Everyone wants to eat a healthier diet, but it can sometimes be
difficult to know if your diet is healthy enough.
There are a number of factors that go into creating a healthy
diet, and it is important to evaluate the current state of your
diet before embarking on a plan for healthier eating.
There are several questions you should ask yourself when
evaluating the healthiness (or lack thereof) of your current
eating plan!
Do I eat a wide variety of foods?
Variety is one of the most important hallmarks of a healthy
diet, since no one food contains all the nutrients needed by the
human body. It is important to eat foods from all the major food
groups, including grains and breads, fruits and vegetables, milk
and dairy products, meats, beans and nuts.
If you find yourself avoiding some food groups, such as
vegetables for instance, it may be time to look for a healthier
diet.
Do I recognize the importance of cereals, breads and other grain
products?
Eating a wide variety of grain based products is important to a
healthy diet. Grains and cereals contain a large number of
important nutrients, including high levels of dietary fiber.
It is important to choose whole grain products as often as
possible, since whole grain products like wheat bread contain
more nutrients than more refined white bread and similar
products. When eating cereal, it is a good idea to choose whole
grain varieties, or those that are enriched with vitamins and
minerals.
Do I eat lots of fruits and vegetables?
Many people do not eat sufficient servings of fruits and
vegetables every day. Most experts recommend eating between 5
and 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, roughly
equivalent to 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables.
When shopping for vegetables and fruits, it is important to
choose a good variety of dark green, dark red, orange and yellow
varieties. That is because different colored fruits and
vegetables contain a variety of different nutrients, including
vitamin C, vitamin A and beta carotene.
Do I eat a good breakfast every morning?
Breakfast, or the absence of it, is often a good indicator of
the state of your diet. If you rush out of the house every
morning and grab a donut at the local convenience store, chances
are your diet can use some work. A healthy breakfast provides a
foundation for the rest of the day, helps you avoid cravings and
provides much needed nutrition.
Do I choose low fat foods over higher fat alternatives?
This is also an important question to ask yourself. Low fat
alternatives are available for a variety of products, including
milk, cheese, meats and more.
One part of following a healthy, low fat diet is avoiding
prepared foods whenever possible, since prepared foods tend to
have higher amounts of fat and sodium than fresh foods.
It is also important to control the amount of fat that is added
at the table. Adding things like butter, sour cream and heavy
sauces is a sure way to ruin an otherwise healthy meal. Even
healthy foods like salads can be sabotaged by the addition of
high fat salad dressings. Try using lower fat alternatives like
flavored vinegars instead.
Do I drink plenty of water?
Drinking plenty of fresh, pure water is important to maintaining
a healthy body and a healthy lifestyle. Water is important to
maintaining optimal levels of health. If you think you need more
water, try substituting water for less healthy beverages like
soda and coffee.
Am I able to maintain my optimal body weight?
Gaining weight without trying to is often a sign of a poor diet.
Following a healthy diet, and getting plenty of regular
exercise, is the only way to lose weight and keep it off.
Do I limit the amount of salt, sugar, alcohol and caffeine in my
diet?
While all of these elements are fine in moderation, excessive
amounts of any of these four can indicate a serious problem with
your diet. It is important to limit the amount of unhealthy
elements in any diet.
|
Categories 
