Good nutrition is vital to a healthy and long life. There are a variety of ways to obtain good nutrition in your diet. Understanding the importance of it is the first step in obtaining the vitamins and minerals essential to meeting the needs of your body and mind. Here are a few great pointers on getting to grips with this vital aspect of a healthy lifestyle.
You should always make sure you include fresh fruits and veggies in your diet. It’s recommended by the USDA that you consume between 9 and 13 servings of fruit and vegetables each day. This may seem difficult, but it’s actually easy to pull this off. For example, enjoy a glass of orange juice for breakfast along with a banana to take care of two servings of fruit at breakfast.
Choose fruits and veggies for snacks instead of processed foods. Processed snack foods have very few vitamins, minerals and nutritional value, while fruits and veggies have essential nutrients. You can eat until full when eating veggies and fruits and get more nutrition than eating a smaller amount of processed foods.
Instead of bemoaning the fact that your favorite foods are high in fat or sugar, start focusing on the healthy foods you do like. This way you’ll be happier about eating in a health-conscious way, and you might be surprised at the number of foods that are healthy that you already like.
Diversify your weekly protein sources. Meats and fish are great ways to inject protein into your diet. Eggs make a wonderful source of protein in moderation. Studies have found that eating one egg daily will not harm your health. Try to refrain from eating meat once a week. Substitute beans, nuts, peas, peanut butter or seeds in its place.
Use cauliflower instead of potatoes. Boil cauliflower in a pot on the stove until very tender. Then, the cauliflower in a mixer or food processor with butter, light sour cream, salt and pepper, and blend until it reaches a smooth texture similar to mashed potatoes. It has far fewer carbohydrates and calories, as well as more nutrients and vitamins.
In order to keep the body healthy, it is important to keep track of the calories taken throughout the day. Drinking beverages high in calories such as soda and coffee should be avoided. These beverages can add up to lots of calories in a year and can mess up the body’s metabolism.
Clean out your fridge, freezer and cabinets. Toss the “bad” foods and replace with health alternatives. Keep fresh fruit and veggies on hand for snacking. Put a note on the refrigerator that says “no junk allowed” if you must. If you have kids, have a special place for any of their snacks that might tempt you.
Dairy products are a great source of calcium and vitamin D, which help to build bone mass. Additionally, studies have shown that 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day, can help you lose weight, particularly around your midsection. Low-fat yogurt is highly versatile and can be used as a substitute for sour cream, mayonnaise and even cheese.
For a tasty, healthy snack, try making a puree of berries, pears, or peaches. This sweet spread can be used to dip pretzels or pita chips. Change the type of fruit you eat from time to time so you refrain from getting tired of fruit as a snack.
Many people run into problems when they eat simply out of boredom. Remind yourself that hobbies and activity cure boredom; eating is not a hobby. What’s more, boredom eating is generally mindless. In other words, you can eat, but there’s a pretty good chance that you will still be bored… even with your mouth full of food.
Build a healthy meal by combining a variety of food sources. Meat does not need to be the centerpiece of every meal. Try making more stir-fries with a variety of fresh vegetables. You can make homemade sauces to complement your dishes to maximize taste and avoid the corn syrups in most commercial sauces.
Biotin is very important to consume in adequate amounts because it is used in cellular respiration, which is the way calories are turned into energy. Good sources of biotin include foods like plain egg yolks (the egg white binds biotin), liver, and peanuts. The simplest way to add it to your diet is to take a supplement.
As you can see, good nutrition is easy to incorporate into your lifestyle if you make a few simple choices. You may need to tailor these tips to your personal needs. Begin today to make the positive choices you need to make. You must develop a plan to give yourself the nourishment your body and mind deserve, and stick with it. You will notice a difference.