Saturday, July 20, 2013

Tips For Better Nutrition That Anyone Can Use

By Wilson Resturbee


Most people would love to improve their diet. Formulating and implementing ways to achieve better nutrition can be overwhelming. You don't have to completely overhaul your diet, though. This article lists some easy tips on how to improve your nutrition in small and effective ways.

Switch to a lower-fat milk. Fat-free skim and 1 percent milks have the same vitamins and minerals as whole milk, but they contain less fat and fewer calories. Switching over to low-fat milk is the perfect way to keep your body in top condition and give it the nutrients it needs.

One fantastic source of energy and nutrition is peanut butter. As delicious as it is versatile, you can pair it with apples, bananas, celery, and whole-grain breads and crackers. Mixing peanut butter into many of your favorite foods is a nutritious way to add flavor and a kick of protein. In addition, peanut butter has healthful oils that are beneficial to many parts of your body.

A handy trick would be to slice your meat thinner. You won't automatically notice that there is actually less meat on the plate. If you use slices that are thinner it will be more visually appealing. Slice your meat thinner and enjoy great meal centerpieces without overeating.

Let your children know how important good nutrition is by encouraging them to eat healthy fruits and vegetables and by trying to make nutrition fun for them. Even very young children enjoy helping to fix their own nutritious snack. Children of virtually any age can assist with the creation of "bugs on a log." First, instruct your child to cover a piece of celery with peanut butter. Sprinkle it with raisins or nuts to represent the bugs.

If your child won't eat vegetables by themselves, try integrating them into some other dish. Prepare pumpkin or zucchini muffins, or make a pasta sauce that includes pureed vegetables. You can also sneak a number of excellent veggies and fruits into your child's snacks.

Never make your children finish their food if they do not want to. Once they are full, they should be allowed to finish eating. Do not use food as a bribe either. By instilling smart choices and patterns in your child now, they will build good habits that they will use for life.

Track what you drink each day. If you're drinking 24 ounces of soft drinks and juice, cut that down to 12 ounces and replace the rest with water. The convenience of soft drinks makes it difficult to track how many you are actually consuming. Once you are aware of the totals, you will be able to see where you are going overboard.

Kids are notorious for not wanting to eat their vegetables. However, with a little cleverness, parents can get their children to eat vegetables using a variety of techniques. They may be interested in vegetables that look cool or you could try low-fat dips that they could dip the veggies into. In fact, you can also let your child feel like they are part of the decision making process. Take them shopping, and let them select what veggies will be included in that night's meal. Another trick is to fill up a favorite sandwich with vegetables like cucumbers, spinach leaves or anything else you can sneak in!

With a little slight-of-hand, it is possible to slip healthy, nutritious ingredients into the diets of even the pickiest young children. It is easy to sneak fruits and vegetables into popular toddler snacks like cookies or muffins. It is always an option to put veggies in your child's juice to get an extra serving or two.




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