When a child is younger, hiding their veggies often is the best way that you can make sure that they get their nutrition in good doses. We all know kids are experts at pushing their veggies around the plate, or finding ways to give the family pet a good meal at the side of the table.  It’s a shame, because even at that young age you can find ways to hide healthy things in their food. If you want a style of cuisine that is going to do that the best, look at Italian food. Everywhere you look you can fit veggies into their meals. Lasagna has a lovely layer of spinach that works between each cheesy bite, or you can find filled pasta like ravioli, where you can fit other greens into tasty meat or cheese fillings. Oh, and don’t forget tomato sauce! What kid doesn’t like a fantastic, messy and delicious tomato sauce covering their spaghetti? Mediterranean meals are almost as much about the veggies as the meat and cheese, so don’t be afraid to tuck it in wherever you can.

Asian foods are not slouches in handling the veggies either, as you have spring roles, egg rolls, and more types of soup then you can shake a stick at that hide the veggies beneath deep flavors. They also give you a way that you can transition your picky child into eating healthier, as the foods here can offer delicious, sweet, amazing flavors. Stir-fry dishes are a great place to bring in some colorful red and yellow bell peppers, filled with all kinds of nutrients, and a subtle sweetness that will get your kids noshing away without realizing that they are really digging their veggies. As they learn to love these delightful flavors, you can show them how tasty their veggies really can be.

Developing your child’s palate so that they enjoy a variety of foods is important, and it’s something you should not neglect early. Many parents tire of the endless fight, and eventually succumb to their picky kids and just don’t try to find enticing ways to serve vegetables. This is such a disservice to your children, because when you get them as young as possible enjoying their veggies, you will help them develop their eating habits that will carry them through their teen and adult years. Putting that spinach in the lasagna now, could mean your child orders the side salad instead of the fries in the future, and will help them make good food choices for the rest of their lives.

Some great ideas in this book

It’s important for children to get lots of veggies every single day. This book will help you hide them in fun and tasty ways.

Age 2-3 should eat 4 servings fruits/veggies every day
Age 4-8 should eat 5 servings fruits/veggies every day
Age 9-13 should eat 6 servings fruits/veggies every day
Age 14-18 (girls) should eat 7 servings fruits/veggies and (boys) should eat 8 servings fruits/veggies every day

Roughage is otherwise known as dietary fiber and is important to eat because it helps your intestinal tract to work correctly.

There are muscular movements happening in your digestive tract at all times, this is known as Peristalsis. This ensures your food is mixed with the digestive juices in your system and the peristalsis also ensures the food is moved along the digestive tract. If these movements are not working correctly your food is unable to move at the correct rate and this means you get excessive water absorption and your faeces become too hard and dry causing constipation.

However, if you up your intake of fiber or roughage as well as drinking plenty of water you will improve the workings of the peristaltic movements. You may be wondering how to up your intake of roughage to ensure that you don’t end up constipated. First you need to know that there are two types of fiber – these are insoluble and soluble. The insoluble fibers are found in wheat products such as cereals, bran and green vegetables. In fact, some skins of fruits such as the tomato are also high in dietary fiber – so just another reason you should actually eat the skin on your fruit. The soluble fibers are found in legumes and in some vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, onions and potatoes. Fruit pulps and fruits juices are also high in soluble fibers so ensure you add these to your diet. Once you add these to your diet you will find that the peristalsis movements work correctly and your bowel movements become regular and soft.

What Is An Antioxidant?

Antioxidants prevent the effects of oxidation in animal tissue and are nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and enzymes (proteins assisting in chemical reactions) and are thought to have a pivotal role in fighting life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and cataracts.

What’s Their Role?

Because our body intakes oxygen, free radicals are produced which are highly reactive chemicals that can cause oxidative damage to our internal body. This damage is thought to be the reason for the diseases mentioned above.

The antioxidants defend the body against this process by ‘mopping up’ the free radicals and the body has a natural ability to produce them which is dependent on your genetic makeup. Changes in lifestyles can affect the levels of free radicals in our bodies and with the ever increasing pollution levels, we are exposed to these more than ever.

Where Can I Find Them?

Unfortunately our body’s natural levels of antioxidants aren’t enough to fight off these free radicals on their own, which is why it is important that we eat the right foods that contain them as part of our healthy diet. They can be found in natural foods or supplements can be taken, however it is important to note that it is better to consume them through foods rather than a health supplement.

