Healthy Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is something we all have to do, even though choosing the right foods can be very hard indeed.  To assist you with your healthy grocery shopping, the tips below can indeed help make things easier than ever before:

• Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
• Select canned fruits and tuna that are packed in water, not oil or syrup.
• Look at the labels for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated".  The earlier you see them appear on the list, the higher the amount of unhealthy trans fatty acids the food will contain.
• Don't buy turkey with the skin on it, and if  you plan to buy chicken - buy a chicken breast meal.
• When you select frozen dinners, select those that are not only low in fat, but low in sodium and cholesterol as well.
• If you aren't consuming enough dairy products, go with calcium fortified orange juice instead.
• Go for whole grain breads, cereals, and rolls.
• Give cantaloupe a try.  With just 95 calories, half of the melon will provide more than a day's supply of Vitamin C and beta carotene.
• Don't be tricked into buying yogurt covered by nuts or raisins, as the coating is normally made of sugar and partially hydrogenated oils.
• Get some of the low fat treats, such as pretzels, ginger snaps, and angel food cake.

By following the above tips when grocery shopping, you'll avoid the bad foods and get those that you

need.  There are many different healthy foods at the grocery store, all it takes is the will power to go past the bad foods and on to the good ones.

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Kids Eating Healthy

Fast food is a big part of modern life these days, making it very hard to teach a child how he or she should eat healthy.  The cheapest and easiest foods are those that are normally the least healthy. If you give your child the choice between healthy food and junk food, you normally won't like the results.

Even though it isn't possible to get a child to like all healthy foods, there are some ways to get your child to try and hopefully like at least a few of them.  You can be as creative as you like, as getting kids to eat healthy foods can be a little harder than you may think.

• Sneak the healthy food in.  Even though it would  be great if your kid understood the importance of fruits and vegetables, this isn't always possible. If you can't get them to eat good food willingly, there are ways to sneak them in, such as making muffins out of bananas or apples, or pizza with spinach on it.
• Call fruits and vegetables by funny names.  You can refer to broccoli as "trees", making them more fun to eat.  There are many different names you can call fruits and vegetables, even making up your own if you prefer.  Most kids prefer to eat foods that sound fun.
• Make the foods taste better. Ranch dressing is great for broccoli, while peanut butter is a great topping for celery.  There are several combinations for vegetables that can make them taste much better.  You can let your child pick a topping for a vegetable, even if it's something you wouldn't normally like yourself.
• Dress the vegetables up.  Just as much as calling them names help kids eat healthy foods, making them look funny also helps.  You can do this by making funny designs on the plate, or setting them up to look like people.  Although some parents don't like their kids playing with their food, sometimes it helps to get them to eat healthier.

There are several ways to make your kids eat healthier, but to make them enjoy it also has to be fun as well.  This isn't always an easy task, because kids normally don't like foods that are good for them.  It can however, be done with a bit of creativity.  Hopefully, doing this will help your child develop a love of healthy foods for the rest of their lives.

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Healthy Fat Intake

This information is aimed at helping you to reduce your fat intake.  The average individual eats too much fat, a factor that's linked to a variety of health problems, including cancer. Diets that are high in fat are associated with breast and colon cancer, with some studies linking high fat to prostate cancer as well.

A majority of people can bring their fat intakes down to a healthy range by making a few adjustments
in the way they shop, cook, and prepare the foods they eat.

Now days, it's getting easier and easier to control the amount of fat you consume.  The fat content of
foods are now available through the nutrition label and through brochures distributed by food companies and even fast food restaurants.

You can use this information on nutrition to choose lower fat foods by comparing products and food
brands.  Once you have a rough idea of what a healthy intake of fat is, you'll know what you can and what you can't have.

From day to day, the amount of fat you eat will vary.  Some meals and some days will be higher in
fat than others.  Even high fat meals can be kept in line with healthy eating as long as you balance
those days accordingly.  The average fat intake over the course of weeks and months is important, not the fat intake of every meal and food you consume.

