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Food Nutrition: Fruits, Vegetables And Meats
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Published: October 30, 2006
Few things in life offer the possibility for more control than what foods you decide to put into your body. With some thought and careful planning, your daily nutrition can enhance your life. By following guidelines for proper nutrition, you will have more energy, better health and thus be able to lead a happier life.
To have proper nutrition, your body needs a variety of nutrients and minerals. For this, a healthy diet is the most important step. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, jointly prepared in 2005 by the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet is one which:
-stresses fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products
-includes lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, beans and nuts
-is low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars
Appropriate serving sizes are just as important as what food groups get represented on a daily basis in your diet. Here are a few ideas to get you moving toward good nutrition:
Fabulous Fruits
1. Keep a bowl of your favorite fresh fruits on your kitchen counter. Nothing beats this in terms of convenience and nutrition for a snack at any time of the day.
2. Do not become overly attached to any one fruit – different ones carry different nutrients, all of which are important.
3. Convenience does not have to be limited to fast food. Buy pre-packaged, no-sugar added fruits for a healthy snack alterative.
4. Do not be afraid to throw in fruits at mealtime. Cereals, yogurts, juices, salads, casseroles, meat dishes and desserts all make wonderful homes for fruits.
Vital Vegetables
1. Do not let the image of Mom hulking over you at dinner derail you from eating these nutritionally-loaded foods. Bring the fun back to vegetables. Spice them up with dip, throw them in a salad, do whatever it takes to glean these invaluable nutrients.
2. Buy vegetables in-season. Not only will this save you money, but working with different vegetables year-round offers a sense of variety.
3. Vegetables make great complements to many dishes. Love your pastas? Chop up some veggies and throw them into the saucepan while you cook. If soups or stews are your thing, add pureed, cooked vegetables – not only will you gain nutrients, but you also will enjoy better texture and taste.
Marvelous Meats
1. Sorry, but we are not talking about double cheeseburgers. Lean is the keyword here – learn it, live it, love it. For beef, go with top sirloin or round steaks. Ground beef? Make sure you see a label that says at least 90 percent lean. For chicken, if you do not buy skinless, make sure you strip the skin before cooking. Roast beef, turkey and ham make healthier options than their fattier cousins: salami and bologna.
2. Once you obtain lean meat, keep it lean. Trim and drain fats prior to cooking. Broil, grill, roast, poach or boil – do not fry. Limit the accompanying breading to eliminate unnecessary calories and prevent extra fat from soaking up while cooking. Finally, do not ruin a good, lean meat with a fatty sauce. Be sensible!
3. Do not be afraid to vary your protein choices – fish such as salmon, trout and herring are loaded with valuable proteins. Beans, peas and nuts also offer much of the same benefits derived from lean meats.
Admittedly, finding the time to prepare a nutritious diet can be a daunting task. In light of the many daily demands on our time, convenience often wins out over more calculated nutrition choices. Fast food chains, like McDonalds, feed off this reality of the human existence; for proof, look no further than the existence of more than 31,000 McDonalds in more than 119 countries worldwide.
Convenience often wins for short term satisfaction, but the importance and benefits of proper nutrition – something no fast food chain can ever exclusively give you – are substantial and unequivocal.
Sources:
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
<http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines /index.html.>
Healthy Eating – Overview. WebMD.com. 25 February 2005. 23 October 2006.
<http://www.webmd.com/hw/diet_and_nutrition/a a158942.asp.>
McDonald's: FAQ. McDonald's Canada. September 2004. 23 October 2006.
<http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx. >
MyPyramid. 2006. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 23 October 2006.
<http://www.mypyramid.gov.>
To have proper nutrition, your body needs a variety of nutrients and minerals. For this, a healthy diet is the most important step. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, jointly prepared in 2005 by the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet is one which:
-stresses fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products
-includes lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, beans and nuts
-is low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars
Appropriate serving sizes are just as important as what food groups get represented on a daily basis in your diet. Here are a few ideas to get you moving toward good nutrition:
Fabulous Fruits
1. Keep a bowl of your favorite fresh fruits on your kitchen counter. Nothing beats this in terms of convenience and nutrition for a snack at any time of the day.
2. Do not become overly attached to any one fruit – different ones carry different nutrients, all of which are important.
3. Convenience does not have to be limited to fast food. Buy pre-packaged, no-sugar added fruits for a healthy snack alterative.
4. Do not be afraid to throw in fruits at mealtime. Cereals, yogurts, juices, salads, casseroles, meat dishes and desserts all make wonderful homes for fruits.
Vital Vegetables
1. Do not let the image of Mom hulking over you at dinner derail you from eating these nutritionally-loaded foods. Bring the fun back to vegetables. Spice them up with dip, throw them in a salad, do whatever it takes to glean these invaluable nutrients.
2. Buy vegetables in-season. Not only will this save you money, but working with different vegetables year-round offers a sense of variety.
3. Vegetables make great complements to many dishes. Love your pastas? Chop up some veggies and throw them into the saucepan while you cook. If soups or stews are your thing, add pureed, cooked vegetables – not only will you gain nutrients, but you also will enjoy better texture and taste.
Marvelous Meats
1. Sorry, but we are not talking about double cheeseburgers. Lean is the keyword here – learn it, live it, love it. For beef, go with top sirloin or round steaks. Ground beef? Make sure you see a label that says at least 90 percent lean. For chicken, if you do not buy skinless, make sure you strip the skin before cooking. Roast beef, turkey and ham make healthier options than their fattier cousins: salami and bologna.
2. Once you obtain lean meat, keep it lean. Trim and drain fats prior to cooking. Broil, grill, roast, poach or boil – do not fry. Limit the accompanying breading to eliminate unnecessary calories and prevent extra fat from soaking up while cooking. Finally, do not ruin a good, lean meat with a fatty sauce. Be sensible!
3. Do not be afraid to vary your protein choices – fish such as salmon, trout and herring are loaded with valuable proteins. Beans, peas and nuts also offer much of the same benefits derived from lean meats.
Admittedly, finding the time to prepare a nutritious diet can be a daunting task. In light of the many daily demands on our time, convenience often wins out over more calculated nutrition choices. Fast food chains, like McDonalds, feed off this reality of the human existence; for proof, look no further than the existence of more than 31,000 McDonalds in more than 119 countries worldwide.
Convenience often wins for short term satisfaction, but the importance and benefits of proper nutrition – something no fast food chain can ever exclusively give you – are substantial and unequivocal.
Sources:
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
<http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines /index.html.>
Healthy Eating – Overview. WebMD.com. 25 February 2005. 23 October 2006.
<http://www.webmd.com/hw/diet_and_nutrition/a a158942.asp.>
McDonald's: FAQ. McDonald's Canada. September 2004. 23 October 2006.
<http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx. >
MyPyramid. 2006. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 23 October 2006.
<http://www.mypyramid.gov.>
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