Vitamins E and C and beta-carotene are good antioxidants that should already be part of your diet for other reasons than fighting these free radicals.

Here’s a list of some common foods that contain essential antioxidants:

• Tomatoes – lycopene is the antioxidant which is also responsible for the red colour.
• Citrus fruits – carotenoids, flavonoids, terpenes, limonoids and coumarins
• Tea – especially black, green and oolong teas. Catechin is the most potent, found in green tea.
• Carrots – beta-carotene has been linked with preventing lung cancer

You’ve decided that you want to improve your diet and health, good for you! That doesn’t mean you are going to lose the cravings you’ve managed to build up over the years. We like sweet, and we like filling, and we are so used to getting that through sugary means that it is very hard to give them up. We see a cookie, and we drool, we see a piece of pie, and we reach out for our tasty treat. It’s natural, that’s ok, but you want to find some good food to replace those cravings for the sweet and unhealthy foods you’ve been eating all along.

One of the foods I suggested does have something good in it, if you look. I’m not suggesting that you eat pie filling, but what is the most popular pie in America? Apple, and what do we all love about apple pie? We love the sweet, tart, luscious taste of that amazing filling. We can find that taste without the sugar, without the buttery crust, by refocusing on the fruit and all the sweet we could ever want in some very healthy, very low calorie fresh fruit.

The apple that goes into pie only has around 80 calories for a medium sized piece. That is a great treat for anyone looking for a tart flavor. Cherries from that cherry pie all on their own only have about 90 calories a cup. Is your favorite strawberry rhubarb? If so then those strawberries have only 50 calories a cup, and you will get a good dose of vitamin C, fiber and other nutrients that end up cooked out of a baked pie. Those are just some of the most common types of pie filling, but don’t let that stop you looking for other fruit treats to satisfy your craving.

Summer is the perfect time to break out a nice, juicy watermelon, and that watermelon will both treat your sweet tooth and not bust your waistline with a mere 45 calories per cup. Grapefruit is a common breakfast for millions, with good reason. A medium grapefruit clocks in under 100 calories, but has an intense Vitamin C dose, along with Vitamin A, B6, and Thiamin. Most fruits have high nutritional value; Vitamin C is common, as is Potassium and Niacin. When you eat that fruit raw you also get good amounts of fiber, not only will this help you lose weight and keep you regular, but it promotes full feelings, so you don’t want to snack between meals.

It is hard to give up the things you love when you want to change your diet, lose weight and improve your life. If you can’t find good substitutes you may find yourself going back to the sugar, the fat, the sweet treats that you always found filled that little niche in your stomach. Remember though, all of those sweet treats came from somewhere healthy, many came from the fruits that, by themselves, can be a healthy part of any diet. When you tame the cravings with something good for you, and delicious, you will find your way to better health and a smaller waistline.

It’s so easy in this day and age to fall into the trap of convenience eating, taking in the wrong types of foods at the wrong times of day. Breaking that habit is one of the hardest things to do and it’s essential to know what good food actually is. Building in healthy fiber is a great way to become healthy and lose weight at the same time, so let’s take a look at the benefits of building in healthy fiber into your good food diet.

What Is Fiber and How Can It Help Me Become Healthier?

In a nutshell, Fiber is a member of the carbohydrate family and is reported to lower blood cholesterol. One of the great features of healthy fiber is that it makes us feel fuller, so including it in our diet will make us eat less in general and less “bad” food overall, instead increasing how much “good” food we eat.

Healthy Fiber can be split into two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble healthy fiber is the type that is linked with the feeling of “feeling fuller” and can be found in foods such as oats, brans and citruses. Insoluble healthy fiber is more commonly linked to preventing conditions and can be found in the likes of wheat bran and whole grain cereals. This type is key in increasing the speed of foods moving through your digestive tract. In turn, this can reduce the risk of nasty cancers such as colon of the cancer.

Good food, such as healthy fiber, should really be a main focus of your diet. Healthy fiber might not be the tastiest or most exciting food out there, but if you really want to change your diet for the better, you need it to be in there.

How Can I build Good Food and Healthy Fiber Into My Diet

The key, really, is to understand the benefits of eating healthy fiber and good food. Simply knowing that your risk levels of getting cancer or diabetes are severely reduced by eating healthily, should be enough to force you into eating better. This is easier said than done, however.

