Junk Food Essay

734 Words3 Pages
Healthy Foods For Healthy Lifestyle Nutrition is extremely important to good health. Good nutrition lowers your risk of numerous medical problems, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers. Combined with regular physical activity, the right foods help promote a healthy lifestyle. But determining which foods are best can be confusing at times, especially when new "super-foods" are frequently hyped in the media. In truth, the best way to live a healthy lifestyle is to focus on reasonable, common-sense guidelines for good nutrition, many of which are probably already familiar to you. Here are some basics to keep in mind. Step 1 Eat fewer nutrient-poor foods, advises the American Heart Association. These include foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars, such as fatty meats, cream, butter, ice cream, pastries, candy, desserts and many packaged snack foods. While these foods may be tasty, they can take a toll on your overall health and lead to weight problems as well. Limit these foods to occasional treats if possible. Step 2 Add more fruits and vegetables. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee says that you should eat two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables each day for optimal health. These foods are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and fiber that help prevent disease. Step 3 Swap out refined grains for whole grains. While you don't have to eliminate every processed grain in your diet, for best health, eat more whole, unprocessed grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, bran flakes cereal, wheat germ and whole-grain pasta. These grains provide more fiber and nutrients than processed, refined grains. Step 4 Switch from high-fat, animal-based proteins to lean, plant-based proteins -- at least some of the time. The Harvard School of Public Health
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