Wednesday, 30 September 2009
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How to Shop For Healthy Food
Grocery shopping is something we all have to do, even though choosing the right foods can be very hard indeed. The tips below can help assist you make things easier than ever before:
- Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
- Select canned fruits and tuna that are packed in water, not oil or syrup.
- Look at the labels for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated." The earlier you see them appear on the list, the higher the amount of unhealthy, trans fatty acids the food will contain.
- Don't buy turkey with the skin on it, and if you plan to buy chicken – buy a chicken breast meal.
- When you select frozen dinners, select those that are not only low in fat, but low in sodium and cholesterol as well.
- If you aren't consuming enough dairy products, go with calcium fortified orange juice instead.
- Go for whole grain breads, cereals, and rolls.
- Give cantaloupe a try. With just 95 calories, half of the melon will provide more than a day's supply of Vitamin C and beta carotene.
- Don't be tricked into buying yogurt covered by nuts or raisins, as the coating is normally made of sugar and partially hydrogenated oils.
- Get some of the low fat treats, such as pretzels, ginger snaps or angel food cake.
By following the above tips when grocery shopping, you'll avoid the bad foods and get those that you need. There are many different healthy foods at the grocery store - all it takes is the will power to go past the bad foods and on to the good ones.
Also when you go to the store, pay close attention to the nutrition label located on each and every food item since it will tell you all the information about that food. For some however, this information isn't exactly that reader friendly. Fear not, as its actually easier than you think:
Serving Size: This size is based on the amount people eat. Similar food items will have similar serving sizes, thus making it easier to compare two foods of the same category.
% Daily Value: This indicates how food will fit in a 2,000 calorie diet. This will help you to understand if the food has a lot, or just a little of the important nutrients.
The middle section: The nutrients you'll find listed in the middle section are the ones that are most important to your health. This information can help you to calculate your daily limit of fat, fiber, sodium, and other nutrients.
Vitamins & minerals: The percent daily value found here is the exact same as the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins and minerals.
Now that you know what the nutrition label actually means, it'll be a lot easy to eat healthy. Eating healthy is a great thing - especially when you use the nutrition label to assist you with your food choices.
Do you follow any of these rules already? Are you already in the habit of checking nutrition labels when you shop?
Post contributed by www.PowerYourHealth.info.
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Comments (4)
hahah no rules at all.. i was thinking about dieting before.. it really didn't worked out
Calculate calories for the entire package, then estimate how many servings it gives you. For instance, a cereal box might last you one week (7 servings). The box has 1400 calories so a serving is 200 calories, not the 120 it says on the nutrition label.
Always have a stash of frozen (not canned) vegetables to add into whatever you are making. Cuts down on calories and fills you up, as well as added nutrition. You don't have to worry about them going bad, and they are flash frozen while fresh.
Make things from scratch to save money (lemon juice with splenda to make lemonade, instead of packaged juice for instance).
Don't buy ready made meals. If you allow corporations to cook for you, your health is not their primary concern.
Make a list. Stick to it. Plan what you are going to cook in advance. Try a new recipe every week so you don't get bored.
If you buy something considered junk food, put it in a cabinet instead of letting it rest on the kitchen counter. If you don't look at it every time you walk into the kitchen the trigger effect which creates cravings is gone.
Definitely avoid things that are hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated. If hydrogen is added to something, it becomes significantly unhealthier.
Also, avoid "grocery store propaganda". If you see a jar of peanut butter and it says No Cholesterol! on it, don't automatically assume it's worth buying - cos peanut butter has no cholesterol in the first place :P
Always shop the outside aisle of the supermarket. That's where you find the fresh produce, the fresh meat, the fresh dairy products. The inside rows of supermarkets are "sugar central". That's where the packaged foods are - and packaged foods tend to have too much sugar or too much salt and food preservatives. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy cereal or barbecue sauce, just that the bulk of your groceries should come from the fresh food section.
Follow the "once around the outside aisle" method, you'll end up with a lot more nutritious food in your shopping cart, and this will help make your visits to the middle aisles more sporadic. As much as possible, buy fresh!