Eating Well for Better Health

Eating healthy is vital to living a long life and avoiding many of the diseases that someone older or in poor shape may experience. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of staying healthy and fit as you age. They help in the fight against cancer, heart disease, cataracts and diabetes complications. Most fruits and vegetables are available throughout the year, but can be more expensive when not in season. Five to nine servings are recommended each day. Frozen produce or dried fruits are just as nutritious as fresh. They are also convenient and are usually better priced than off-season produce. Remember that it is important to wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them.

Learning to snack healthy is also essential to good fitness. Avoiding foods and beverages high in sugar and fat content is vital. Instead of a cookie or candy bar after school, try grabbing an apple, a peach, or a bowl of grapes. Raw veggies with low fat dip are also tasty. Dried fruits, nuts and dry cereal, along with berries, melon, or peaches in your yogurt or cottage cheese are also good. Chopped vegetables with your scrambled eggs are delicious in the morning along with 100% orange juice or cranberry juice. Soda, even diet, just isn’t very healthy. You can also make a smoothie with fresh, frozen or canned fruit. Baked or mashed sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes are a good choice. For meat, potatoes, and fish use fresh lime juice to season instead of salt or pepper. Remember it’s your body. If you don’t take care of it, where will you live?

Test your healthy eating knowledge