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If you’re forever looking for healthy foods for you and your family, and are tired of scouring the grocery store aisles in search of meaningful nutrition which is non-existent, you might want to try going to a health food store instead. You will find that all the nutritious foods you were looking for are to be found there.

And depending on the size of your health food store, you might also find that it carries such things as raw organic foods as well as processed organic foods. Health food stores are also a great place to pick all sorts of things to help you round out your life and make it healthier.

Here, depending not only the literal size of the store, but also in its growth potential as well as the type of health food store it is, you might also be able to find herbs and herbal remedies right alongside your other natural remedies.

With the growing interest in staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles, health food stores are popping up all over the world. This means that the price tags they carried while still being somewhat ridiculously high, are not as wallet-damaging as they used to be. In fact, more and more people can now afford to shop at a health food store without thinking twice about it, and more and more people are turning to this resource to help them get their lives in order.

Over fifty years ago people were still mostly living a healthy lifestyle which included a good rounded diet as well as regular exercise. Healthy, fresh foods were available from just about every corner store and people didn’t have to go out of their way to eat in a healthy manner.

Nowadays if you want to live a healthy lifestyle and still live in the real world, you need to make an extra effort to do so. So you join a gym and scout out the best health food store in your area. Not only that, if you really want to go healthy, you have to not only look for fresh fruits, vegetables and animal products, but you also need to look for these products in their organic form.

This said having a good health food store is so much easier than having to find everything that you need at your local grocery store. For one thing, the range and choice of health foods that you find in normal everyday grocery stores just isn’t the same as what you would find in a health food store.

And for another thing, in a health food store you also have the assurance that there will always be health foods in stock for you to buy. Do you always have that guarantee from your normal grocery store?

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.” Julia Child was so right when she stated this. Health food industry is on a high. You too are fond of it. Though a little expensive, it is the a lot better than the usual artificial diet that we generally consume. Our usual diet is marked by the unhealthy food that is garnished with polluting ingredients. It has been since so long now. It is the right time to switch on to a healthy diet in terms of freshness and purity.

It is however cumbersome and time consuming to specially visit a health food store in order to find the best health food for you. Do not worry, as you have ample help available on the world wide web. There are several online health food stores that are forever ready to serve you all netizens out there. With the food perfect for your health, these stores guarantee the best health food on the Internet so you don’t have to worry about anything. Fresh fish, oils and ingredients, or you can go for health stores giving extra multivitamins. Every thing is there at your disposal. All you have to do is to buy from your favorite online health food stores.

Besides health food, there are several healthy food supplements also available in such food stores. They would surely ensure a perfect diet for all of you who are extra health conscious and want unadulterated nutrients to enhance their system. Many sites are specially offering such products owing to the growing demands of UK customers. The reason for so much popularity of these healthy food supplements can be that man wants to lead the healthy way of life that always seemed like a distant dream. With these healthy food supplements, man can enjoy his replenishing rejuvenation with the mother nature and thus feel happy in buying all the health food.

Online buying is easier and much more comfortable. So do not compromise with the good health, buy your favorite health food today!!

This article is grab from http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net

Some people think juicing is the most efficient way to get fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals or other nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, it can be difficult and disappointing to spend hours cleaning and preparing the piles of produce necessarry for a small glass of juice. While juicing may have been super for Jack Lalanne, it is not a task you must spend so much time on each day in order to consume enough high fiber foods and health drinks. Instead, spend a few minutes searching the net for all natural high fiber foods and health drinks that are not sold in stores. You will find that there are better options for getting complex carbohydrates, natural antioxidants and soluble fiber in your daily diet, just as you would from a glass of fresh juice, but without the expense or hassle of juicing.

Even if you can digest the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber in food and half your body weight in ounces of water every day, as experts recommend, you may not be getting the best nutrition available. Most people find this prospect hard to swallow, and give up quickly on ever reaching perfect health and fitness. It takes too much time, effort and energy to buy, prepare, and devour that much produce, and who can guzzle that much water every day without craving some kind of flavor or enhancement? Consuming fruits, vegetables and water every day is important, and now, superior fitness can be achieved with ready to eat high fiber foods and health drinks not found in grocery stores.

