Answer To Your Fitness Questions" />Healthy Snack Foods
July 16, 2008
One of my first rules to healthy snack foods to get the foods that are as close to the tree or as whole as can be! When in season have the convenience of fresh fruit, such as:
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, just about any berry!
Apples, bananas, peaches, apricots, and all the tree fruits!
What about grapes? Of course, green or purple!
Just remember your portion size, (1/2 cup or medium size) and how many a day of fruits you should have (2-3).
Vegetables make wonderful healthy snack foods:
Baby carrots, cut cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower and grape tomatoes! The portions sizes are also 1/2 cup with the amount per day being 2-4!
Then there are the nuts: Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews and pecans! 10-12 are a serving!
With summer being here, this selection of healthy snack foods are the most wonderful way to keep your vitamins and nutrients filling you body with the good stuff and who thought that healthy snack foods would taste so good???!!!
How Does Salt Affect The Body?
July 7, 2008
The averageg daily consumption of Americans is about 2300 milligrams. The FDA recommendation is 1500 milligrams per day. With the AHA set at about 2000 milligrams.
We really require small amounts to maintain fluid balance inside and outside the cells.
So at this point lets name several ways to reduce your intake of salt by doing some of the following tips:
1. Don’t add extra salt from your salt shaker to your foods.
2. Look for low-fat dairy products, they have less sodium in them.
3. Always read your labels before eating. Check out the sodium levels.
4. Keep a food diary to see how much food you are actually consuming.
5. Cut down on your fast food consumption.
6. Try to compare products and get the one lower in sodium.
7. Oh, and eat as close to whole and fresh as possible in your foods.
8. Try to cook with whole foods, and not preserved foods.
9. Maybe try salt substitutes, like lemon juice, pepper and other spices.
I think we all agree, we need to be really checking out the labels. It is amazing how many sneaky things get in there and affect our well-being. Maybe we should consider not going so much for flavor, as fat and salt are what brings the most flavor to our foods! But I guess that is for you to decide!