Younger adults and high active adults who have higher calorie needs can probably eat a little more
fat.  Older adults and those that aren't very active should aim for a lower fat intake.  This way, you
can control your fat intake and avoid the many problems that fat is associated with.

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Making Healthy Food Choices

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are normally low in fat and have no cholesterol.  Most are great sources

of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and vitamins. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat foods that are high in complex carbs and fiber.

Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:

• Coconut is high in saturated fat, while olives are high in monounsaturated fats and calories.  You should use these items sparingly to avoid getting too many calories from fat.
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• When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated fat or cholesterol is often added.  For example, egg yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.
• Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may also contain added sodium.  With some people, too much sodium (salt) may lead to high blood pressure. There are some food companies that are actually canning vegetables with less salt.  You can look for these in the market area or choose fresh and even frozen vegetables.
• Nuts and seeds tend to be high in calories and fat, although a majority of the fat is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated.  There are some varieties, macadamie nuts for example, that are also high in saturated fat.

Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great choice as well.  Examples include oat bran,  oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and even apple pulp. Whenever you are looking for healthy food choices, always make sure you read the nutrition label or information about the food.  You can then determine what the food contains and how healthy it truly is for your body.  By taking your time  and making your healthy food choices wisely, you'll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that will take care of you.

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Nine Facts About Fiber

If you've been looking for a way towards a high octane diet, you'll find fiber to be exactly what you need.  Even though research has shown fiber to be powerful, many people aren't taking this nutrient seriously.

To help you fuel your health with fiber, here are 10 facts to help.

1. Fiber fights diseases.
   A diet high in fiber can  help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease.  High fiber helps the body to eliminate cholesterol by binding it in the digestive tract.  For thousands of years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.
2. Fiber can actually help with overeating. 
   All high fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest, making you feel satisfied longer.
3. Most popular foods don't have enough fiber. 
   If you like the more popular foods, you probably need to increase your intake of fiber.
4. Grains offer the most fiber. 
   Dietary fiber is actually plant matter that we cannot digest.  The best sources are whole grains and concentrated grain products.  
5. Kids need fiber as well. 
   Children that are older than 2 years of age should consume a daily intake of fiber.  Kids are most receptive to fiber found in  fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast  cereals.  
6. More fiber needs more water. 
   In order to keep fiber moving through your digestive tract, you'll need to consume a lot of water.  With your diet of fiber, you'll need eight or more glasses of water every day.
7. Fiber cannot be cooked out. 
   When you cook your fruits and vegetables, don't worry about cooking the fiber out, as it stays.  The fiber found in fruits and vegetables aren't just in the skin or in the peel.
8. You can get enough fiber. 
   If you eat more than 50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea  and bloating, which can interfere with your body's absorption of other key minerals.
9. Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet doesn't have to be hard. 
   Even though you may think so, getting the amount of fiber you need isn't very hard to do.  All you have to do is eat the right foods and you'll be well on your way to a fiber rich lifestyle.

As one of the key ingredients to healthy eating, fiber is something you don't want to skip.  Fiber can serve many different purposes, which were covered above.  If you aren't getting enough fiber in your diet - you should do something about now instead of waiting until it is too late.

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Nutrition For The Elderly

Healthy eating and nutrition for the elderly is greatly impacted by several factors, one of them being a change in body composition.  During the later years in life, the body will lose bone and muscle and gain fat because the hormones aren't very active anymore.

There are many factors which hinder an elderly person's health.  The information below will help

you to lead a healthy life - no matter how old you may be.

Water

Water in the body decreases with age, so many older folks will become dehydrated very easily. Sometimes they won't feel thirsty, while other times it's too much work to pour a glass a water.  With this in mind, it's recommended that they drink at least 1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight.

Protein

At this stage in life, protein is very important. Protein is needed to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of muscle.  Since energy needs are less, older folks should eat high quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poulty, and fish.