Yes, there are now some very beneficial high fiber foods and health drinks that are made with concentrated nutrients from plants, so that small amounts generate big results. You won’t find these concentrated health foods and drinks on the shelves at your local grocery store, and certainly not in the refrigerator section of the convenience store. We’re not talking about so-called “enhanced vitamin water” beverages filled with fructose, artificial sweeteners and isolated vitamins, or energy drinks boosted with caffeine and sugar. Instead, we are referring to naturally produced health drinks, concentrated with real whole food plant sources such as cocoa, strawberry, lemons, peaches and raspberries. These health drinks are loaded with natural antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and some have several grams of soluble fiber, plus protein from plants. Your body understands how to process these natural ingredients better than man-made chemically produced, artificial products being sold in stores, and you achieve better results for your overall health.

You don’t have to consume mass quantities of plants to achieve the results that high fiber can offer for keeping your digestive system running smoothly. Try some delicious high fiber foods available in natural, tasty shakes that you can mix with water or other liquids for much of the fiber you need. Throw in a few frozen banana pieces or berries to mix with the powdered shakes and you are quickly on your way to the fiber and nutrients you need each day with all the complex carbohydrates and essential vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables Best of all, the shakes taste good. Some even contain FOS, fructooligasacharides, a pro biotic soluble fiber found in foods like garlic, onions or barley. Who wants to have garlic or onions for breakfast when it is easier to have a quick, tasty shake made with real strawberries or cocoa? That makes it so easy to get more essential fiber, complex carbohydrates and natural antioxidants for breakfast than most people get all day.

Drinking diet sodas or high caffeine energy drinks to get fit is like lifting 12 oz cans of beer to build muscle up. Those types of drinks only tear your body down, while health drink formulas made from all natural ingredients give your body the nutrients it needs to build it up. Water is good, but it can be tasteless and boring to drink half your body weight in ounces of plain water every day. When you can drink a quart of water enhanced with all natural antioxidants and complex carbohydrates for better taste and more benefits, why wouldn’t you? Again, we’re not referring to loading up on caffeine, sugar, or vitamin water beverages with isolated vitamins and minerals. Instead, we are talking about enhancing the benefits of drinking water with natural fruits and whole vitamins and minerals from real foods found in nature. It is so easy now to find these carefully produced, powerfully charged health drink formulas that you don’t need to shop every health food store or grocery store. You won’t find them there, but you will find them on the Internet. You have to step out of your comfort zone, change the way you think about nutrition, and change the way you shop for all natural high fiber foods, health drinks, and other essential nutrition.

Changing my diet to a more contemporary way of eating high fiber foods and increasing the benefits of drinking water with super concentrated health drinks has worked quite well for me. I lost 8 pounds in the first week and thirty pounds in the first month of my new diet. I have easily kept that weight off for more than six years by using the same high fiber foods and health drinks referred to in this article. I hardly ever shop at the grocery store these days, and get more nutrition for about three dollars from a quickly made, concentrated, all natural shake than most people get in a week. When you find the simple steps to perfect health you will wonder how you ever lived without them, much the way we wonder how we ever lived without computers and cell phones. So, get out of the grocery store, get on the net, get your nutrition delivered to your door, then go out and live life!

Read the original content at http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net

This article is grab from http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net

Consuming fruits, vegetables and water every day is important, and now, superior fitness can be achieved with high fiber foods and health drinks not found in grocery stores. Even if you can digest the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber in food and half your body weight in ounces of water every day, as experts recommend, you may not be getting the best nutrition available. Most people find this prospect hard to swallow, and give up quickly on ever reaching perfect health and fitness. It takes too much time, effort and energy to buy, prepare, and devour that much produce, and who can guzzle that much water every day without craving some kind of flavor or enhancement?

