What’s in a person’s pantry can tell a lot about how that person might feel physically. Improving your food choices and nutritional intake can make you feel energized, improve the appearance or hair, skin and nails and lower the risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
By selecting locally grown seasonal fruits and vegetables, you will provide your body with extra anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. As for the pantry, here are a few suggestions to help get started with healthier selections;
1. Canned beans, they are very healthy and a good source of protein. To lower the sodium, rinse thoroughly. Select white, red, garbanzo, kidney or black beans.
2. Popcorn is a whole grain; low-fat is a great choice as well as the portion controlled 100-calorie mini-bags.
3. Tuna, packed in water, light variety provides a low mercury solution to some other fish.
4. Jarred roasted red peppers are a great source of beta-carotene. They’re a great addition to just about any dish.
5. Capers and olives are a heart healthy part of the popular Mediterranean diet.
6. Green tea is great for many reasons, mainly for it’s antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.
7. Low sodium fat free broths or broth mixes are excellent for cooking vegetables, making soups or adding to mashed potatoes. This lowers the need for butter or salt.
8. Fresh or jarred salsa is a wonderful condiment. Be sure to look for the brands without added high fructose corn syrup.
9. Fiber bars, such as Fiber one, All bran or Kashi are a good item to have on hand for an on the go snack.
10. Low sodium soups- with clear broth, not the creamy stews or chowders. Another source of vitamins and low fat meat selections.
Having these items in the pantry is a good start to a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating plan. Healthy eating is not just about weight loss. It’s about taking the best care of our bodies and providing them with the best nutrition and fuel for maximum energy. We often feel exhausted due to our busy lives and the way we expect our bodies to perform when we are not feeding our bodies with the proper foods they need.
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