To Your Health
August, 2009 (Vol. 03, Issue 08) |
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Truly healthy options do exist, and some of them are convenient, but we may need to develop a new set of taste buds (or retrain the old ones) in order to enjoy them.
Take white bread for example. It starts off as whole grains but has many of its original (healthy) parts removed to make it white and soft. Then the bread is chemically enriched with just a few vitamins and minerals. Confusing, right? Why not skip the rigmarole and choose whole-wheat bread? It will feed your body with whole nutrition, which is just what your body needs. Other whole foods, like peaches or nuts, will be better fuel for your body than a processed snack.
What Can You Do?
- Check your supermarket for a salad bar. If you're running in for a frozen pizza, you can put together a salad so you don't fill up on pizza. If the salad bar is too expensive, a cheaper option may be to grab a bag of prewashed spinach for a simple salad.
- If you love ice cream, think of picking up frozen yogurt or sorbet instead. The latter choices generally have less calories and fat, and some may have less sugar, too.
Healthy Substitutions: Eat This, Not That
Next time you hit the drive-thru, think about these healthy substitutions: |
Instead Of:
Soft drinks
Double burger patty
Cheeseburger
Salty sides
Fried
Foot long sub
White bread
Sandwich bread
Deep dish with extra cheese
Dressing, gravy, ketchup
Mocha coffee drink | Choose:
Water
Single burger patty
Hamburger
Fruit or vegetable sides
Grilled
Six-inch sub
Whole grain bread
Tortilla (wrap)
Thin crust with extra veggies
Plain, or on the side
Black coffee |
- At the drive-thru, stay away from value meals. You can save a lot of calories and improve your health by replacing a high-fat, high-sodium food like French fries with the carrot sticks you have with you, or another side, like apple slices. Also, think about choosing water instead of a soda. It will save you calories and it might save you money.
At home, eating healthy is easier if unhealthy foods aren't available. So instead of chips, think about adding a dash of sea salt to your cucumbers. It's a great way to soothe a salty/crunchy craving instead of breaking out the chips. If you're craving something sweet, try munching on some berries instead of a cookie.
Planning Ahead
Everyone has a day or week that suddenly fills up, but we often know when we'll be particularly busy at least a little bit beforehand. Plan ahead for when you know making a time-intensive meal won't be an option. You could make an extra batch soup or chili and freeze it. If you have a block of time, think about preparing fruits or vegetables and storing them in handy containers. Then when you're rushing to prepare a snack or dinner, the hard part will already be done. Also consider investing in a rice cooker, a vegetable steamer or a slow cooker. These kitchen tools can take over while you're busy doing something else.
