how to choose healthy food choices

choose healthy food choices?
Eating healthy can help sustain the welfare, achieve longevity and prevent chronic diseases that are expensive to treat. Despite promoting public to eat healthy foods health, only 23 percent of Americans consume the recommended daily amounts more important with vegetables or fruits, according to the annual progress report of 2010 of the National Prevention, Promotion health and Public health Council. Healthy food choices abound in most cities, however, it can be hard to find in restaurants and can be perceived as more expensive than processed foods.

Pro: Promotes Health
Eating healthy foods can improve your overall health. Healthy foods are all grown organically without pesticides, unprocessed and are fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains and olive and vegetable oils. healthy food for people who consume animal products include moderate amounts of low-fat dairy products and cold water, fatty fish, like salmon and clear and low amounts of lean meat and poultry tuna. These foods can promote health and increase longevity. Choosing healthy foods include products containing calcium for bone growth, antioxidants to slow the aging process and healthy to maintain cellular health and cardiovascular fats.

Pro: Reduces the risk of disease
Healthy foods reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The low-glycemic foods such as barley, grapefruits and chickpeas, help control sugar levels in the blood and may reduce the risk of diabetes and complications such as nerve damage. Healthy fats in olive oil acids and omega-3 fatty acids from nuts and fish may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Fruits or vegetables contain a many antioxidants, which can reduce your risk of cancer. Dairy and soy foods contain calcium and  can reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Cons: It's not always easy to find
The healthy food choices are not always easy to find, especially in restaurants. Many fast food restaurants cook with trans fats, that may increase our risk of heart disease. On restaurant menus  with high amounts of sodium, calories, saturated fat.

With: Cost
A common perception among people who do not buy in health food stores is that health foods are more expensive than other similar products in major grocery stores. The truth is that many gourmet food brands health are expensive, however, there are less expensive brands of health food products. Buying organic products can be expensive, but may be less expensive when grown locally. Eating healthy foods, sometimes more expensive, they can help you save more tomorrow in not having to pay for health care treatment of chronic diseases that can result from eating unhealthy foods.


How to choose healthy foods? 6 tips useful and effective

Perhaps you crave when you feel sad or depressed and fall into the mistake of choosing your food bad, thinking that not so healthy choice can make you feel better. In addition, you have to be aware that not only are chosen foods at every breakfast, lunch or dinner, food choices actually made all day.


1. Identify. The first thing you have to do is identify what your current eating habits. Write down everything you eat for a couple of days, without making changes in your usual food choices. Be honest with yourself and do not leave anything out. Perfectly recalls can not make changes if you do not know really what your power points that need improvement are.

Once you've done this, review your list again without judging, just be objective and see your eating patterns and choices you're doing, recognizing that there are some things you can do differently. Do not forget to congratulate you for the things you do well as drinking more water or eating dessert at every meal.

2. Reduce consumption high calories
Start with those that are high in fat and sugar, as are those who are probably causing more damage. Once you identify them, use the table suggest healthy foods to help you find the options that you like. As these healthier food options are incorporated into your regular routine, gradually you will improve the quality of nutrients, will reduce the calories, and probably find that your meals satisfy you even more.

3. Stay in simple. A good strategy to make better food choices is lean towards that come closest to their natural state, ie, those that are less processed. In addition to receiving the higher nutritional value you will also consume less fat, sugar and salt. For example, look at the difference of a portion of a fresh apple (80 calories, vitamins, minerals, fiber) compared with applesauce (less minerals and vitamins ,100 calories,  more sugar, fiber, less ), apple juice (115 calories even fewer vitamins and minerals, and no fiber).


4. Know what you're comiendo.- When you go to the grocery store take time to read the labels, check the ingredients and see the nutrition facts so you can assess the calories, fat and sugar content in foods you buy. Learn to read menus when you go to restaurants so you can make the best decisions.



5.Plan the future. It is easier to make better decisions when you've planned ahead. When you have a plan of what you are eating during meals, it is easier to commit ourselves with healthier choices. On the other hand, when it is not planned and eat in a hurry, it is very easy to fall back into old patterns and may not choose wisely.


6. Be realistic. If you crave ice cream, and try to satisfy the craving with a handful of celery sticks probably it will not work. You're craving something creamy, soft and sweet - not crunchy and fibrous - so maybe a yogurt with some berries or frozen banana slices you could work.



Stay focused on replacing bad habits with better ones, be aware that any change however small it may seem, it all adds up. In this sense, every time you make a better choice remember that you are doing something good for you and you're a step closer to having a healthier diet. As you continue making better choices, they will become new habits, and eventually your best choices are foods that you are more antojarán.