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| (ARA) Dietary advice is plentiful and easy to come by from the importance of consuming omega-3 and antioxidants, to the dangers of trans fats. It's often less easy, however, to find the "how-to" guidance that can help you put the health advice into practice. "Most people value convenience and taste over low fat content and high antioxidant levels," says Carmen Bazile, a New Orleans culinary icon and chef educator in Southern cooking for the Southern United States Trade Association. "With all the emphasis on healthy eating, it's easy to get overwhelmed with figuring out just how to do it." For anyone interested in eating food that tastes great but doesn't create a serious caloric imbalance, Chef Bazile serves up the following five tips: 1. Flax it up. Flax seeds are a rich source of ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid shown to support cardiovascular health. Also an excellent source of fiber, flax can make you feel fuller faster and help in weight maintenance. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the soluble fiber in flax may help lower your cholesterol and regulate your blood sugar. Flax also contains lignans, which may offer protection against breast, colon and prostate cancers. 2. When it comes to salt, less is more. Sodium is a necessary part of our diets, but it doesn't take much to meet our daily requirement of just 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Salt intake can affect blood pressure and overall health. To curb your salt intake, replace canned fruits or vegetables, which are notoriously high in salt, with fresh products. Limit the amount of pre-packaged foods you eat, and avoid salty seasonings like seasoned salt, bouillon cubes and soy sauce. 3. A colorful plate is a healthy plate. The more colors on your plate the better. Green broccoli and bell peppers, red tomatoes and strawberries, purple grapes and orange carrots all have nutrients that fight disease. Follow the rainbow. Red foods contain cancer-fighting lycopene. The beta carotene in orange foods lowers heart disease risks and in green foods can help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Lutein in yellow foods promotes vision health. Blue fruits provide anti-inflammatory chemicals and are high in antioxidants. 4. Go nuts. Rich in fiber and anti-oxidants, nuts are one of the best sources of plant protein. Replace foods high in saturated fats with nuts that have been shown to help lower cholesterol. The FDA considers almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios and hazelnuts to be beneficial to health. Instead of candy, give kids mixed nuts or trail mix as a health snack, or add pureed nuts or some flax to your favorite shake. 5. Size matters. Portion control is a great way to prevent overeating. By eating less you consume fewer calories, putting you on the path to controlling your weight. Eat small meals or healthful snacks throughout the day to control hunger. Try adding a supplement like flax seeds to your diet. Because they are high in fiber, you will feel fuller faster and tend to eat less. Courtesy of ARAcontent |