Healthy Eating Tips

I think Mother Nature is confused.  Pouring down rain yesterday and snow today.  Well, we still have a few weeks of winter left and I am just going to embrace it. :)

On another note, it's National Nutrition Month!  In honour of all things food, I thought I would share some healthy tips.

Read Food Labels
While it is always best to buy food that comes in its own packaging (like fruits and veggies), we do need to hit the shelves from time to time.

Here are a few things to look for when you are checking out nutritional labels.

• Always look at serving sizes, especially in small packages.  In this example, a serving of cereal is 1/2 a cup.  If you pour yourself a full cup of cereal, all the numbers are doubled.
• Chose products that contain more than 3g of fibre per serving
• Be aware of the sodium content.  It can be very high in packaged foods.  
• Look at the ratio of fats:carbs:protein.  Look for products that have a balance of all three.
• Check out this post to give you the lowdown on some common food claims.

Look to the Guide
Canada's Food Guide (updated in 2007) is a great place to start for the general population.  It gives examples of serving sizes, encourages you to consume healthy oils and fats and offers tips to live a more active and healthy lifestyle.

Though it is not perfect (it does not not address the specific needs of vegetarians, vegans and athletes), I think it can be a very useful tool and I often give it to my clients. 

What healthy eating tips do you live by?  Do you read food label or use food guides?

Stay Healthy,
Tracy