Healthful Snacking

A calorie is simply a calorie regardless of whether it comes
from carbohydrates, protein, or fat. If you consume more
calories than you use, you will put on weight. It iss as
simple as that. In order to avoid weight gain, the number of
calories in must equal the number of calories out. If you take
the time to plan and sort out what you are going to eat, you
will find it easier to ensure that you choose a wide variety of
foods from all food groups and thus follow a healthier eating
plan.

These days most of us lead hectic, busy, frenetic lives. We are
juggling a variety of roles and trying to somehow fit everything
into a seemingly-insufficient 24 hour day. It's not surprising
that healthy eating loses priority when we are rushing to get
to work, to get the kids to school, going to meetings, getting
home chores done. At times like this people are more likely to
miss meals altogether and substitute them with junk food. By
snacking on healthy foods, you can to some extent, compensate
for the damage you are doing to your body when you don't eat
properly. Similarly, eating small meals throughout the day can
help provide necessary nourishment.

Eating food in its raw state, meaning as unprocessed as
possible, ensures that you are getting the food's full vitamin
and mineral content, as none will be destroyed during the
cooking process. Cooking modifies the food molecules thereby
destroying their nutrients and enzymes. When you eat raw food,
you may need to chew more to break the food down. By doing this
your body sends signals to the digestive tract to produce an
adequate amount of digestive enzymes.

Another healthy eating tip is, where possible, try to grill or
bake your food instead of frying it. If you do need to fry or
sauté, use half the recommended amount of fat. Keep in mind
that brown bread and rice is nutritionally better than their
white counterparts. Whole grain bread is an excellent
convenience food. If you get your kids used to brown bread in
their earlier years, avoiding white bread altogether, you'll be
glad you did.

When it comes to hot and cold beverages, there are innumerable
choices when it comes to the wonderful world of herbal teas.
They may not be to everyone's taste but if you try, you are
more than likely to find one that suits you. They are also
exceedingly beneficial for you. If you are a coffee lover, you
might try a coffee substitute such as dandelion coffee.

In addition to cutting down on coffee and tea, you should
reduce your salt and sugar intake as well. At present there are
many types of vegetable stock cubes and vegetable bouillion
powders available in health food shops for added flavor. Also,
using both fresh and dried herbs can help increase the flavour
of a dish without needing to add much salt.


About The Author: Linda Williams writes for several popular web
sites, including http://nedod.com and http://bosiv.com