Planning a Healthy Diet

Suggestions for healthy eating are illustrated in many different ways. Often pyramid-shaped charts are used. A food pyramid describes the various food groups and suggests choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the basis of a healthy diet. The United States Department of Agriculture offers a chart called My Pyramid; however, many medical research groups have amended this primary outline. There are food pyramid plans for Latin, Asian and Mediterranean diets as well as well as a chart for vegetarians.

Food Pyramids
These food pyramid charts show that the foods on the bottom of the chart should be consumed in larger quantities, while those foods listed at the top of the pyramid should be eaten less. Remember, these charts are guidelines only. Consult with a nutritionists or your medical provider to determine your special needs. Some foods may be limited due to medical conditions or food allergies. Visit the United States Department of Agriculture to use their helpful interactive food chart and menu planner. (http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx) The USDA also provides an interactive tracker for the energy you expend on physical activities and the foods suggested to maintain high energy levels.

Eat More Whole Grain Foods
Add 3 ounces of whole grain pasta, bread, crackers, unsalted popcorn or whole grain cereals to your daily diet. When looking for choices make sure the words “whole grain” are listed on the label. Add oats, flax seed or bran to muffins and bread recipes. Avoid packaged cereals with added sugar or sweeteners. They add excess calories and are harmful when served in excess to children.

Eat Your Veggies
Add leafy dark green vegetable to your diet each day. Spinach, kale, broccoli and green beans are good choices. Serve as a steamed vegetable, add to soups, stews, stir-fry and salads. Eat more orange vegetables such as carrots, squash, pumpkin and sweet peppers. Vegetables can be consumed raw or cooked. Low-fat vegetables juices are another way to add more vegetable to your diet. Fresh vegetables have the highest source of nutrients, followed by frozen. Canned vegetables can be very high in salt, so use sparingly.

Enjoy Lots Of Fresh Fruit
Eat purple fruits such as grapes, huckleberries, blueberries, acai fruit and mangosteen. These purple colored choices are rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants. Increase the amount of orange and yellow fruits in your diet. Mangoes, melons, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, apricots and peaches are tasty options. Rich in vitamin C, fiber and anti-oxidants, these low calorie fruits will help keep your diet in balance. Pure fruit juices are tasty, but rather calorie intense, so use sparingly.

Lean Protein
Choose lean, low-fat meats, nuts, lentils, peas and seeds and dried beans to add protein to your diet. Trim away visible fat from meat. Drain all visible fat from cooked ground meats and pat with a paper towel to absorb fat before adding to your recipes. Non-salted nuts are an excellent substitute for salty snacks such as potato chips or pretzels. Reduce your consumption of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.

Try to eat fish at least three times a week. Grill, bake or raw as in sushi for adequate amounts of iodine and beneficial omega-3 oils. Wild salmon is an ideal selection.

Healthy Oils
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your daily diet. Olive oil can be used for cooking, added to salads or drizzled over bread.

Calcium For Strong Bones
Add dairy products for calcium. Low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt and skim milk are calorie conscious choices. Ice cream, heavy cream and buttermilk are calorie dense. If you are lactose intolerant, be sure to obtain calcium from other sources. Fortified milk and foods made from milk are the best sources of the mineral calcium. They also provide us with vitamin A, protein and vitamin D and phosphorus.

Tame Your Sweet Tooth
Avoid excess sugars, sweeteners and candy. They are fine for an occasional treat but can cause spikes in insulin levels and depleted energy reserves. Balance your food consumption against physical activity to maintain a healthy weight. Children are very susceptible to consuming to much sugar. The medical experts at the Kids Health Organization remind us, “Eating a diet that’s high in foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar may increase a person’s risk of developing health problems like diabetes and heart disease”.