Eating healthfully is a very important part of an overall lifestyle that will help you to achieve proper weight maintenance, overall health and longevity. In essence, it will play a role in allowing you to look your best and feel great, as much as is humanly possible. However, actually knowing how to eat in the best way can be confusing. Using some of the top nutrition tips that were created by the experts can help to give you an advantage in knowing that you’re eating right…at least most of the time.
Keep in mind that truly great nutrition tips are usually those that are surprisingly simple to follow. After all, they need to provide you with not only the information you need about the right food choices, but they also need to be designed in a way that you will be able to actually use them and keep them up over the long term.
The following 5 nutrition tips are just that kind of helpful advice:
1. Opt for whole grains. When you’re eating foods based on cereals, make at least half of them whole grains. The more whole grain options you choose, the better. These options are higher in fiber, vitamins, minerals and natural plant compounds called phyto-nutrients. Most grocery stores now provide whole grain alternatives to many of our favorite products such as bread, pasta, crackers, and breakfast cereal.
2. Amp up your veggie and fruit intake. Vegetables and fruits are very high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and all sorts of other vital nutrients. Add more to your diet to instantly improve your health. Try to include a minimum of one orange and one dark green fruit or veggie each day. Toss some spinach or baby kale into your morning banana smoothie. Start each dinner with a dark green salad. Fill half your meal plates with veggies, have a bowl of berries for dessert.
3. Choose dairy every day. Milk products can be great for your health. Have 2 cups of milk or fortified soy beverages every day for bone health. If you don’t just want to drink milk, have some cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, instead. Try not to buy the flavored kind. It’s loaded with sugar. Instead, add a handful of berries!
4. Choose lean proteins. Very lean meats are good for your health, but there’s no reason that you need to have meat every day of the week. Switch things up with alternatives such as tofu, black and kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
5. Eat fats but make them healthy ones. Fats are fantastic for flavor and texture, and they can keep your dinner from cooking straight to the pan. However, when you choose the right fats, they can help you to know that those calories you’re consuming will also come with lots of nutrients. Limit your saturated fat intake and aim for high quality unsaturated fats, instead.