the societal forces at work that make it so easy for us to overeat.
Whenever it is available, choose whole grain bread over white bread. You can use whole grain bread for homemade stuffing, dinner rolls, and bread for sandwiches. Whole grain bread is healthier than white bread. You can also try to use wild rice in place of white rice. White rice is http://www.amazon.com/Probiotics-1030-Supplement-Acidophilus-Bifidobacterium/dp/B01BZC1QWM/keywords=probiotic+capsules+digestive+health as unhealthy for you as whole bread is.
A great nutrition tip is to customize your diet to your body type. Not everyone has the same body type. Some people are more sensitive to carbohydrates and will gain weight just by looking at them, while others can eat anything they want and will never gain any weight.
Not everyone likes to talk about it, but everybody knows it: Fiber keeps your regular. Meeting your recommended daily allowance of fiber is easier than ever with commercially prepared over-the-counter fiber supplements, not to mention the abundance of fiber found naturally in popular foods like oats, whole grains, lettuce, fresh spinach, and most other vegetables. Getting enough fiber also helps to lower your risk of developing heart disease and certain types of diabetes.
Meat is a very important source of protein nutrition. Leans meats can make you feel fuller longer, offer your body a fuel source, and help you reduce weight gain. You should avoid fatty meats or meat that is deep fried. This can actually add more unneeded calories into your diet.
HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein, which you should eat more of than LDL, Low Density Lipoproteins. The low density forms of cholesterol, LDL, can get clogged up in the arteries of the body. Blocked arteries may present major health problems for people who ingest a lot of red meat or other fatty foods. Because of this, it's important to monitor the different amounts of HDL and LDL going into your system.
Make an effort to cook your meals instead of eating out. When you are the one preparing your meals you have total control over each and every ingredient that goes into the preparation and you can avoid those that you know are not particularly good for you.
As a vegetarian, it is very important to consider the foods that you eat on a regular basis and make sure that you are getting enough iron, protein and amino acids. Beans, tofu, and dairy products can get you the protein you need. Iron is found in many dark leafy greens and avocados are a great source for those amino acids.
Try to avoid all prepackaged food. There is very little food that comes in this form that is healthy at all. They also include high amounts of preservatives and are typically junk food in the first place. Normally you will be able to find a healthier alternative that fits your life better anyway.
Fresh beets are great for you, but canned beets aren't. Fresh beets are high in fiber and provide your body with essential minerals, but the canned beets have too much added salt. You can steam fresh beet greens and add them to salads.
Control yourself when dining outside. Splurging in a social environment may be very tempting, especially when out with friends who don't follow a particular diet plan. This can be counterproductive because it both indulges your negative eating habits but also sets up a precedent for breaking your dietary rules as well.
Be aware of food substitutions, in order to make smart food choices. As an example, peanut butter contains fat, but it is considered to be healthy fat. There are lower-fat versions of peanut butter available, but they may contain more sugar, added to replace the flavor lost from removing the fat. Therefore, any calories saved from lower fat content are cancelled out by the increased sugar content.
These are just a few ideas that can get you going in the right direction or that can give you some new ways to get the nutrients that you need. Don't expect instant results - this is a long-term process. Ignoring the advice is like running a motor without ever changing the oil. Sure, you won't see any effects for a long time, but little by little the motor is sustaining irreversible damage. Don't let that happen to your body!