The good news is that there are now some very beneficial high fiber foods and health drinks, which are concentrated, so that small amounts help you reach those powerful fiber and water amounts. You won’t find these concentrated health foods and drinks on the shelves at your local grocery store, and certainly not in the refrigerator section of the convenience store. We’re not talking about so-called “enhanced vitamin water” beverages that are filled with fructose and isolated vitamins, or energy drinks boosted with caffeine and sugar. Instead, we are referring to naturally produced health drinks, concentrated with real whole food sources such as cocoa, strawberry, lemons, peaches and raspberries. These health drinks are loaded with natural antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and some have several grams of soluble fiber, plus protein from plants. Your body understands how to process these natural drinks better than man-made chemically produced, artificial drinks being sold in stores, and you achieve better results.

The best way to get ample amounts of fiber each day is to eat raw fruits and vegetables. The challenge, though, is how to eat 25-35 grams of fiber in five servings of raw fruits and vegetables every day. Fortunately, you don’t have to consume mass quantities of plants to achieve the results that high fiber can offer for keeping your digestive system running smoothly. There are now some delicious high fiber foods available in natural, tasty shakes that you can mix with water or other liquids for much of the fiber you need. Throw in a few frozen banana pieces or berries to mix with the powdered shakes and you are quickly on your way to the fiber and nutrients you need each day with all the complex carbohydrates and essential vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables Best of all, the shakes taste good, and some contain FOS, fructooligasacharides, a pro biotic soluble fiber found in foods like garlic, onions or barley. Who wants to have garlic or onions for breakfast when it is easier to have a quick, tasty low carb, high fiber shake made with real strawberries or cocoa? That makes it so easy to get more essential fiber, complex carbohydrates and natural antioxidants for breakfast than most people get all day.

Drinking diet sodas or high fructose, caffeine and sugary energy drinks to get fit is like lifting 12 oz cans of beer to build muscle up. Those types of drinks only tear your body down, while health drink formulas made from all natural ingredients give your body the nutrients it needs to keep going strong. Water is good, but if you find it incredibly tasteless and boring to drink half your body weight in ounces of plain water every day, look for some new ways to make your water wetter and better. When you can drink a quart of water enhanced with all natural antioxidants and complex carbohydrates for better taste and more benefits, why wouldn’t you? It makes no sense to spend more than a dollar for a bottle of sugar water when you can spend the same to super boost that water with natural energy, fat flushing and anti aging properties. Again, we’re not referring to loading up on caffeine, sugar, or vitamin water beverages with isolated vitamins and minerals. Instead, we are talking about enhancing your beverages with natural fruits and whole vitamins and minerals from real foods found in nature. It is so easy now to find these carefully produced, powerfully charged health drink formulas that you don’t need to shop every health food store or grocery store. You won’t find them there, but you will find them on the Internet. You have to step out of your comfort zone, change the way you think about nutrition, and change the way you shop for high fiber foods, health drinks, and other essential nutrition.

Some people think juicing is the best way to get fiber from fruits and vegetables. However, many people find it difficult and disappointing to spend hours cleaning and preparing the piles of produce needed for a small glass of juice. While juicing may have been good for Jack Lalanne, it is not necessary today in order to consume enough high fiber foods and health drinks. Again, you just have to search the net for all natural high fiber foods and health drinks that are not sold in stores. You will find that there is an easier way to get complex carbohydrates, natural antioxidants and soluble fiber, just as you would from a glass of fresh juice, but without the expense or hassle.

Changing my diet to a more contemporary way of eating high fiber foods and increasing the benefits of drinking water with super concentrated health drinks has worked quite well for me. I lost thirty pounds in the first month of my new diet without even trying very hard, and I have easily kept that weight off for more than six years by using the same high fiber shakes and health drinks referred to in this article. I hardly ever shop at the grocery store and get more nutrition for about three dollars from a quickly made, concentrated, all natural shake than most people get in a week. When you find the keys to perfect health you will wonder how you ever lived without them, much the way we wonder how we ever lived without computers and cell phones. So, get out of the kitchen, get on the net, get your nutrition, then go out and live life to the max!

Read the original content at http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net

We’ve all done it before. We’re late. We’ve had a long day at work and there’s no food in the house, so we quickly dash through the supermarket like we’re contestants on Supermarket Sweep and throw whatever we need in the shopping cart and get out.

