Keeping your mind and body in top shape is critical to earning top grades. Ultimately, good health starts with a good diet.
Here are eight ways you can make your next trip to the grocery store an investment in your education ––and your life!
1) Read the Nutrition Facts. Don’t be fooled by claims like “Healthy,” “Low Fat” or “Whole Grain” on the package. Look at the actual numbers on the nutrition label before deciding whether or not a food product is going to wind up on your dinner plate.
2) Check the Serving Size. One way manufacturers can “fudge” on nutrition values is to frame them in terms of ridiculously small “serving sizes.” If it looks like a packaged meal will feed just one person but the official“serving size” is two, you’ll have to double the numbers on the nutrition label to get a more accurate reading on what it actually contains.
3) Count the Calories. The average American diet should contain about 2,000 calories per day. Any food product that contains more than 400 calories – 20% of that daily allotment – should be avoided.
4) Watch the Salt! Hypertension –– or high blood pressure –– is a very common and very dangerous condition that can lead to all kinds of diseases –– and death. Starting early, people should try to limit their daily sodium intake to 1,000 mg and never exceed 3,000 mg.
5) Shun the Sugar! Whether it’s listed as glucose, sucrose or “high fructose corn syrup,” sugar is just “empty calories” your body doesn’t need. Have a sweet tooth? Satisfy it with natural sugars from grapes, apples, strawberries and other fruits.
6) Fiber Rules! An ideal diet should include 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber every day. You can get these from fruits, vegetables, high-fiber cereals and whole grain breads. (Bread should be 100% Whole Grain, not just “made with whole grains.”)
7) Drink Pure Juice! When buying juice, always buy “100% Juice,” not drinks that merely say “Made with Real Juice,” which can have as little as 10% real juice, the rest just being water and sugar.
8) Everything in Moderation. The real key to healthy eating is exercising your common sense. Eat modest portions. Avoid foods with a lot of sugar and fats. Choose fish, chicken and lean meats. Oh, and don’t worry about rewarding yourself with a piece of chocolate or scoop of ice cream now and then. Never forget: Life is to be enjoyed!
