Healthy Eating Resources

Healthy Eating Topics (on this website)

Advertising claims do NOT make something "Healthy"

Look at the Food Ingredients List

food box label

Nutrient Dense Foods

Nutrient rich foods contain higher levels of vitamins and/or minerals. Eating nutrient dense foods gives your body more nutritional bang for your buck. Your body will thank you with improved health. Organic foods have higher levels of nutrients than non-organic foods. See the vitamins/minerals items below for foods listed according to nutrient amounts:

Motivation, Resources for Healthy Eating, Nutrition and Fitness

Consult your physician to determine your general daily calorie intake standard. Know what your maximum daily calorie intake should be based on your age, height and weight and your specific nutritional requirements and any specific health needs.

Books:

Helpful Web Sites (listed alphabetically):

PDF Nutrition Fact Sheets for Download

Most of the nutrition facts information on this website was compiled from the Nutrition Facts labels printed on food packaging. Additional food nutrient facts were taken from various database libraries on the Internet.

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All Foods Sorted by Food Groups, Adobe Acrobat file:
nutrition_facts_by_food_group.pdf  (file size: 736 KB, data updated: 03/16/2017)

All Foods Sorted by Food Name, Adobe Acrobat file:
nutrition_facts.pdf  (file size: 720 KB, data updated: 03/16/2017)

Vegan Foods Sorted by Food Groups, Adobe Acrobat file:
vegan_nutrition_facts_by_food_group.pdf  (file size: 699 KB, data updated: 03/16/2017)

Fiber in Food (High to Low), Adobe Acrobat format file:
fiber_content_high2low.pdf  (file size: 112 KB, data updated: 03/16/2017)

If you do not have Adobe Reader installed on your computer, you can download a free copy from the Adobe website.

icon: get Adobe Reader   download the FREE Adobe Reader

Measurements for Good Health

Maximum Waist Size

Your maximum waist size should be half your height in inches. Measure at the navel with your stomach totally sucked in because you are measuring for belly fat -- not muscle tone.

Maximum Neck Size

According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, extra fat around the neck causes difficulties with breathing when asleep due to body fat constricting the airways. Dr. Oz recommends a maximum neck size of no more than 16 to 17 inches.

Body Mass Index

A body mass index range between 18.5 - 24.9 is considered to be normal. Anything above 24.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.

BMI equals a person's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. (BMI=kg/m2).
Tools on the Internet for calculating Body Mass Index:

A good starting point for determining a healthy weight is one that gives you a normal Body Mass Index for your height.

MyPlate.gov Healthy Eating Plan

myplategov image

The plate picture to the left is a great guideline for how to portion healthy foods onto a plate for each meal.

See USDA's chooseMyPlate.gov plan on this website

Organic versus Non-Organic Produce

1. Organic produce is better because toxic pesticides are not used.
2. People who eat, grow, and harvest organic produce are not exposed to toxic pesticides.

Choose organic for protein and dairy products and choose organic options based on two lists below:

Choose Organic for these:

Can choose non-organic for these:

If organic options are unavailable, clean fruits and vegetables with produce spray:

Clean and Healthy Produce Spray

Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda
1/2 of a lemon (use juice)

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large container. Transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce and let sit for 5 minutes. Scrub and rinse.

About Fiber Intake

Fiber in the diet lowers cholesterol, is good for digestive health, helps curb hunger, and helps curb cravings for sweets. Recommendations for fiber intake range from 25 grams to 45 grams per day.

Fiber Recommendation by the American Heart Association
Whole Grains and Fiber article

Fiber in Foods (High to Low) * having 1 gram or more

fiber_content_high2low.pdf   (file size: 112 KB, data updated: 03/17/2017)
fiber_high2low

About Sodium (salt) Intake

The maximum sodium intake for one day should not exceed 2300 mg. High salt intake causes high blood pressure. High blood pressure causes heart attack and stroke. Table salt has the most sodium and also contains dextrose. Kosher salt is 52% lower in sodum than table salt; Sea salt is 20% lower in sodium than table salt.

Sodium (mg)
2325 Salt, table Quantity: 1 teaspoon
1872 Salt, sea salt Quantity: 1 teaspoon
1680 Salt, Himalayan Pink Quantity: 1 teaspoon
1120 Salt, coarse kosher Quantity: 1 teaspoon

Sodium is present naturally in some raw fruits and vegetables in modest levels. However canned, frozen, or highly processed foods (and especially fast foods) more often have added salt. Read the ingredients in processed, canned or frozen foods to find items without added sodium. You might pay slightly more for food with less sodium, but that should be worth the health benefits.

Sodium Content in Foods (High to Low -- 100 mg and Higher Only)

List updated: March 17, 2017
sodium_high2low.jpg

About Cholesterol Intake

Cholesterol is produced naturally by the liver, thus zero cholesterol from food is needed. Fruits, vegetables, seeds, and plant foods are all cholesterol free. Cholesterol in food comes from animal meat, poultry, and dairy products. The maximum cholesterol intake from foods should be no more than 300 mg per day.

Cholesterol in Foods (High to Low)

List updated: March 16, 2017
cholesterol_high2low

Food and Ingredients to Avoid for Healthy Eating

About Sugar

The only real healthy sugar is whole fruit.

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19981764/different-names-for-sugar/

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