Gadget Review & Health Tips

A healthy diet doesn’t have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing. The principle of healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.

In addition, foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat and free of cholesterol such as fruits, vegetables and grains should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and poultry, and fish.

You should also maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure. Don’t eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are, therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance

Some guidelines to construct a healthy diet:

1. Consume high-fiber foods such as whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. They are nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and chemicals essential to good health.

2. Eat a variety of foods. Don’t try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods. Eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

3. Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products. Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

4. Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything

5. Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals.

6. Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our no.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods.

7. Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can’t get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

8. Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.