A healthy diet plan should focus on foods that are nutrient-rich, instead of just how many calories and of what variety. Too often we focus on fat grams or overall calories, when instead all we really need to do is look at the food to decide if it's worth consuming. Is it something that is edible without needing to be cooked? If the answer is no, it might not meet the standard you should set for what's healthy. Fruits, vegetables, berries, grains - these all can be eaten without any, or a minimum, of preparation. (Adding Juice Plus+® can help you get nutrients from a variety of healthy foods). Packaged foods are often filled with too much salt, preservatives, sugars, or things that are difficult to pronounce. These could be warning signs of an item that you may want to avoid. Here's more from AJC --
March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme, chosen by members of the American Dietetic Association, is From the Ground Up. You can start learning how to eat better by building a basic foundation. Here are a few food and nutrition lessons to start.
Focus on fruits and veggies. Recent research suggests that just 27 percent of adults get the recommended daily three servings of vegetables. “Boost your veggie intake when you’re out: opt for the roasted beet appetizer, add broccoli and mushrooms to your pasta dish or request grilled asparagus as a side to your entree,” Moore advises. Remember that frying vegetables or adding a tablespoon of butter, margarine or olive oil adds 100 calories per serving.
Make calories count. “Too often, people think of foods as good or bad and that only those on the ‘good foods’ list are OK to eat,” says registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Toby Smithson. “When you’re choosing between options, focus instead on the one with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Sometimes foods with fewer calories aren’t always the healthiest options.” Use a smart phone to check out a restaurant’s Web site to see how much calcium is in that cafe latte. (It can be 40 percent of your daily needs.). To figure out how many calories you need to achieve a healthy weight, visit www.mypyramid.gov. Moore says small changes in calorie control can lead to big rewards. “Cutting back on just 100 calories (or burning an extra 100 calories) a day can result in a 10-pound weight loss in a year.”
Tantalize your taste buds. A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy and includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. Those are the basics, but Moore encourages exploration. “Keep your quest for healthy eating exciting by trying a new [and healthy] cuisine. Read on...
Bottom Line: There are less foods that are healthy and will support your body's wellness than there are foods that will not or even tear it down. As a nation, we're getting, on average, just enough nutrition to survive as opposed to getting the nutrition we need to thrive. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is the best way to thrive, especially in an environment that is stressful, sometimes polluted, and one that calls for plenty of antioxidants to stay healthy.
If you're not eating enough of those foods, add Juice Plus+ for more nutrients from a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.
The Health & Wellness Institute
Official Juice Plus+® Independent Distributor
Comments