Well, it’s in these reckless binge runs that we can do our bodies harm by carelessly throwing whatever comes to hand first into our carts. We usually grab food items that easy to make and that tastes good. Unfortunately these items tend to be highly processed foods packed with sugar and sodium!

Now, if you’re like most people, you probably think you don’t have the time or money to spend buying healthy foods, or you think if you want to eat healthy you need to go to a special health food store to shop. Well, throw all those excuses out the window. Your local grocery store packs on average about 40,000 items and many of these are healthy alternatives to what’s in your shopping cart.

So get ready as we show you 10 ways to easily shop for healthy foods without breaking your budget or wasting time looking for a health food store.

Shop with a List! Don’t just wander aimlessly through the store. Know what you need and keep it neatly organized on a list you can easily read while shopping. Spending just a little time each day putting together this list will save you time later when you are actually in the grocery store. It also helps if you know your grocery store and categorize your items by the department they can be found in.This way you can avoid backtracking through the store when you realize your forgot something back in the dairy aisle. Keeping a list also prevents you from succumbing to the junk food aisle, saving you from unhealthy foods that are full of empty calories and sugar.
Don’t Shop on an Empty Stomach! You know this is a bad idea. Once you hit the aisles and your stomach starts growling, you’re liable to pick up anything that moves! By making sure you shop for food on a full stomach, you’ll eliminate buying foods that are bad for you as well as food you just don’t need. This saves your body and your wallet. If you can’t shop after a meal, make sure you at least drink a glass of water before you go in to help alleviate some of your hunger.
Buy Fresh Food! It really can’t get any simpler than this when it comes to eating healthy. By adding fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables to your list, you can easily add the needed vitamins and minerals you need to maintain a healthy diet. Take a look at what you’re currently buying. If more than 50 percent of your groceries are coming from a box or a can, you need to reevaluate your choices and head toward the fresh food.
Shop the Perimeter of the Store. When you’re searching for the freshest foods, it helps to stay out of the central aisles unless absolutely necessary. In your local grocery store, the perimeter of the store is where they keep all the fresh food items including produce, dairy, and seafood.
Don’t Walk By the Organics. When it comes to fresh food, quality counts, and your organics section should be one of your first stops in the grocery store. It may be a little more expensive than the regular section, but the added benefit of not having chemicals and pesticides is well worth the price. If you shop these sections right, you can target the items that are on sale and even get your organic food for less then your non-organics.
Stay Away from Foods and Drinks with Corn Syrup. There is no nutritional value to corn syrup. It’s just an empty sweetener that is almost as bad as refined sugar. Don’t be fooled! Make sure you read the labels carefully and if corn syrup is one of the first four ingredients, put it down and walk away. You’ll be surprised at how many foods are packed with corn syrup including fruit juices, spaghetti sauces, and even some bread.
Fresh Is the Best but Frozen Is Good Too. It’s not always feasible to have fresh foods all the time. So when fresh foods aren’t available, head toward the frozen aisle for a backup. Frozen vegetables and fruits are most often flash-frozen, which locks in nutrients. It’s always a good idea to keep a couple bags of frozen fruits or vegetables in your freezer. You can toss them in the microwave for a quick side dish, make fruit smoothies, or toss into plain yogurt for a fresh fruit taste.
Keep Canned Tomato Products in Your Pantry. Fresh tomatoes are great but here’s one exception where fresher actually isn’t better. Studies have shown that tomato sauces, crushed tomatoes, and stewed tomatoes actually have an increased amount of the antioxidant lycopene. That’s because they are concentrated. Keeping these kitchen jewels handy can help you out the next time you are wondering what’s for dinner. Just throw some chicken and sauce in a crock pot or add crushed tomatoes to a soup, and you’ve got a healthy meal in no time!
Avoid Processed Foods. Remember all those boxes and bags you were throwing in your cart earlier? Most likely it was all processed foods like chips, cookies, and frozen pizza. Save your money and your body. Skip the junk food and stock up on your fruits, vegetables, and meats instead. You’ll avoid the sugar rush and feel better in the long run.
Try Whole Grains. The availability of whole grains has increased and it’s not uncommon to find whole grain products next to their processed counterpart. Whole grain pastas, brown rice, and whole wheat flour are great alternatives that not only are healthy but they taste great too. One warning when it comes to whole wheat products. Because more and more people are reaching for whole grains these days, packaging has gotten a little tricky. For instance, wheat bread is a good alternative to white bread, but look closely next time you pick up a loaf of wheat bread. If the first ingredient is refined wheat flour, then put it back. It’s made from the same stuff as white bread and quite possible is dyed brown to make it look healthier. As a general rule, whole wheat breads tend to be heavier and denser than white bread.

