20120125-OSEC-RBN-New Nutrition Standards

Image by USDAgov
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined First Lady Michelle Obama and celebrity cook Rachel Ray at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 to speak with faculty and parents about the United States Department of Agriculture’s new and improved nutrition standards for school lunches. An important accomplishment of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that President Obama signed into law last year, USDA is making the first major changes in school meals in over 15 years. The new standards encourage fruits and vegetables every day of the week, increasing offerings of whole grain-rich foods, offering only fat-free or low-fat milk and making sure kids are getting proper portion sizes. USDA Photo by Bob Nichols.

Try not to be overwhelmed thinking about good nutrition. It can overwhelm them with the amount of nutrients a body needs. Keep reading for tips to help you get started.

Quinoa can be a healthy alternative to red meat. It is a non-meat food that contains essential amino acids. It’s also gluten-free and contain many vitamins your body needs. The flavor is mild and nutty. It’s a food that’s both delicious and good for you.

Include whole grains in your diet. Healthier people generally are those who choose whole grains instead of the nutritionally empty carbohydrates found in processed grains. Add in foods to your daily diet that are made of 100% whole grains. These foods give you the fiber and complex carbs you need to keep your body healthy.

It is smart to eat a variety of protein on a weekly basis. You can choose from options like seafood, poultry without skin and lean meats. Eggs are a great provider of protein. Eating only one daily egg will not affect your health. For one day of each week, why not try skipping meat? Good meat substitutes include seeds, peanut butter, peas, seeds and nuts.

If you are going out, share a dish with your date or with a friend. Even the healthiest option often comes with a serving size that is too large for one person, doubling or even tripling the amount of fat and calories. When you share your meal, you will save money and reduce the amount of calories you consume. This is one great way to enjoy yourself without ruining your diet.

You should ensure that you get plenty of selenium in your diet. Selenium is a great way to prevent aging because it helps to remove toxins from the body, and also helps to maintain elasticity and keep the skin looking young. Selenium is also is beneficial to the skin, protecting it from damage from the sun. Wheat germ, brown rice, garlic and a few other foods are very rich in selenium.

If you want to cut down on the fat levels of your diet, cook your veggies with water rather than oil. Boiled or steamed vegetables can be just as delicious as fried ones. If oil just has to be used, think about using small amounts of vegetable oil rather than butter.

There are many readily available exercise products to help you get and stay in shape in the comfort of your own home. If you find the right products you can get in as good of shape as you could in a gym.

Always eat breakfast each morning. Sometimes people don’t eat breakfast because they lack the time or appetite. Your day needs to start with proper nutrition, and that should include a good, well-rounded meal. You don’t want your day to start off bad by skipping this very important meal.

There is a simple way you can tell if your body is dehydrated– your urine will be darker and have a strong odor. If your body is efficiently hydrated with all of the right fluids, then your urine will always be pale or almost clear in color.

Put a little pumpkin in your diet. Pumpkin contains a natural antioxidant called beta carotene. Beta carotene can help improve immunity, vision and may help prevent heart attacks and cancer. It’s great to enjoy fresh pumpkin, but if you don’t have it handy, you can use canned pumpkin.

The advice you have just been given will allow you to have your nutrition information organized in your mind. Use these insights and apply them to meal planning and food consumption on a daily basis.