Eating Healthy Every Day

Eating healthy every day does not need to be a time-consuming task, nor do you need to spend a fortune on health foods simply because many foods in moderation are called "health foods." Consider that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggest the following daily caloric intake:

• Children ages 2 to 6 years old, women and some older adults: about 1,600 calories
• Older children, teen girls, active women and most men: about 2,200 calories
• Teen boys and active men: about 2,800 calories

The Skinny on Calories

Now consider the quality of those calories. Theoretically, a calorie is a calorie: 1 calorie is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. So whether a calorie comes from a cup of ice cream or a piece of cantaloupe it remains equal-but the nutritional values tell a very different story. In general, vanilla ice cream contains 200 calories per half cup, with a whopping 45 percent saturated fat and 22 percent cholesterol. So is the answer just to eat 2,000 calories worth of ice cream as your diet? Of course not. You can be thin and malnourished by not eating nutrient-dense foods. Not to mention that thin individuals can have high cholesterol if their diet contains a lot of saturated fats. Granted ice cream contains about 7 percent vitamin A and 12 percent calcium, but keep in mind this general rule: 5 percent DV or less is "low" and 20 percent DV or more is "high." One cup of cantaloupe contains about 30 calories and is also very high in vitamin A (120 percent DV) and vitamin C (108 percent DV) with absolutely no saturated fat. This food would be considered a nutrient-dense food and, as with most fruits and vegetables, there is a lot of nutritional bang for not much caloric buck.

Three Simple Tips to Healthier Eating

1. Become a label reader-the important items on a food label are serving size, servings per container, calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. The daily values of these nutrients should be limited below 20 percent. Nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals should be 5 percent or higher. Make sure you pay attention to the serving size as well. A jar of peanut butter states it has 190 calories per 2 tablespoons (suggested serving size) with 16 percent saturated fat, so 4 tablespoons would equal 380 calories and 36 percent saturated fat-the numbers can add up very quickly and skew a balanced diet. Also keep in mind that calories are not necessarily the best determinant of healthy eating when you compare the values of a diet soda (0 calories and 0 nutrients) versus an 8 ounce glass of orange juice (110 calories and 100 percent daily value of vitamin C).
2. Try to grocery shop on the perimeter of the store-most grocery stores have a similar layout n regard to the location of the "food pyramid" items. Usually the fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, meats, poultry, breads and dairy products and eggs are on the outside of the floor plan while snack-type items are in the middle isles. On average, most snack foods are very high in calories and fat and very low (under 5 percent) in vitamins and minerals. Embrace these five essential nutrients your body needs on a daily basis.
   • Protein (found in fish, meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, nuts and beans)-consume at least 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk each day or the equivalent in cheese, yogurt or other calcium-rich foods. Choose lean proteins: Get about 15 percent of your calories from chicken without the skin, fish, beans and legumes.
   • Fat (found in animal and dairy products, nuts, and oils)-limit fat to only about 20 to 35 percent of total calorie intake and avoid trans, saturated fats and partially hydrogenated oil.
   • Carbohydrates (found in fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice, grains, beans and other legumes, and sweets)-get at least six to eight servings of whole grains each day and seven to nine fruits and vegetables each day. Steer clear of high-fructose corn syrup and sugar.
   • Vitamins (such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K) and minerals (such as calcium, potassium and iron)-find them in abundance in most fruits, vegetables and lean meats.
   • Water-the average adult loses about a liter of water a day. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you drink about 8 cups of water or other beverages a day along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.
3. It's mostly about portion control-did you know that a 3 oz. serving size of a protein such as beef is about the size of a deck of cards? Most of us do not have a kitchen scale to weigh food, so it is easier to visualize how much food we are eating based on everyday comparisons. The American Cancer Society provides the following list:
   • 1 oz. meat: size of a matchbox
   • 8 oz. meat: size of a thin paperback book
   • 3 oz. fish: size of a checkbook
   • 1 oz. cheese: size of 4 dice
   • Medium potato: size of a computer mouse
   • 2 Tbs. peanut butter: size of a ping pong ball
   • 1/2 cup pasta: size of a tennis ball
   • Average bagel: size of a hockey puck.
   • medium apple or orange: the size of a tennis ball
   • 1 cup chopped raw vegetables or fruit: baseball size

Making a Habit a Lifestyle

On average it takes approximately 21 days to form a good habit. For a person who is trying to eat healthier this means making mindful choices and sticking to a plan. When considering what you want for a meal, think about the nutrients that your body needs to feel its best. The Food Pyramid published by the USDA, at http:// www.mypyramidtracker.gov, makes it easy to figure out how much of each food type you should eat and contains detailed information on quality nutrition and a dietary assessment to help determine the best healthy diet for you.