Healthy Food Choices ” Where You Make It or Break It

In order to create healthy eating habits, it's crucial that you make a list of healthy food choices, then create a healthy menu and meal plan based on those. It's not as hard as you may think.

This list will make this task a breeze.

1. Grains. We should consume 6 ounces of grains per day. To do this, we can eat whole grain cereals, breads, rice, crackers, or pasta. We can get an ounce of grains in a single slice of bread.

2. Vegetables. Lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are a few examples of healthy food choices. 2 things to remember, the greener the better, and two cups and a half per day are recommended.

3. Fruits. Fruits are very important. We should aim to eat 2 cups of them each day. Focus on a wide range of fresh fruits. We can drink fruit juices as well, though we should keep it in moderation.

4. Milk. Hmm.... We all know that milk does good to the body as it is high in calcium. Adults should aim at 3 cups and young children 2 cups a day. Lactose-free products are also available for those who dislike or are allergic to dairy products.

5. Meat. Eating 5 ounces a day is great, and we should go for lean protein. When eating meat, remember to bake, grill, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from adding to the equation. Try to vary our protein as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

As you are planning for healthy eating, bear in mind that butter, margarine, shortening and lard add cholesterol and that's not good.

To help keep our saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium intake low, we have to check the nutrition facts label. This label can be found on the food package and will tell us all the information we need to know about the food item.

Healthy food meals, along with exercise, will develop your healthy lifestyle. That's exactly what your body needs. So before you pick up that candy or fried foods, ask yourself: "Is this a healthy food choice?