Try gradually introducing some of the examples above into your diet. Starting off the day healthily will help you carry the habit throughout the day. If you like toast, try swapping the white bread for wholemeal bread. You’ll feel fuller due to the healthy fiber and instantly you’ve started off your day well. Don’t forget to accompany it with other healthy items such as fresh fruit juice or low-fat yoghurt with fresh fruit.

Eat small portions regularly. Most of us eat bad food since we crave that quick-fix, so packets of potato chips and candy hit the spot. It might well do, but it’s bad for you and you need to substitute these for good food. Try carrying around carrot sticks or bags of nuts and seeds. They’ll fill you up and provide you with the nutrients you need to keep your body slim and healthy.

The key is to sustain your progress and build slowly. Cutting out bad food for good food instantly will likely leave you resenting the change, however slowly introducing foods like healthy fiber can be a great way to losing weight and having a healthier lifestyle.

It is said that not enough people drink the amount of water that they should have. Everyone has a reason as to why they don’t do this. For some, it’s because of the fact that there is no taste there. Others say they just can’t fit it into the day. Others just plain old forget. If you are one of these people, do you know that you should be drinking this and the reasons as to why you should be drinking this beverage? There are many benefits fo it.

The first thing your body needs water for is your brain. Many people do not know this, but if the brain is dehydrated at all, it stops working like it should. This is due to the fact that the brain is made up of ninety percent water. So, if you want to think clear, this would be one reason why you need this beverage.

When you are out in the heat, this is best to drink for another reason. As the heat offsets our body temperature and too much heat can overheat us, water can do the opposite. Water is said to actually help with regulating the bodies temperature so that you remain cool and don’t over heat. Some of us need this with how much we love to be in the summer heat.

Each and every one of us has cells in our bodies. In order for the cells to do what they need to do, they need to get enough nutrients and oxygen. If you haven’t guessed it, then we will tell you that part of the job of the water in our bodies is to make this happen.

Protection is another job that this has. It is there to protect our joints. It’s also been said to protect the organs in our bodies. The way it does this is by simply going about and moisturizing them and allows them to get the nutrients that they need to keep them nice and healthy.

The last thing that water is known to do is that it’s known to cleanse our system. As we drink water, it takes all the toxins that each and every one of us has in our bodies and gets rid of it. This helps our immune system so that it doesn’t have to fight so hard and this keeps us healthier. That’s why when you are sick they tell you to drink plenty of water.

These are the things that they can do for us. It’s a world of good that they can do. The more you do this, the better off you are. This is why you should suck up and drink your water.

Understanding the Food Plate

As kids, many of us grew up around what was called the Food Pyramid. This showed the groups of foods we needed and how many servings we need in order to grow big and strong. This was implemented in health class and more. However, you will find that this has been replaced. This has been replaced with what is called My Plate. Some of you have heard about this and have wondered why this was done so.

The theory behind this is that many people could not understand the serving size. This gets confusing to a lot of people. However, people are able to understand a plate. They can see how much of the plate should be covered by what things. This is why this plate is color coded. There are four sections which are represented in this. There are fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins. Then, next to the plate is a smaller circle. This smaller circle represents the dairy which one is supposed to have in their diet.

Kids can understand a plate better. They use a plate and therefore, can see how much of their plate should have this and that. This is the good thing about it. However, there are a few goals that they have with this. Those who created this plan have done so in order to get the point across that they need to eat smaller portions. They need to eat less sugary items as well. The other thing is to show kids that they need to have half the plate to be fruits and veggies.

Some are at odds about this. The whole concept of the food pyramid started in 1992. However, through time, this did get revamped from time to time like the changes that were made in the year 2005. They say that by making the food plate and replacing the food pyramid with this will be easier to understand. The more people understand, the more they can implement this and this might then lower the obesity rates which are on the rise. Some say that the food pyramid was a bit misleading. They said that all fatty foods were bad when we know that some of these foods is needed. This is to be said to be along the lines with the new campaign that the First Lady is trying to implement to get kids to live a better and healthier life.

photo by Kirsten Loza

photo by Siona Watson

All the foods on this list are not just very affordable and won’t break your bank account but they also have tons of nutrients that are necessary in keeping your body in the best shape so the next time you are tempted to pass up on these yummy foods because of their bad rap, remember all the nutritional benefits you are denying your body and then scoop up a serving because regardless of what you have read or heard, these food really are good for you.