Paying attention to food labels, especially this holiday season, can just save you from gaining too much extra weight. It will also help you make healthier food choices.
The next time you go grocery shopping, keep in mind that you are there to shop for healthy food choices. Take note of the "Eatwell Plate" and keep in mind the following:
You need five portions of fruits and vegetables per day. That is 80g per portion. More often than not, food labels will now state whether the food contributes towards your daily target.
Starchy foods, such as, bread, rice, potatoes and pasta make up roughly a third of your diet. If you are going to shop for these items, stick to wholegrain options as much as you can. For breads, check the label and choose the one with the least added salt.
For protein, stick to meat, fish, eggs and beans. Protein is essential for repairing body cells and making new ones.
Foods with high fat and sugar content should be taken in moderation. Thus, check your food labels and choose the ones with less than the considered high fat and sugar. A high fat content would be anything over 17.5g per 100g, and a high sugar content would be more than 22.5g per 100g.
For milk and dairy, choose those that less fat and added sugar. Milk and dairy provide our bodies with protein, calcium, and vitamins A and B12.
The "Eatwell Plate" contains most, if not all, of the food categories mentioned above. Thus, stick to it when you go grocery shopping so you would have an idea on what food to prepare in order to have your balance right.
On the other hand, avoid, as much as you can, food that contain too much salt (high salt is greater than 1.5g and low salt is 0.3g or less per 100g) and added sugar (high sugar is 22.5g and low sugar is less than 5g per 100g).
