HEALTHY EATING

LIANA BONCA
IX A
HEALTHY EATING-
PRINCIPLES
 1.Focus on Vegetables and
Fruits
 Study after study has shown that the
more whole fruits and vegetables you
eat, the lower your risk for many
chronic diseases, including cancer,
obesity, diabet and cardiovascular
disease – including heart disease and
stroke.
 Fruits and vegetables constitute low-
calorie foods. A report by WHO has
stated that there is convincing
evidence that eating fruits and
vegetables decreases the risk of
obesity. Compared to high-calorie
foods such as processed foods that
are high in sugar and fat, fruits and
vegetables are less likely to contribute
to obesity or overweight.
Focus on Vegetables and
Fruits
 And, because they contain higher
amounts of dietary fiber and other
nutrients, they are associated with a
lower risk for diabetes and insulin
resistance. For the same reasons,
they also make people feel full with
fewer calories, thus helping to prevent
weight gain.
 Additionally, research has shown that
eating three to five servings of fruits
and vegetables per day will decrease
risk of stroke, and eating more than
five servings per day will decrease that
risk even more. In an incremental
fashion, the more fruits and vegetables
you eat, the lower your risk. A very
good return on your investment.
2. Avoid Processed Meats
 The International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC), a part
of the World Health Organization
(WHO), has come out definitively with
a report on cancer-causing
processed meats, stating that such
meats definitely can cause colorectal
cancer. They have also stated that
red meat in general “probably”
causes cancers such as colon,
pancreatic and prostate cancer.
 Given that obesity is a risk factor for
a number of different cancers, it is
helpful to do all you can to decrease
your risk.
 Examples of processed meats to
avoid: hot dogs, sausage, beef jerky,
corned beef, ham, canned meat and
canned meat-based preparations and
sauces.
 3. Avoid Junk Food
 Here are five reasons you should avoid highly
processed junk foods.
 Nitrates: Processed foods contain a large amount
of nitrates. Nitrates are used mostly in meats like
cold cuts to keep them from growing bacteria or
losing aesthetic appeal. In the 1970’s, the
USDA attempted to ban nitrates.
 Fat: Most processed food contains a lot of fat. This
is generally saturated fat, which can increase
LDL cholesterol.
 Sugar: Processed foods are also generally high in
sugars, which can make them very high in
calories.
 Salt: Salt (or sodium) is used as a preservative in
foods and can increase blood pressure and cause
bloating.
 Vitamins: Processed foods are not known for their
healthfulness and many are bereft of vitamins.
Avoid Junk Food
 The Worst Offenders
 Pre-packaged snack foods
such as corn snacks and chips
 Convenience packed single
serve microwave items such
as ravioli
 Most canned foods because of
their high salt content
 Refined white flower used in
breads and baked goods
 Frozen dinners
 Pre-packaged school lunches
 Sugary breakfast cereals
 Canned and packaged meats
4. Cut Back on Added Sugars
 Watching the sugar in your diet can
help you control your weight and
potentially avoid serious chronic
health problems — for example, heart
disease and diabetes.
 You might be surprised at how many
of the "healthy" foods you eat contain
sugar. Energy bars, fruit, flavored
yogurt — all are "good" foods, but
many of them have a lot of sugar. So,
the first step to reducing excess sugar
in your diet is to read labels carefully
and opt for products that are lower in
sugar.
 The American Heart Association
recommends keeping calories from
added sugars under 100 calories a
day (24 grams, or 6 teaspoons) for
women and under 150 calories a day
(36 grams, or 9 teaspoons) for men.
5.Drink More Water
 The many health benefits of drinking
water are often overlooked. But don't
underestimate the importance of what
may be the healthiest beverage of all.
 Water has no calories. Zero. What it
does have plenty of: health benefits.
 Staying hydrated throughout the day
will make you more alert, help you
think more clearly, and make you feel
less fatigued.
 All of that can lead to making better
dietary choices as well. As an added
bonus, drinking enough water
throughout the day can help in the
prevention of recurrent kidney stones.
 6.Eat Less Salt
 Obesity causes high blood
pressure (also known by its
medical term, “hypertension”), so it
is helpful to know what you can do
to manage your blood pressure –
and that includes cutting back on
dietary sodium intake.
 Which foods are the saltiest? The
answer might surprise you. While
you may think that most of your salt
intake comes from your home salt
shaker, in reality, most Americans
get the majority of their sodium
from packaged, highly processed,
and restaurant foods.
Eat Less Salt-the worst
offenders:

 Snack foods, such as chips, crackers, and pretzels

 Canned foods, like canned beans and soups
 Pickled foods
 Cheese
 Processed meats, like ham, bacon, corned beef, hot dogs,
sausages and luncheon/deli meats
 Frozen dinners
 Processed or packaged fish that has been pre-breaded,
pre-fried, smoked or canned in brine
 Ketchup, mayonnaise, sauces, and salad dressings
 Most restaurant and fast-food meals
7. Eating a large variety of
foods
 Your body needs a wide
variety of fruits, vegetables,
proteins, and whole grains to
ensure that you’re getting the
macronutrients and vitamins
you need.
 Depending on what you’re
eating, you can become
nutritionally deficient by
severely limiting yourself to a
few meals or a handful of
foods.
Healthy Eating Plate
Healthy Eating Plate
 Make most of your meal vegetables and fruits – ½ of your plate:
 Aim for color and variety, and remember that potatoes don’t count as
vegetables on the Healthy Eating Plate because of their negative impact on
blood sugar.
 Go for whole grains – ¼ of your plate:
 Whole and intact grains—whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats,
brown rice, and foods made with them, such as whole wheat pasta—have a
milder effect on blood sugar and insulin than white bread, white rice, and other
refined grains.
 Protein power – ¼ of your plate:
 Fish, chicken, beans, and nuts are all healthy, versatile protein sources—they
can be mixed into salads, and pair well with vegetables on a plate. Limit red
meat, and avoid processed meats such as bacon and sausage.
 Healthy plant oils – in moderation:
 Choose healthy vegetable oils like olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, peanut,
and others, and avoid partially hydrogenated oils, which contain unhealthy
trans fats. Remember that low-fat does not mean “healthy.”
 Drink water or tea:
 Skip sugary drinks, limit milk and dairy products to one to two servings per
day, and limit juice to a small glass per day.
 Stay active.
 Healthy Food for Life

 Use the Food Pyramid

to plan your daily food
choices. The Food
Pyramid shows how
much of
what you eat overall
should come from
each shelf to achieve
a healthy, balanced
diet.