Tuesday, April 23, 2013

A List Of Healthy Foods To Eat

Finding a list of healthy foods to eat is not as easy you would think. There are a lot of amazing foods in the world that can increase your well being and make you look amazing. It is just about finding them.

What is healthy food?

Healthy food is food that is healthy. Now that might sound oversimplified but that is what it is. You can generally tell what food is healthy and what food is not. Fruit and vegetables are the obvious choice. The problem is that every corner seems to be filled with a fast food joint. This makes making the healthy choices a little bit harder.

Why fruits and vegetables?

They may seem dull to eat but they are the "bread and butter" of healthy foods. You could make a list of healthy foods to eat right now by simply visiting the fruits and vegetables section of any supermarket. Why is this?

Fruits and vegetables contain all the vitamins that your body needs on a daily basis. This includes vitamins A, B, C, D and E. They all serve different areas of the body. On top of this they are also very low in fat. So you are eating food but not storing anything. The low quantity of carbohydrates that they are made of is burnt of quickly throughout the day. Celery for example is in fact considered a negative calorie food. You actually lose weight eating it.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Healthy Food For the Heart - Making the Right Choices

Heart disease is one of the main causes of death among adults worldwide. All of us know there is good healthy food for the heart. Healthy eating is all about enjoying a variety of foods from the different food groups. Unfortunately, when it comes to our health and nutrition, our society seems predisposed towards making us choose the unhealthy options. Why should you consume healthy foods for your heart? Learning to eat healthy foods is not a science reserved for the elite. For a healthy and sound body, all you need to do is substitute harmful food with healthy food alternatives.

A recent study discovered that nearly one third of the people today studied have got undetectable amounts of omega 3 fatty acids within their blood stream, putting these people at more significant possibility for heart problems, stroke, being diabetic, and cognitive complications. Omega 3 also reduces the risk of heart attack. While being a very popular and heart-healthy food rich in omega 3 fatty acids, salmon is also a very tasty food. Consistently seafood is described as "brain food" and of late experts have included "rich in Omega 3" and "heart healthy" on labeling. To prepare a heart-healthy food, try baked salmon steak with vegetables and a salad dressed with lemon juice (instead of a vinaigrette sauce which is too rich in calories)

Brazil nuts contain mono-saturated fats that make it a healthy food for the heart. Parsley contains several important flavonoids, and this makes it a healthy food for the heart. Enjoying some dark chocolate bars is similar to obtaining the identical antioxidant content provided by a couple of glasses of burgandy or merlot wine or three servings of Asian tea extract. If you miss milk shakes, try a low-fat fruit smoothie, instead. Soluble fiber also helps keep your digestive system healthy. Apples, nuts and oats are an excellent source of soluble fiber. Eat an apple with a handful of walnuts or almonds as a healthy treat or add slices of apples to salads. In addition Nuts lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Research shows that if you lower your blood cholesterol levels, you lower your risk of coronary disease and stroke. Whole grains are another source of soluble fiber and provide vitamins to help maintain a healthy heart. The soluble fiber binds with cholesterol, which is then shunted out of the body, and their level falls. These good fats will also keep your cholesterol levels low.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Healthy Food to Eat - 3 Critical Factors

Choosing the right healthy food to eat should encompass many factors. Three important healthy food to eat factors are the following:

1. Does it promote health gain and not weight gain. This may seem obvious, but it can be tricky. People sometimes make pizza and claim it's a healthy food to eat, by simply tossing on some vegetables. But the pizza most likely will have a large amount of calories, will contain white flour, and cheese. Even though your getting nutrition from the vegetables, the overall effect leans towards a negative due to the other fat gaining ingredients.

2. Is it organic? Fruits and vegetables are always best to obtain by organic means, but this is mainly focused on meat products. Claiming a lean chicken breast is a healthy food to eat due to its high protein content and minimal fat content is fine but what is the actual quality of the meat? With the horrendous conditions of factory farming and the potential for disease, one should really qualify most meat products as a healthy food to eat only if it falls under the umbrella of organic.

3. What is the sodium content? I include this because it is such an overlooked aspect of today's healthy food to eat decision making process. High sodium has a lot of negative health benefits. Too often one will think they are choosing a healthy food to eat without realizing the sodium content is actually through the roof. An example of this can be bread. Many breads on the market which are being promoted as a healthy food to eat actually contain high sodium levels. There is a brand named Ezekial which is one of the lowest sodium breads available. Also canned fruit and vegetables that you may believe to be a healthy food to eat is often loaded with sodium from the solution needed to preserve the product. Fresh fruit and vegetables are always best.
An added note that any generic sauce you put on your food will most likely add enormous amounts of sodium to your food, turning it into not a healthy food to eat.