­Here is what you should be eating daily if you want to stay in the pinkest of health. First and foremost, enjoy a variety of foods from each of the nutritional groups every day. You can consume anything between 5 and 12 servings of grain products per day. Don’t forget to choose whole grain and enriched products more often as these are low in fat or cholesterol and high in B vitamins, iron, and fiber. Bread, pasta, rice, cereal, and crackers are some grain products that you should include in every meal.

You can easily binge on another 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Select dark green and orange vegetables or fruits more often such as broccoli, lettuce, carrots, cantaloupe, potatoes, oranges, bananas, and peaches as these are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while being low in fat, calories, and sodium. If you are a meat lover, restrict your intake to not more than 3 servings per day. Opt for leaner meats, poultry, and fish more often. Include dried peas, beans, and lentils too as this will make your meal high in protein, B vitamins, iron, and many other essential minerals.

When it comes to milk products, children between 4 and 9 years of age should have 2 to 3 servings per day and those between 10 and 16 years of age should consume 3 to 4 servings per day. Depending upon their diet, lifestyle, and health condition, adults can have 2 to 4 servings of milk products per day. It is advisable to consume lower-fat milk products in any form – be it milk, cheese, yogurt, ice-cream, or anything else – more often as they can provide protein, calcium, phosphorus, niacin, riboflavin, and vitamins A and D without increasing the cholesterol levels in the blood.

Always­ aim for a fat intake that is 25% of the total calories consumed in a day. Limit your consumption of saturated fat to less than10% of that. Ensure that your cholesterol consumption is less than 300 mg per day and don’t eat more than 6 gm of salt in a day. Avoid alcohol in any form to be on the safer side. Don’t get carried away by fad diets. Remember that variety is the spice of life and also the key to good health. It is perfectly fine to enjoy junk food once in a way, but doing so very often can get you into trouble.

Related posts:

1. Diabetic Diet
2. Adding fiber to your diet can add years to your life
3. Right Diet for Right Weight
4. Cholesterol Check
5. Health Package

Tags: Alcohol, Cholesterol, Fat, Fiber, Fruits, Good Health, Guide, Iron, Junk Food, Milk products, Minerals, Nutrition, Vegetables, Vitamins, Whole grain

Share with Friends