Carbs and fiber

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the entire body.  You can find carbs in bread, cereals, pasta, and other grain products.  A diet that's high in fiber and water will help to prevent constipation as well.

Fat

Fat intake for the elderly should be limited, not eliminated.  You can limit fat by choosing lean meats, low fat dairy products, and food preperation  methods that don't include frying.  

Iron

For the elderly, iron deficiency can be seen with those who aren't eating much.  Good sources for

iron include lean red meats or breakfast cereals.

Zinc

Zinc intake is normally with the elderly, and to make matters worse, it's not absorbed very well either.  Meat, poultry, and fish should be a part of your diet to help you meet the requirements for zinc.

Calcium

Calcium is one ingredient that most elderly folks simply aren't getting enough of.  Most believe that milk upsets their stomach, and therefore they will avoid it.  They should be getting around 1,500 mg of calcium a day, and nonfat powdered milk can be used in recipes as a substitute for milk.  Other foods such as yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli can also help you meet the requirements for calcium.

Vitamin B12

In order to absorb the benefits of B12, the intrinsic facotr must be produced by the stomach.  Most elderly people suffer from a deficiency in B12 because they have a condition known as atrophic gastritis.  This condition causes inflammation of the stomach, bacterial overgrowth, and the intrinsic factor. Without the intrinsic factor, this vitamin can be absorbed.

Each one of the above nutrients are needed to keep an aged body in good health.  Elderly individuals should try to stay active and strive for a well balanced diet.  Even though the aged body isn't the same as it used to be, proper care and the right nutrients can help the elderly enjoy a healthy and long life.

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The Healthiest Foods You Can Get

The following is a list of the healthiest foods that you can get.  This will help you get an idea as
to what foods are the best for your body.

Fruits

Apricots
Apricots contain Beta-carotene which helps to prevent radical damage and also helps to protect the eyes.  A single apricot contains 17 calories, 0 fat, and one gram of fiber.  You can eat them dried or soft.

Mango
A medium sized mango packs 57 MG of vitamin C, which is nearly your entire daily dose.  This antioxidant will help prevent arthritis and also boost your immune system.

Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes contain 117 GG of vitamin C, which is almost twice the recommended dose.  Half a elon
contains 853 MG of potassium, which is nearly twice as much as a banana, which helps to lower blood pressure.  Half a melon contains 97 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of fiber.

Tomato 
A tomato can help cut the risk of bladder, stomach, and colon cancers in half if you eat one daily. A tomaton contains 26 calories, 0 fat, and only 1 gram of fiber.

Vegetables

Onions
An onion can help to protect against cancer.  A cup of onions offers 61 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Broccoli
Broccoli can help protect against breast cancer, and it also contains a lot of vitamin C and beta-carotene.  One cup of chopped broccoli contains 25 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Spinach
Spinach contains carotenoids that can help fend off macular degeneration, which is a major cause of blindness in older people.  One cup contains 7 calories, 0 fat, and 1 gram of fiber.

Grains, beans, and nuts

Peanuts
Peanuts and other nuts can lower your risk of heart disease by 20 percent.  One ounce contains 166 calories, 14 grams of fat, and over 2 grams of fiber.

Pinto beans
A half cut of pinto beans offers more than 25 percent of your daily folate requirement, which protects you against heart disease.  Half a cup contains 103 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams of fiber.

Skim milk
Skim milk offers vitamin B2, which is important for good vision and along with Vitamin A could improve allergies.  You also get calcium and vitamin D as well.  One cup contains 86 calories, o fat, and 0 fiber.

Seafood

Salmon
All cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which help to reduce the risk of cardiac disease. A 3 ounce portion of salmon contains 127 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 0 fiber.

Crab
Crab is a great source of vitamin B12 and immunity boosting zinc.  A 3 ounce serving of crab offers 84 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 0 fiber.

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