Healthy diet foods don’t have to taste healthy. You know what I’m talking about. The old style of diet bar that smelled like the bottom of a vitamin bottle and tasted like cardboard isn’t the only way to eat smart. Simply making a few changes in your diet every month will make you live not only longer, but also stronger. The whole concept of changing your diet is not just to give you a longer life, but also to give a life that has more quality and one that allows you to really live rather than just exist.

Several small changes to your diet you can start with that give you the most impact without deprivation include substituting whole grain bread for white bread and pasta, breaking down your meals to smaller more frequent meals and chewing your food slowly. None of these requires you to give up anything, except perhaps the empty calories of white bread and pasta, but they make a big difference in your life.

When you eat your food slowly, it allows you to enjoy the actual taste of food but also helps you to stop at the point of satiation. It gives the brain a chance to signal your body that it’s full.

Smaller meals that start earlier in the day not only jump start your body’s metabolism but keep it going full strength the entire day. One of your smaller meals can take the place of those afternoon sugary snacks by substituting a nutritious mini meal in its place.

Finally, you don’t have to cut out bread; you just need to make it work for you. Select whole grain bread instead of white bread. Whole grain products contain antioxidants and phytochemicals. These both are heart healthy and give you protection from not just heart disease but several types of cancer and diabetes.

Several companies offer prepackaged balanced meals created especially for your good health. Two of the best are Nutrisystem and Sonoma diet - we have reviews on both. You don’t even have to fret over what to cook or when you’ll find the extra time to do it. This easy method is just one way to guarantee your family gets all the vital nutrients necessary.

Another simple substitution is to cut your serving of meat in half and substitute vegetables for the missing meat. Not everyone likes seafood, but if you do, it’s a much healthier substitution for red meats. Trim all the fat from any beef you eat to make it better for you.

The way food is cooked makes a difference also. Stay away from fried foods and substitute boiled, broiled or even grilled foods instead. This cuts down on your intake of fat.

Choose fruits and vegetables for their color. Eat a healthy mix of color daily. The brighter the fruit or vegetables the more protection they provide your body against cancer and other diseases. One study found that purple and deep red fruits contain an ingredient that actually slows or stops the growth of colon and lung cancer. Eat plenty of these brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult. You simply begin by substituting some of the foods you eat for others which are healthier. Keep fresh fruit on hand for nutritious snacks or mini meals and cut back on sugary types of foods like pastry or candy. This doesn’t mean you have to completely go without some of the foods you love, it simply means that over time, the small changes you make to your diet will give you big health rewards. You’ll find that you have more energy, fewer food cravings, look better and will love the taste of healthy diet foods.

Terry
6/22/09

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