Healthy Eating: Eat Right, Eat Smart!

Cookies, fried chicken, potato chips – they’re all yummy foods, right? But, unfortunately, your body can’t thrive healthfully on these vittles alone. Healthy eating (eating foods that are nutritious, foods that are good for your heart…and your waistline) is key to living a long, healthy life. Did you know certain foods can actually support your immune system and help prevent disease? Yes! Who doesn’t want that?

According to the American Dietetic Association, nutritious foods include varieties such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and poultry such as skinless chicken breast, whole-wheat grains, low-fat milk, eggs and nuts. These foods are low in saturated fat and packed with the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function well. Not-so healthy options include “convenient foods” that seemingly make our lives easier. Fast food meals (a high-calorie, high fat burger with fries, for example) or processed foods such as frozen dinners, packaged cakes or boxed and canned meals which can be high in sodium fall into this category.

Healthy eating is about making smarter decisions regularly. Your goal should be a balanced diet that includes low-fat, low-calorie, low-sodium foods and a minimum of those indulgences we all crave. Eating healthfully is not just about what you eat. It's also about how much you eat. Also, stay mindful of how much food you put on your plate.