Email to Stella      

Tips for Healthy Eating

Source of Recipe

Pampered Chef
Whole Grains

• Whole grains can trim your waistline! Studies have shown that people who eat whole grains as part of their normal diet have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who don’t.

• BMI is a standard tool for helping judge a person’s body weight and body fat.

• Name your whole grains: there’s brown rice, whole wheat, oatmeal, and popcorn!

• Introduce whole grains to your family in stages. For example, mix equal parts of cooked white and brown rice together and eventually build up to a whole portion of brown rice. Or add some oatmeal or whole wheat flour to your pancakes or muffins.

Grapefruit

• Share a grapefruit with someone and be healthy together. Just half a grapefruit gives you a full day’s supply of vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts the immune system and fights wrinkles.

• Grapefruit also has calcium, potassium, and magnesium and is low in calories (60).

• Potassium helps lower blood pressure, and magnesium is a heart-healthy mineral.

Berries

• Berries may be tiny, but they’re packed with powerful nutrients.

• The antioxidants in dark berries such as black raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries slow the aging process.

• Frozen berries have nearly the same intensity of nutrients as fresh berries. Toss them into muffin or pancake batter while still frozen to eliminate berry-colored streaks.

Nuts

• Two healthy nuts that are making the news are walnuts and almonds.

• Walnuts are heart-healthy, and they may be “brain food.” too. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help the brain to function properly.

• ¼ cup of almonds has almost as much calcium as ¼ cup of milk, and they’re a good source of fiber.

• When eaten in moderation (one serving equals 1 once or ¼ cup, about 180 calories), nuts can help curb hunger because of their fat, fiber, and protein content.

• Nuts are also rich in vitamin E, iron, and calcium.

• Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants play the housekeeper’s role in your body, “mopping up” free radicals before they can do harm.

• Iron boosts the immune system and calcium helps maintain strong teeth and bones.

• Toasting nuts brings out their natural flavor without affecting their nutritional value.

• Try adding some toasted nuts to the top of salads instead of croutons for a healthful crunch!