You don’t have to be a health nut to shop for healthy foods. With just a little discipline and by practicing the steps above, you’ll see how easy it is to shop for healthy foods in the comfort of your own local grocery store.

Fresh Fruit Juices, Bananas, Cranberry juice, and Oat bran can make you fat!
Health foods  and beverages used to treat mild  health problems may be a cause of hidden calories that cause you to pack on the lbs without  much benefit   Foods such as  bananas, cranberry juice, and oat bran when  eaten daily may be responsible for many excess calories daily.    “Health” foods including nuts and olive oil are  another source of unknown calories as are drinks like sports drinks and energy drinks both of which are loaded with sugar.  Here are examples of these kinds of “healthy” drinks and foods than add hundreds of hidden calories.

Orange Juice used to prevent or treat colds:
Linus Pauling advocated huge of Vitamin C to prevent and treat upper respiratory infections beginning in 1970’s. The Cochrane review of “placebo-controlled trials involving 11,350 participants pointed out that regular ingestion of vitamin C was not effective in preventing “colds.” The authors go on to say, trials of high doses of vitamin C administered therapeutically (starting after the onset of symptoms), showed no consistent effect on either duration or severity of symptoms…”  Our daily Vitamin C requirement in between 60-100 mg.per day which is easily supplied in a normal diet.  Vitamin C in a supplement ranges from 100 t0 1000 mg. Each tablet contains less than 2 calories.

Cranberry Juice for the relief of bladder infections.Dr Franklin C. Lowe, professor or urology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons reviewed the treatment of urological problems with cranberry juice and other “natural” remedies in May 2006:He noted, “Cranberry products are widely believed to be effective treatments of urinary tract infections. The results of 2 controlled studies found that cranberry juice does not treat urinary infections and may increase kidney stones.”

Bananas for “low potassium:”
Individuals not exercising outside and most healthy people do not need extra potassium. Adding a single banana a day adds 110 calories. Eating a banana supplies 350 mg. of potassium, which is about 1/6 of the possible potassium needs in a day. There is no “recommended daily allowance for potassium” since lack of potassium is so rare. The single banana with 110 calories can be replaced with two apples or oranges–more to eat and just as healthy. There are other fruits that have less sugar and many less calories.

If additional potassium is really needed, consider a potassium tablet which has 750 mg or more of potassium and zero calories.

Oat bran and barley for treatment of elevated cholesterol:
“2 or more cups a day every day to lower cholesterol by 7%” is what the ad says. However, everyone forgets to ask, how many calories is that?  Well, with the milk it comes out to be 400 calories. That’s signficant, especially if you don’t like to eat it. Remember, you also need to eat it every day forever.

What’s important to remember, is that all of these foods have minimal health benefits. They have two serious problems: 1.They distract you way from better treatment of a medical problem, and 2.They add calories for little benefit. Many people really don’t like these foods anyway.

When you are considering a new weight loss plan for 2010, keep in mind how simple it is to add hundreds of hidden calories you don’t even need.

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Sunrider health foods and health drinks deliver more nutrients and are far more convenient than organic foods. Much of the food available at most retail stores is lacking in serious nutrition. The ingredients are often grown on run-down soil, fed chemical fertilizers, doused with pesticides and fumigated, disinfected and radiated for shipping and storage. Then, they are pasteurized with high heat during processing, making useless any living enzymes or whole food nutrients.

