Healthy Feasting

Posted: Dec. 1, 2004

Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done, especially during the holidays. It is tempting to turn to less healthy food choices because they might be easy to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving.

Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn’t hard to make simple changes to improve your diet.

Why choose a healthy diet?
Obesity is on the rise, which puts millions of Americans at risk for serious health problems. Obesity increases the risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers.

A person’s weight is affected by how much physical activity he or she does, one’s diet, and one’s genes. So having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. If you burn as many calories as you take in, your weight remains the same. If you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. So make sure the foods you eat are healthy ones that will work hard for your body.

Here are some general guidelines for heart-healthy eating:

• Choose foods low in saturated and trans fats. Foods low in saturated fat include fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products. Try to avoid commercially fried and baked goods such as crackers and cookies.
• Choose a diet moderate in total fat. The good news is that you don’t have to eliminate all fat from your diet. A diet moderate in fat will give you enough calories to satisfy your hunger, which can help you to eat fewer calories, stay at a healthy weight, and lower your blood cholesterol level. To keep your total fat intake moderate, try to substitute unsaturated fat for saturated fat.
• Choose foods low in cholesterol. Try to eat fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and moderate amounts of lean meats, skinless poultry and fish.
• Eat plenty of soluble fiber, which may help lower your LDL (“bad”) blood cholesterol. Good sources are oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, and strawberries. Insoluble fiber will not help your blood cholesterol level but is still good for healthy bowel function. Good sources of insoluble fiber are whole wheat breads, kidney beans, almonds, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and apple skin.
• Cut down on sodium. To flavor your food, reach for herbs and spices rather than high-sodium table salt. Be sure to read the labels of seasoning mixes because some contain salt.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health

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