Calories And Cholesterol

More Eating Tips

In a restaurant, opt for low calories with steamed, grilled or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sautéed.

Vary Your Veggies

Eat more dark green veggies, such as broccoli, kale, and other dark leafy greens; orange veggies, such as carrots, sweetpotatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash; and beans and peas, such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas, and lentils.

Read The Nutrition Facts Label On Foods.

Look for foods low in saturated fats and trans fats. Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little salt (sodium) and/or added sugars (caloric sweeteners).

If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you’ll gain about 1 pound in a month. That’s about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, it’s important to reduce calories and increase physical activity.

Know the facts about what you are purchasing to eat. Read labels carefully. Most packaged foods have a Nutrition Facts label which includes calories per serving. For a healthier you, use this tool to make smart food choices quickly and easily. Try these tips:

• Keep these low: saturated fats,transfats, cholesterol, and sodium.
• Get enough of these: potassium, fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron.
• Use the % Daily Value (DV) column when possible: 5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high.

Look at the serving size and how many servings you are actually consuming. If you double the servings you eat, you double the calories and nutrients, including the % DVs.

Make Your Calories Count

Look at the calories on the label and compare them with what nutrients you are also getting to decide whether the food is worth eating. When one serving of a single food item has over 400 calories per serving, it is high in calories.

Don’t Sugarcoat It

Since sugars contribute calories with few, if any, nutrients, look for foods and beverages low in added sugars. Read the ingredient list and make sure that added sugars are not one of the first few ingredients.

Some names for added sugars (caloric sweeteners) include sucrose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, and fructose.

Know Your Fats

Look for foods low in saturated fats,transfats, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease (5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high). Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Keep total fat intake between 20% to 35% of calories.

Reduce Sodium And Increase Potassium.

Research shows that eating less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about 1 tsp of salt) per day may reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Most of the sodium people eat comes from processed foods, not from the saltshaker.

Also look for foods high in potassium, which counteracts some of sodium’s effects on blood pressure.

See Your Doctor On A Regular Basis

Remember there is no substitute for your physician. Make certain that you clear any new treatments regarding calories with him before embarking on any radical health changes you are anticipating.

More Cholesterol Information

Cholesterol | Cholesterol Diagnosis | Cholesterol Causes | Cholesterol Medications
Cholesterol Natural Treatments | Cholesterol Menu | Cholesterol Fat
Cholesterol Detoxification | Cholesterol Calories