It is 2015. The food pyramid–now a plate template– has been in public usage in the U.S. since 1992. Do we really need a template or a nutrition teacher to tell us how to eat? Apparently yes. Read below to decide if one could help you.
What qualifies a food as nutritious or not-as-nutritious? If our schools (and honorable First Lady) did not put so much emphasis on how to live healthy and happy, maybe we would not be so quick to answer. A healthy nutrition plan is now color-coded for your easy use. And yet, more than 78.6 million (or one–third) U.S. adults are obese.
How much soda do you drink? One study of American soda drinkers found that the average adult consumes about 500 cans each year. That amounts to about 52 pounds of added sugar every year. Imagine the amount after 15 years.
Perhaps you have quit soda after hearing reports such as this. That’s good for your health and your wallet. But maybe, unknowingly, you replaced a soda habit with something else, such as sweetened tea. That switches one sugary drink with another, less vilified one. And you were feeling such an angelic glow from cutting down on soda.
How can you catch diet pitfalls? There are a few ways. One proven way is to keep a food journal, and to write down every bite of food for a specified amount of time, such as a week or a month. Another method is to work with a nutrition teacher.
Both choices have their merits. It is worth mentioning that a nutrition teacher will very likely have you keep a food journal as well so they can see what you eat day-to-day. Either way, you will clearly see what is being consumed on a daily basis.
Quick, how much sodium does your body need each day? Some estimates indicate that as many as 90% of U.S. adults are eating too much sodium. Healthy nutrition involves more than calories and fat; micronutrients count too.
So what does good nutrition look like? Truthfully, that depends on you. Age, gender, activity level, possible diseases, goals–these all need to be factored in to create a nutritious diet. Experts do agree though, that limiting processed foods and eating several servings of fruit and vegetables every day are a great foundation.
