Reports have also shown that diet during infancy and childhood has a direct effect on later life food choices. If a person grows up eating fast foods or a high caloric diet filled with sugar and saturated fats, those eating patterns generally continue into adulthood.
The easiest way to make the change to good eating habits is to look to nature. Foods should be eaten, as much as possible, in their natural state or cooked to retain their highest food values.
These ten foods are recommended for health and longevity:
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Nuts
- Whole grains
- Salmon or other fatty fish high in Omega 3
- Blueberries
- Garlic
- Spinach
- Leafy dark green vegetables
- Bright green, orange or red peppers
The above foods are packed with antioxidants, omega 3 and essential vitamins for health and nutrition. Antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids help ward off free radicals, which are responsible for the growth of cancerous tumours and disease in the body.
Another consideration for weight control and healthy eating is portion size. When choosing a diet plan make sure it follows the recommended daily serving allowance from all food groups. Health Canada’s recommended servings per day for adults includes:
- Seven servings of fresh or frozen vegetables, leafy greens, fresh, frozen or canned fruit
- Seven servings of whole grain breads, rice, cereal, cooked pasta, potatoes
- Two or three servings of milk or milk products – yogurt, cheese, butter or soy beverages
- Two or three servings of cooked fish, shellfish, poultry, lean meat, legumes, tofu, eggs, nuts
Food Consumption and Preparation
Homemade soups made from leftover or fresh ingredients make a nutritious and filling start to a meal. When cooking use salad oils and dressings low in saturated and trans fats. Eat at least one dark green and one orange or red vegetable each day. Vegetables like spinach, carrots, tomatoes or red, green and orange bell peppers can be eaten as a side dish or incorporated into a soup.
Cook vegetables without added fat, sugar or salt. Steaming or microwaving them is a good alternative. Eating raw vegetables and fruits rather than drinking fruit or vegetable juices will provide more fiber and add less sugar to a healthy diet. Try drinking and cooking with skim or one or two percent milk to cut down saturated fats.
Select lean cuts of meat and poultry or trim away excess fat prior to cooking. For variety substitute beans, lentils or tofu instead of meat to add protein to the meal. Eggs and cheese products are also healthy alternatives.
Canada’s Food Guide recommends at least two servings of fish per week. Choose fish high in omega such as salmon, char, mackerel, sardines and trout. Bake, broil or grill the fish or coat in a light batter and fry in olive oil.
Twenty four hundred years ago Hypocrites, the father of medicine said, “Let food be your medicine and let medicine by your food.”
That advice still applies today for those wanting to live a long and healthy life.
Sheila Aylesworth - Sheila Aylesworth is a retired Student Resource Assistant. Her responsibilities included positive, communication with people from all ...
