DestinationSpaVacations Best Nutrition Tips

From DestinationSpaVacations

Nutrition
Best Nutrition Tips
By
Jul 8, 2010 - 3:12:41 PM

Canyon Ranch (Arizona)

How do you resist the relentless marketing for junk food, fast food and processed food? Seek out reliable information and reinforcement for your healthy eating habits - that's how. Here are five top tips from nutritionists.

1. Be Smart, Snack Healthy
Studies have shown that when subjects included a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon that contained protein they were able to perform 30 to 40% better on verbal reasoning tests! So if you're looking for an advantage in school or at work, look no further than your backpack or purse. Three easy alternatives: A handful of almonds and a piece of fruit; an ounce of cheese and apple slices; a hard-boiled egg and some carrot sticks. Not only will you maximize your brain-power, these balanced snacks will keep you from becoming ravenous before mealtime. One key to healthy weight is never to let yourself get so hungry that you lose control.

2. Involve the Family in Trying New Things
When you try a new healthy recipe, have your kids help in the preparation -hanging out in the kitchen, they're likely to sample foods they might resist trying in a more formal setting. They'll also feel some ownership for the meal. Then, at the table, have the whole family rate the recipe on a scale of 1 to 5. Start a discussion of what is best about it and include everyone - what about the flavor, the texture, eye appeal, etc.? If everyone agrees that it was great, keep it in the mix; if not, don't make it again. You and your kids will eat more mindfully, really think about what you're eating, and reinforce a healthy relationship with food. As a bonus, you'll be talking with each other!

3. Make a Healthy Meal in Minutes
A black bean or chicken burrito on a corn tortilla with salsa and guacamole is a nutrient-dense meal chock full of antioxidants including lycopene in the tomatoes, lutein and zeaxanthein in the avocado, and lots of flavonoids, fiber, and protein in the beans. To speed up prep, base your burritos on well-rinsed canned beans or pre-cooked chicken breast (available at many delis and grocery stores), prepared salsa and guacamole. If you have a few more minutes and the ingredients on hand, fancy up your creation with a sprinkling of grated cheese or a dollop of plain yogurt, chopped fresh tomatoes and lettuce, a few chopped olives - whatever you and your family like best. Serve warm or cold - delicious!

4. Look Younger with Pomegranates
Pomegranate juice is a gorgeous color, and it can help keep you gorgeous, too. Try adding some unsweetened pomegranate juice to your smoothie and reap the benefits of its potent antioxidants - more than most other fruits. Did you know that the ellagic acid in pomegranates helps protect your skin's collagen layer from damage - better known as wrinkles?

5. Go Heavy on the Salad, Easy on the Dressing
Most salad dressings are mostly fat, and the calories they add to an otherwise wonderfully healthy salad add up fast. If you have weight issues, salad dressing may be part of the problem. Consider cutting the amount of dressing you use in half. After a few weeks, consider cutting it in half again. Gradual changes are always the easiest to maintain.