Health Eating For The Whole Family Can enjoy

Eating nutritious food is important at any age. For children, a healthy diet with the right sizes to serve ensures proper growth and development. As you age, you need to eat healthy to give your body energy throughout the day and avoid health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.

Nutritional needs of each person are different, says Denver-based dietitian Jessica Crandall, RD, CDE, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. For example, a pregnant woman needs more calories than a man of 85 years of age. A teenager needs more protein than a younger child.

Age, height, weight and activity level and health conditions, needs, impact of nutrients and calories, but if cooked for a family can be difficult to ensure that everyone carrying out their daily quotas .

Here are some tips for serving nutritious meals to children and adults in their kitchen table.

Fruits and vegetables first

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under 3 years old need two servings of fruits and vegetables a day, increasing to about three servings per day at ages 4 to 8. Children 9 years to 13 years who are moderately active should get four meals a day, while girls of the same age who are moderately active needs only 3.5 servings a day. Most adults need five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Here are some tasty ways to add these nutrients to the diet of your family:

- Add sliced ​​bananas or blueberries on cereal in the morning.
- Provide a fruit smoothie for breakfast, lunch, or even as dessert. "It's a sneaky way to give your children the vitamins and minerals they need and help them stay hydrated," said Crandall. Include some sweet-tasting vegetables - such as carrots - in the beating of a nutritional boost.
- Application of fruits and vegetables in your favorite foods such as pancakes with strawberry topping or a pizza with broccoli.
- Add the tomato and cucumber slices and lettuce or sprouts to sandwiches. Or, change the mayonnaise and mustard mashed hummus or pesto.
- Add the peas and carrots to the tomato sauce - and serve over pasta.

Your children will not have to eat all your fruits and vegetables in a food, says Crandall. They can not complain much if you out and add a serving of each meal and snack.

Dip in milk products, proteins and grains

Besides fruits and vegetables, other food groups that your family needs to stay healthy.

Dairy products.
They are an excellent source of calcium in the bones of the capacity, vitamin D and protein, but go for low fat versions or nonfat milk, yogurt and cheese. Do not like dairy products, calcium can also be found in the dark, green leafy vegetables like spinach, fish like salmon and almond milk. They also look for calcium-fortified breads and cereals.

Whole grains.
At least half the grains you and your family eat should be whole grains. In the purchase of wheat, rice, oats or corn, look at the ingredient label to make sure it says "whole grain".

Lean proteins.
Children up to age 5 has only two servings of protein in their diets daily. As they grow, their protein needs increase. You will find not only the protein in meat, poultry and fish but also in eggs, milk, cheese, nuts and beans. A cup of 8 ounces of yogurt has 11 grams of protein, and popular styles are a little more Greek. When choosing meat, go for lean cuts and skinless breast of poultry, beef eye round or pork tenderloin.

Healthy fats.
Herbal fats like olive oil or canola oil are the healthiest. Butter, animal fat and other tend to raise cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.


Know your limits: sugar and salt

Children should not consume more than 3 teaspoons of sugar a day (12 grams), according to the American Heart Association. It is natural to reduce the consumption of their children candy, cookies and ice cream. However, hidden sugars found in many foods we eat every day, including bread, soups, condiments and fast food.

In most recipes, you can decrease the amount of sugar up to a third without affecting the taste. You can also add fresh fruit instead of one part sugar.

Adults also need to watch their sugar intake, as excess can lead to weight gain and complications, if you have diabetes.

Here's how to see the family consumption of sugar:

- Cut out sodas and sugary drinks. A 12-ounce soda can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar, which is three times the amount a child should have in a day. Substitute sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice for flavor.

- Limit processed foods and fast. Store-bought cakes and cookies can be loaded with sugar, not to mention unhealthy trans fats. If you can bake your own and adapt recipes to use less sugar. In most recipes, you can decrease the amount of sugar up to a third without affecting the taste. You can also add fresh fruit instead of one part sugar. Know it's good to have french fries once in a while - often are a favorite food of children - but not them part of your meal plan every day.

- Make your own ice cream. Make fruit juice pallets 100 percent. Freeze fruits such as grapes, strawberries and bananas and use them as low-fat dip of vanilla ice cream.

Children and adults also have to watch your salt intake too much salt in the diet can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. The Center for Children's Nutrition Research recommends that children between the ages of 2 and 3 to limit their sodium intake to 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams (mg). The recommendations for children between the ages of 4 and 8 are from 1,200 to 1,900 mg for children aged 9 to 13 years, 1,500 mg and 2,200, and 14 - to 18-year-old, 1500-2300 mg.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says adults should not take more than 2,300 mg of sodium in their diets.

To limit salt intake, adults may take the following dietary choices:

- Add fresh herbs in cooking and seasoning food. Your taste buds are less sensitive as you age, the flavor that the increase is significant. Fresh herbs and lemon juice are a great substitute for salt.

- Choose canned frozen. Frozen vegetables usually contain less salt than canned, but check the packaging to be sure.

The transition to better nutrition for the family

Here are other steps you can take to help your family eat healthier:

Eating together.
With everyone's busy schedule, it can be difficult for dinner on the table at the same time every night. However, try to have dinner as a family as often as possible. Programming for the same time every night can make it easier for each family member to plan around it. When families eat together, mom, dad, children and making healthier food and creating healthy eating habits are maintained when eating out.

Cook more often.
In making the meal, you can control the amount of fat, salt and other ingredients that go into your family meals. Prepare food for their children preferred, but healthier versions A, for example, use low fat cheese and wheat crust to make your own pizza.

Everyone involved in meal planning.
They take turns choosing menus and preparing food. Even young children can help. Everybody is more complicated, what is required to eat on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Shares in the pantry with healthy snacks.
Fill your shelves with healthy snack options, such as hot air popcorn and pretzels without salt. Where the chips should have the house for special occasions, keep in the back so they are harder to see. Cut fruits and vegetables and keep them in the refrigerator to theyâre basically available when you and your children reach for a snack.

Make changes gradually.
Adopting a gradual approach to improve their nutritional profile family. Donat choose to throw all the junk food in the pantry and refrigerator, says Crandall. It is better to make changes slowly, he explains. Your family will change more gradual, basically, made healthy changes over time.

Check your portions.
It's okay to eat their favorite once in a while, says Crandall. If you eliminate your guilty pleasures, like chocolate or Italian fries, full, they only ask for more. Instead, limit on special occasions and portion control. If you overeat at dinner, to start the next day. Do not give up on healthy eating, as it fell off the wagon once or twice.

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