Healthy Foods, a lifestyle-based book, has evolved over the years into a comprehensive guide for living a healthy lifestyle. The Healthy Foods eBook was created by registered dietitian Isabel De Los Rios, M.S. N. author of the acclaimed book, “The No Nonsense Guide to Eating Right.”
The first step toward a healthy lifestyle is to eat right. A healthy diet consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats, all of which provide nutritional value. A well-balanced diet includes at least five servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily. Vegetables and fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Fresh produce such as spinach, squash, turnips, and cabbage are rich in nutrients and help prevent many common diseases. Vegetables and fruits are also excellent choices for a snacking option and for snacks before bedtime.
Next, eat whole grains such as whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oats, quinoa, sorghum, and bulgur. By choosing more whole grains, you can not only feel full longer, but you will be able to retain more of the nutrients found in whole grains. Some foods that are high in fiber include oatmeal, pinto beans, and kidney beans. Other foods that are high in nutritional value include: almond butter, berries, peaches, yogurt, kale, salmon, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and walnuts.
A healthy diet should also include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Some delicious fruits and vegetables include: berries, apples, kiwi, strawberries, oranges, and bananas. Dried fruits, such as dried pineapple, prunes, strawberries, raisins, and dried apricots provide an easy, tasty snack without the mess and bother of making snacks from scratch. Try serving your favorite vegetables on top of raw whole grain crackers, or on a bed of raw spinach with a little bit of oil.
Legumes are another very important part of a healthy diet. Include black beans (fava), kidney beans, garbanzo, pinto beans, and lentils. Be careful not to add too much beans. Also look for brown rice instead of white rice; brown rice has a lot more health benefits. Other legumes to include in your healthy recipe include: lentils, peas, mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower, okra, broccoli, and Swiss chard.
Finally, a healthy snack idea would be fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead of junk food, have veggies such as: celery, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, zucchini, and peppers. You can also make your own juice, but try to stay away from fresh juice drinks that contain sugar. These kinds of drinks are usually loaded with sugar and will make you crave more unhealthy snacks.