Healthy Eating

     What is healthy eating?  Healthy Eating  has rules and boundaries; we do not have to give up the foods we love!

     We can apply a few rules to our eating habits and we can still enjoy those yummy treats that bring us such joy and emotional comfort. A healthy diet provides: Adequacy, Balance, Calorie control, Moderation and Variety.



Five Characteristics of Healthy Eating 
 
Adequacy: provides essential nutrients and energy 
Balance: provides all three macro nutrients, carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats, in the right quantity     
Calorie Control: provides the appropriate portion to sustain our bodies
Moderation: provides enough – no more no less 
Variety: provides a wide selection of healthy foods. 

          A healthy diet must have these 5 characteristics. When choosing meals let’s be mindful and aim to obtain enough of each vital nutrient while keeping balance among the three main elements and in the appropriate quantities. Our meals must be calorie controlled, it will be chaotic to have our meals packed with thousands of calories and having a sedentary lifestyle. Our calorie intake must match our calorie expenditure. We can eat the foods we love in moderation; control is the key not abstinence! And last but not least, our meals must come from a variety foods. We should eat from different types of food daily; not only it will help us consume the nutrients we need; it will prevent boredom and decrease the possibility to overindulge. We should always eat at the right time, planned our meals and eat at least three meals a day.
Choosing the right foods and combining them  to maintain balance can be a bit of a challenge.  Some may feel unsure on how to do it.  We are constantly being bombarded by the media with the “new” finding the “last” breakthrough, and unfortunately it creates more questions than answers.  Others may think that eating healthy is expensive or a lot of work.  I say, let's go back to the basics! Our body is designed to produce, absorb the essential nutrients to maintain a healthy body.  A healthy diet must be balanced – fruits, vegetables, whole grain, low-fat dairy products. Healthy eating provides a wide variety of choices; let’s concentrate on the foods that we can eat!
            Carbohydrates – are YOUR friend – any diet that restricts you from carbohydrates is not a healthy diet. Keep at about 55-60% of your meal.   Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy.  Choose your carbohydrates wisely – brown rice, vegetables, whole grain.  If you must have pasta or white rice, have it, but have half of what you would normally eat and replace the other half with vegetables.  
          Proteins – help growth and development! Keep about 15 -25% of your meal.  Protein helps you build muscle, build new cells and maintain tissue.  Protein mainly comes from animals – choose lean cuts, poultry, tuna, eggs.  Nuts also provide protein.
         Fats –not all fat is created equal --choose healthy fats, unsaturated fats, such as omega 3 fats found in fish. Olive oil, nuts are also sources of healthy fat.  Keep your fat intake at less than 30% of your daily intake. There are many resources available via the internet to help us achieve a healthy diet. Sites such as My Plate have lots of resources to facilitate healthy eating. 

References: 

Bellisle, France (2005).The Determinants of Food Choice. Retrieved from http://www.eufic.org/article/en/expid/review-food-choice/ 
Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage Learning