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.
One thing a lot of people think is that nutrition is all about food. You also want to take into account how your body uses the food you eat. You want to make sure you regularly exercise as well as to eat the right kinds of food, your body will thank you for this.
Foods with trans fat in them should be avoided. If your diet is loaded with trans fats, you are putting yourself at risk for heart disease. Consuming trans fats reduces the amount of the good cholesterol, or HDL, within your body, and increases the about of the bad cholesterol, also known as LDL.
Make meals enjoyable and fun to help persuade your picky or nervous eater to try a healthier diet. If your child is wary of certain foods, try cutting them into fun shapes or serve them with a favorite sauce or dip. Bright, colorful foods may also be more appealing to your child.
When considering your nutrition, be sure to watch out for foods that may appear healthy but end up being quite the opposite. There can be a lot of hidden fat and sodium in otherwise healthy looking snacks. Smoothies can end up having a lot of fat calories and sugar depending on the ingredients used. Energy bars can be a hidden source of a large amount of calories. Fat free foods can contain the same amount of calories as regular versions.
Grow your own herbs for cooking in a container garden. Fresh herbs add wonderful flavors to food without adding fat or calories. If you grow your own you will always have a selection of your favorite herbs on hand. Be sure to add the herbs last while cooking so that the flavor is really strong.
Eating as many fruits and vegetables as you can will boost your nutrition. They are filled with essential vitamins and minerals and will also help your immune system stay strong. Make sure to still eat your protein at meals, just try to eat a smaller amount and if you feel like snacking, pick up some carrot sticks.
When making a smoothie for a meal, it is important to only add ingredients that are healthy. Don’t just load a smoothie with fruit and ice cream. That will load it with calories, and turn it into an unhealthy treat. Use yogurt, berries, frozen bananas and a small amount of honey.
Raisins and other dry fruits make for a great addition to hot cereals. Keep a box or two around so you can always take advantage of the vitamins they pack. Simply sprinkle them into your oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat or any hot cereal after you’ve cooked it. They will quickly absorb moisture and release part of their flavor right into your bowl.
Make sure you are getting plenty of vitamin D in your diet. Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic pain, depression, cancer and a number of other illnesses. Foods rich in vitamin D include milk, cod liver oil, fish and liver. If none of these foods appeal to you, try taking a supplement to get your daily dose, instead.
Make a salad for dinner. You can add chicken, fish, or other lean meats, as well as lots of fresh veggies like carrots, corn, peas, tomatoes and even throw in some strawberries, mandarin oranges or pineapple for some sweet pizazz. Making a salad the entree will keep you from using a high calorie and carbohydrate like pasta instead.
Vitamins and health supplements are just that; supplements. They are made to be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet, not in place of it. If you are taking too many pills and supplements, you risk doing more damage to your health than good. Have your doctor test your blood to see what vitamins you are deficient in, and focus on taking just these.
The humble potato may not be all that nutritious without its skin, but consuming the well-scrubbed skin in addition to the potato is a fine idea because it contains lots of Vitamin C, fiber, and B vitamins, in addition to plenty of minerals. While the skin may not be palatable in a mash, it’s fine in baked potatoes or home fries.
Going fishing in waters that one knows are free from pollutants and are clean can be a fun way to yield fresh fish to supplement ones diet. The fish which can be eaten that day, frozen, or preserved are a healthy food to supplement ones diet with a good nutritional option.
Eggs are a good source of protein but can be potentially dangerous due to the high cholesterol content of the yolk. However, the main portion of cholesterol resides within the yolk, while the main protein content resides within the egg white. Subsequently it’s very healthy to eat the egg whites alone, and discard the yolk. Eggs, due to their cheap price, are one of the best sources for economic protein-loading.
In order to avoid spending more on healthy foods than you really need to, educate yourself by doing your own research. For example, some advocate that you can get the best health benefits from steel-cut oats, which may be more expensive. However, any oats which need to be slowly cooked or boiled have the same nutrients in them. That said, try to avoid pre-cooked oats flavored with fruit, as they can have higher salt and sugar content.
The above tips are great guidelines to help you see where you can make improvement in your current diet. Nutrition doesn’t take too much effort on your part, especially if you plan out what you will eat ahead of time. Don’t let the word faze you out, it’s just a word!
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