Why Keep a Food Calorie Chart Handy?

Keeping a food calorie chart close at hand when choosing food is one of the smartest things you can do for your health. Best yet is keeping a list of salutary foods and their calorie counts handy.

Why? Because, despite the fact that two-thirds of Americans are overweight, eating right is not just about losing weight and keeping it off. It's also about getting salutary and staying healthy. In fact, the original purpose of eating right is maintaining optimum health.

Food And Dessert

The health problems related with carrying excess weight contain heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, gout, gallbladder disease and breathing problems, such as sleep apnea and asthma. In fact, a someone who is 40% overweight has twice the risk of premature death than an average-weight person. So obesity not just a cosmetic problem. It's a health problem.

That's why it's so leading to keep a food calorie chart list of salutary foods ready when shopping or eating out.

Fresh vegetables and fruits should be at the top of your list. In fact, the National Institutes of health strongly recommend that every person eat in the middle of five to nine daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. Why? They're commonly very low in calories and very high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and requisite fiber. For the best nutrition, choose a wide variety of the most brightly colored produce.

100% whole grain breads, whole grain pastas, and whole grain morning meal cereals should also be high on your list of salutary foods. Highly refined white breads and pasta are sorely lacking in the salutary vitamins, minerals and fiber found in whole grain foods. Processed grains are pure carbohydrate and react just as sugar does when metabolized creating unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels.

When choosing protein foods, avoid high calorie, high fat meats. And undoubtedly stay away from breaded, deep-fried convenience foods. They are especially high in fats and sodium. Instead, stick to broiled skinless fish, poultry and lean meats. Eggs, beans, nuts and seeds are other excellent protein choices. Dairy products are also good sources of protein and calcium, but always choose low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese.

Also keep your beverage choices very simple. Pure, clean water is all you beyond doubt need to drink to be healthy, but low-fat milk, natural fruit and vegetable juices and mild herbal teas are all good choices.

And, by all means, don't load up on high calorie treats and desserts. If you want or need a snack choose fresh fruit, nuts, seeds and whole grain crackers instead.

Why Keep a Food Calorie Chart Handy?