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Healthy Eating

There are lots of easy ways to make your eating healthier. Here are the basics to strive for: Add more fruits and vegetables. Eat whole grains instead of simple carbohydrates. Drink plenty of water. Limit your fat, particularly saturated fat.

Fruits and Vegetables:
1. Replace 1 snack each day with a serving of a fruit or vegetable. For example, swap a candy bar for an apple, orange, or pear. Add a reduced fat cheese (like low fat string cheese) for some protein. You'll end up with a snack with more vitamins and fiber, plus protein, for the same or even fewer calories.
2. Add a salad to your lunch and/or dinner. If you use a reduced fat dressing, you'll actually taste what you're eating. Use prewashed packaged lettuce or salad greens, a few cucumber slices, some baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes - it'll take you less than 5 minutes to assemble.
For some added variety, add some fruit (mandarin oranges work great!) or some sliced yellow or zucchini squash. Experiment with different lettuces to see which ones you like best; baby spinach is a great option that adds iron, too. A salad can also be a great snack when you've just come home from work or school. It'll keep you from reaching for the chips or candy until you can get dinner on the table.
3. Look for ways to add vegetables and fruits to your favorite recipes. For example, add some squash or red or yellow bell peppers to chili - it adds vitamins and fiber without changing the flavor dramatically. Add some sliced peaches or berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) to yogurt. It makes a great snack or dessert. Or add some low fat granola and you've got an easy, healthy breakfast.

Whole Grains:
1. Replace that squishy white bread with healthier (and tasty) whole grain bread. Read labels, though: "wheat" does not necessarily mean "whole wheat." Make sure you're getting whole grains, not refined flour. Whole wheat or whole wheat flour should be at or very near the top of the ingredient list, meaning that it makes up the largest percentage of ingredients.
2. Try whole grain pasta instead of white pasta or egg noodles. The texture may be different from what you're used to, but give it a chance. The payoff: you'll increase your fiber intake, which among other things will make you feel more full more quickly.
3. Try whole grain flour when you bake, especially with things like muffins or quick breads (banana bread, cranberry bread, etc.). It won't change the flavor markedly, but it will improve the nutritional value.
4. Experiment with different kinds of whole grains in side dishes. Make a rice pilaf with brown rice instead of white rice. Or sautee some chopped onion and sliced mushrooms, add some barley and chicken broth, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. It makes a great side for grilled chicken.

Fats:
1. The basic idea is to lower your overall intake of fat. The American Heart Association and other well known and respected groups reommend that about 30% of your daily calories should come from fat. There are 2 ways to do this: either track how many calories are coming from fat, or count fat grams.
2. Of your fats, the majority should come from unsaturated rather than saturated fat. Avoid or at least limit things like butter or cream. When possible, if a recipe calls for butter or margarine, replace with canola or olive oil. (Note: this doesn't work for baked goods.)
3. Avoid trans fats whenever possible. These are especially bad for you, and they show up in lots of unexpected places. Reading labels is important; look for words like "partially hydrogenated oil." Tip: try organic products, which by definition contain nothing artificial (like these fats).
4. Add some omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Salmon is a great source, as are fish oil capsules. These fats are considered "heart healthy" or good fats.

**A great resource for recipes and ideas for healthy eating is the magazine Cooking Light.
The important thing is not to get overwhelmed. Pick one or two of these ideas to try each week. See what works for you and what doesn't. Before long, you'll be well on your way to a healthy diet and lifestyle!