Organic health foods are to some extent, healthier, but you have to eat so much to reap any visible results that the cost makes it less appealing, not to mention the hours and exertion it takes to prepare these types of health foods. Wise people know it is not adequate to just eat organic health foods or drink plenty of water. While that is healthier than the ordinary diet, we invite you to look past the convenience stores, grocery and health food stores for products that produce noticeable improvements in your appearance and energy levels. The difference is that a precise, concentrated arrangement of ingredients make Sunrider health foods, health drinks and household products better than organic.

Sunrider health foods and health drinks are superior to organic for additional reasons, too. Sunrider creates their formulas with various herbs and plants that often grow where they are indigenous in their natural environment, and are not usually grown on farms. When Sunrider does use cultivated fruits, vegetables or herbs, they work closely with the farmers. Sunrider makes sure that the natural ingredients are grown in the most nutritious soil, the right climate, and under the best conditions for sound nutrition. Sunrider tests each container of raw herbs for heavy metal content from acid rain and will not use the raw herbs that do not meet their lofty standards. Organic fruits and veggies do not guarantee that your health foods and health drinks will not be contaminated with heavy metals from acid rain.

The valuable nutrients from the herbal ingredients in Sunrider health drinks and health foods are highly concentrated and processed and combined perfectly for the greatest benefits. A large amount of organic foods would be rquired to equal the nutritional power of one serving of NuPlus, for instance.

Sunrider is a well regarded, award winning creator of health foods and health drinks because their formulations are unmatched in the industry. The herbs and plants are expertly combined together for maximum effect and perfect safety. The strengths and weaknesses of different ingredients are carefully analyzed by scientists in order to create the absolute best products. That is why Sunrider has been honored and recognized as a leader in the manufacturing of health foods, health drinks and personal care products since 1982, when it seems that so many other companies have appeared and then vanished.

Wheat Grass: As the name implies comes from sprouted grains. Taking shots of wheat grass like you would if you were taking shots of vodka is extremely popular in places like Manhattan and California. I remember working out at a very trendy health club located on the Upper West Side, where people would actually line up out the door for this stuff. One day after a hard exercise session the owner finally convinced me to give it a shot, I accepted. To my surprise they were right!! I definitely felt different? But not the kind of difference I would pay money for. My stomach was upset for hours, along with a horrible case of flatulence and the flavor tasted pretty much like I thought it would, like liquidized grass!

Many health food stores often make the grandiose statement that 1 ounce of wheat grass is nutritionally equivalent to 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of green vegetables. That’s a 1:35 ratio! No wonder I had so much gas!! The actually numbers from the USDA when comparing wheat grass with broccoli and spinach demonstrate that ounce for ounce there is nothing substantially different from the 3, (see table 1). Looks like Popeye was right! Just eat your spinach kids.

Table 1. Nutrient comparison of 1 oz (28.35 g)[dubious - discuss]of wheatgrass juice, broccoli and spinach.

NutrientWheatgrass JuiceBroccoliSpinach Read the rest of this entry »

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Many parents ask their dentists what is “good” or “bad” for their children’s teeth.  Usually they would like a list of what is okay and what is not okay for children to eat, in addition to following good oral hygiene rules.  However, you should understand that it is not only the type of food which can effect teeth, but how frequently it is eaten that impacts the health of children’s teeth.

More importantly, you should understand that it is not only children whose teeth are at risk from certain types of food.

The Question of Sugar

For decades dentists, doctors, and nutritionists have been telling us not to eat sugar, or at a minimum to limit our sugar intake.  Dental patients have been trying to qualify and quantify this rule ever since it was created, perhaps failing to understand the implications of how sugar effects the teeth. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone who is trying to follow a healthy eating lifestyle understands the need to buy quality, healthy and practical foods.  Practical foods are those foods that are not only healthy but whose benefits extend beyond their mere nutritional value.  Such foods are easy to use, and useful in a number of different recipes.  Healthy, practical foods, when used on a regular basis, form a great part of a healthy diet, and may even lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and other common illnesses.

One great practical food is the humble tomato.  It may not look much like an orange, but the tomato is actually a citrus fruit as well.  As such, tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants.  In addition, tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, which has shown promise in preventing certain kinds of cancer.

