Healthy Eating

Eating well is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. A good diet increases your energy, improves your well-being, and lowers your risk of disease. Nutrition and Your Health A balanced diet is a basic part of good health. Every diet should include proteins, carbohydrates (sugars and starches), fats, vitamins and minerals. Your body needs a regular supply of these nutrients to grow, to replace worn-out tissue, and to provide energy.

Daily Food Choices
The first step toward healthy eating is to look at the foods in your daily diet. Make it a point to choose most of your foods from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group.

Calories and Fat
When our body digests food, it breaks the food down into carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

What Are Calories?
A calorie is a measure of the energy we get from food. Most people should have an intake of around 2,000 calories per day. Try to eat the least amount of calories your body needs.

What Is Fat?
Fat is found in food. Your body only makes fat from the food you eat. There are two kinds of fat found in food — saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are better choices than saturated fats. Fat should make up less than 30 percent of the total calories in your daily diet.

Do You Need Vitamin Supplements?
Iron
Iron is needed to make new blood cells. If you are not getting enough iron, anemia (low blood count) may occur. To increase your iron intake, eat iron-rich foods, such as liver, meat, dried beans and peas, prunes and prune juice.

Calcium
Bone is made up of calcium and protein. Bones can become thin and brittle if your diet is low in calcium. Dairy foods are rich in calcium, but you should choose low-fat products such as yogurt or cottage cheese. Vitamin D is needed for your body to use calcium.

Folic Acid
Folic acid is needed for healthy growth of a baby during pregnancy, especially during the first months. Women should take folic acid before they become pregnant and during their pregnancy. Good sources of folic acid in foods are dark leafy greens and citrus fruit.

A Healthy Weight
To stay healthy, you should keep your weight at the level best for your height. If your weight is not in the normal range, try to lose the extra pounds.

Finally …
Healthy eating is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Choose a diet low in fats and sugars and high in grains, vegetables and fruits