3 Myths About Healthy Eating

Dieting and food choices are often confusing for folks that haven't been able to dig deep into the wells of legitimate research. The fact is, there are many food choices that are rumored to be horrible for you (to the point of being avoided), but in reality should be included in a healthy, well rounded diet. Other food choices seem intuitively healthy but can set up you for failure in the long run. Below is a quick article I found a www.livestrong.com that addresses three common fallacies... Damon

By Harold Sconiers

If today's world runs on information, there's more than enough available on what we should or should not eat. However, with all the data at hand, there are still many commonly accepted misconceptions regarding healthy eating. In the area of food, what seems to be true is not always so. This is one area where what you don't know could, in fact, hurt you.

Just Having a Salad
While a salad full of crisp greens and healthy vegetables may complement a balanced diet, adding certain toppings will negate its nutritional value. Much of what is offered at the salad bar is processed food, packed with unwholesome preservatives and nitrates. Bacon bits are full of saturated fats and sodium. Croutons are usually derived from refined flour, containing little in terms of vitamins or nutrients. Seasoned nuts may be covered in processed sugars or drenched in saturated fat. Even the dressing you choose may be replete in unhealthy ingredients. To keep your salads conducive to good health, try plain raw nuts instead of seasoned. Keep dressings on the side and dip the salad in, fork-by-fork. If you like a little meat on your plate, opt for turkey or chicken instead of ham and salami. Making these few simple changes will return your salads to their rightful place on the nutritional hierarchy.

Avoid Red Meat
Although beef does contain some saturated fat, there are many benefits to having a good steak. Red meat is an excellent source of iron, a nutrient essential in transporting oxygen through the blood. Beef is also imbued with zinc, a mineral necessary in many facets of cellular metabolism. Add to this the fact that beef is high in protein. When having it for dinner, simply choose a leaner cut and trim off any visible fat while preparing. By doing this, you can minimize the perils of eating beef, while taking full advantage of its benefits.

Going Vegan
Making deliberate food choices is important, even in a vegetarian lifestyle. Vital nutrients such as vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc are difficult to obtain without ingesting animal products. Also, some vegan alternatives to common meats are high in calories and contain little to no useful properties. A vegetarian eating plan should be intentionally structured to provide your body with the nutrients it requires, while remaining low in fat and additives.

References

* Arkansas Department of Health Nutrition Facts
* U.S. Department of Health
* NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH


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