In addition, tomatoes are easy to use, versatile, and inexpensive.  In addition to fresh, in season tomatoes, which are delicious as well as nutritious, tomatoes are available in canned and frozen varieties as well.  Tomatoes can be used in so many different ways, and in so many different recipes, that it is always a good idea to have a supply of them on hand in the pantry or the fridge.

Pastas, especially the whole wheat varieties of pastas, are another great example of functional foods.  Pastas can also be used in a variety of ways, from simple preparations with simple tomato based sauces, to elaborate creations using shrimp, tuna and other seafood.

Of course, pasta dishes can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on how they are topped.  Toppings such as Alfredo sauce or rich cream sauces, should be avoided when trying to follow a healthy diet.  As with all foods, such heavy sauces are fine in moderation, but they should not form the bulk of your diet.

Luckily, there are lower fat alternatives to many high fat pasta sauces, and these low fat alternatives should be used whenever possible.  Substituting lower fat alternatives for fatty, unhealthy foods is an important skill when it comes to creating a healthy diet.

Whole grain breads, flours and grains are also good examples of healthy, practical foods.  Stocking up on these staples when they are on sale will help ensure that you have everything you need to create the most healthy recipes possible for yourself and your family.

Whole grain products should be substituted for more highly refined breads and cereals whenever possible, since whole grain breads, cereals and grains retain more of their important nutrients than do more highly refined foods.

Starting a healthy eating program using practical foods is easy.  Start by taking a personal inventory of your current diet, including where it is good and where it can use some improvement.  Learn to assess the personal health risks created by your current diet (your family physician can be of particular help here).  A physician or dietitian can be a big help in putting together a list of healthy, easy to use, practical foods you can use to change your diet for the better.

It is also a good idea to use your interest in healthy eating to create and use exciting new recipes.  There are a great many healthy eating recipes available, both on the internet and in cookbooks.  Seek out some of these recipes and try using your favorite healthy staples to create some wonderful dishes.

For some ideas on how to use practical foods morning, noon and night, try some of these great ideas:

Breakfast:

Include some healthy staples, and some healthy fruits in your breakfast.  For instance, pair healthy oatmeal with blueberries, or whole wheat or wheat bran cereal with strawberries or bananas.
Try mixing a healthy cereal like All Bran into your nonfat or low fat yogurt.  It will perk up your plain yogurt and give it a great crunch.
Fresh fruit is also a great addition to yogurt.  Try buying plain, nonfat yogurt and mixing in your own raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.  You will save money and enjoy a healthy breakfast.
Instead of high fat butter, spread your toast with apple butter or soy nut butter instead.  Always try to use whole grain varieties of bread like wheat or rye.
Drink a glass of 100% fruit juice with breakfast every day.  Orange juice, grape juice, apple juice and grapefruit juice are all great choices.
Blend 1% milk or soy milk with fresh pineapple for a healhy, delicious breakfast smoothie. These smoothies are great for people on the go.

Lunch and dinner ideas
Make a great tuna salad with grated carrots, green peppers, red peppers, garlic and onion.
Make a dish of fresh whole grain pasta and top it will homemade tomato sauce and fresh home grown herbs.
Use healthy foods like onions and leeks, along with tomatoes, as a great side dish.
Grill healthy fish and serve with a healthy side salad.
Try some low fat soups like spinach and broccoli soup.
Make a great vegetable stir fry with olive oil.

Healthy snacks
Of course no plan for healthy eating is complete without some great healthy snacks.  Below are some of our favorite healthy snacks for those on the go.
A piece of fresh fruit, like an apple, orange or banana, always makes a great snack.  Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen counter for easy access.
Try mixing nuts and dried fruit for a great homemade trail mix.  Hikers and non hikers alike will enjoy this healthy snack.
Treat yourself to a great glass of orange, tomato or cranberry juice before you leave the house in the morning.
Keep a supply of broccoli florets, baby carrots and other bite size vegetables, and some healthy dip, on hand.
Make your own fruit salad with oranges, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and other favorites.

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