Your Daily Diet: Foods to Include, Foods to Avoid

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• Eat three meals or more a day. Skipping meals often leads to overeating or eating the wrong foods.

• Try a vegetarian meal at least once a week. Use grains, pasta, rice or beans to provide the foundation for a healthy, delicious, low-fat meal.

• Experiment with foods from other cultures. Many ethnic foods are based on ingredients that help to prevent ill health. Tofu, for example, is low in fat and cholesterol, and may help to ease uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. It's found in many Chinese dishes.

• Dine lean when eating out. Avoid fried foods, and ask for sauces and dressings on the side.

• Choose snacks that are low in fat and high in nutrients. Healthy snacks include dried or fresh fruit, raw vegetables, granola, vegetable or fruit juice, low-fat cheese or low-fat dips with crackers, nuts or trail mix.

• Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and low in fat. Some may also play a protective role in preventing certain types of cancer.

• Consume foods high in complex carbohydrates. These include breads, cereals, rice, pasta and some vegetables. They are all good sources of energy.

• Consider foods high in fiber. These include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which may reduce the risk of certain cancers and help to control your cholesterol.

• Include non-fat or low-fat dairy products. These milk products will supply you with much-needed calcium without the extra fat. Calcium is important in the prevention of osteoporosis.
• Meat products offer nutrients as well. You have a choice from lean cuts of meat or chicken (without skin), fish or meat alternatives such as beans, lentils or eggs. Trim all visible fat off meat before cooking and limit sizes to three or four ounces.

• Limit less-healthy options. Certain foods may contain ingredients that, with excessive intake, can set you back from achieving a healthy state.

• Salt. Many prepared foods, cured foods and snack foods are high in salt. Excess salt may increase high blood pressure in some people.

• Sugars. Use these in moderation. Concentrated sugar found in candy, cookies and soda provides calories with little nutritional value and contributes to tooth decay.

• Alcohol. Moderate alcohol intake is acceptable, which may consist of two or fewer servings per day. Remember that alcohol can be a high source of calories. Pregnant women should avoid alcohol completely.

• Fats. Choose low- or non-fat foods whenever possible. Food guides recommend that you limit your fat intake to no more than 30 per cent of your total caloric intake.

Smart thinking in the kitchen

Now that you know which foods to avoid and which to choose more often, here are some last-minute tips to help you with food preparation:

Read food labels. Limit foods that provide more than three grams of fat per 100 calories. Also be alert for foods that are high in sodium or sugar.

Consider healthier cooking methods. Cook foods by baking, broiling, steaming, poaching, roasting or microwaving, using little or no added fats.

Substitute with low-fat toppings. Instead of butter, mayonnaise and salad dressings, substitute mustard, vinegar and salsas.

While there isn’t just one way to maintain healthy eating, the combination of tips suggested in this article should help you understand which foods to enjoy and which to avoid.