Making Healthier and Tastier Food Choices

Now we all love and crave sweets, carbs, sauces, and other tempting food choices that we secretly know that are not the best choices for our bodies. What if I told you that you could still eat those types of foods and not give up your favorites? You can do just that just by choosing healthier options that will even taste better to you. I can sense that you're probably not believing everything I'm preaching but the food suggestions that I'm going to mention have better ingredients and this will translate into you feeling healthier. Once you eliminate your poor food choices and replace them with these new and better choices, you will begin to want and actually crave these new foods.

• Better Food Choice #1: Frozen Yogurt

Regular ice cream is a major indulgence and has almost half of your days worth of saturated fat (about 10 grams out of 20) for the "average", or as I would call it the "recommended" serving. The serving is pretty much always half a cup, which the average person isn't having I would presume. Instead of having regular ice cream, try frozen yogurt. I know what you're thinking, frozen yogurt has little fat but too much sugar. Well this notion is true to an extent but it depends which frozen yogurt you purchase. I recommend Stoneyfield Frozen Yogurt because the ingredients are all good and the frozen yogurt is organic (which is an added plus). There is zero fat and only 100 calories per half cup serving as opposed to the real ice cream that has half of your days worth of saturated fat and double or triple the calories. The frozen yogurt may have a little more sugar than the regular ice cream but the sugar is not made from high fructose corn syrup, but it is instead composed of real organic cane sugar (wow something that's not chemically altered for a change). Another interesting fact that you might like to know is the Stoneyfield Frozen Yogurt is healthier than their own regular plain yogurt, so you really won't feel guilty after eating this (nutritious) treat. I recommend the After Dark Chocolate, or the Vanilla flavor (both together is unreal).

• Better Food Choice #2: 100% Whole Wheat and Quinoa

Rice is usually a staple when it comes to Chinese or Japanese cuisine or as a side dish with chicken or fish dinner. Rice is not always a nice food choice especially when the rice is white. According to nutritionist Natalie [www.nutritionbynatalie.com] (who I always take advice from), every time you see white carbs, just think to yourself if it's white then don't even think about taking a bite. White carbs such as white rice have very little if not any nutritional benefits because all of those natural nutrients have been stripped by the food manufacturers. Instead of eating white rice or pasta that are all empty calories with very little amounts of fiber and other essential nutrients, try 100% whole wheat pasta or Quinoa. Make sure the pasta says "100% whole wheat" in the ingredient list and not just on the front of the package! By having 100% whole wheat instead of white carbs you'll be making a much healthier food choice just by the amount of fiber and protein. Quinoa is a much better food choice than having white rice because Quinoa is a complete protein and has more fiber than white rice and in my opinion has a much better taste because it acts as a absorbent and soaks up all the flavors and juices of the main course you're having.

• Better Food Choice #3: Oatmeal

You've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, well you've heard correct because it is indeed! The reason why eating a nutritious breakfast is so important is because it acts as your food foundation for the rest of your day. If you start your day with a lot of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and most importantly fiber then the food choices and the amount that you eat later in the day can be controlled. Ideally you should eat within the first hour of waking up so your metabolism can start up. If you think about it your body has been in hibernation over the night hours and it's craving something full of nutrients to fuel up again. The poor choice that many people make is not having breakfast at all and that only leads to bad food choices and overeating throughout the days. Your body will crave carbs so it can get the energy it originally wanted in the morning hours, so many people overindulge in carbs (and usually not the good carbs). The best advice that I can give is to eat oatmeal in the morning. You should purchase the regular, old fashioned Irish oats or the steel cut oats. The colorful prepackaged and individually wrapped package oat meals are filled with terrible ingredients and pack a ton of sugar and calories with little traces of fiber, so avoid those tempting boxes and get the plain oats. Now I don't have to talk too much about other box cereals with the colorful animal characters, yes we all think they're cute but don't eat their chemically altered neon colored treats. When you make the oatmeal you can add frozen berries (blue/black/raspberry/strawberry) along with Cinnamon and ground up flax seeds. The berries supply fiber and antioxidants plus one of your servings of fresh fruit. The Cinnamon can help manage your blood sugar levels and also help your circulatory system to your heart. The flax seeds are packed with Omega-3's and fiber. All in all, you'll feel full and ready for the rest of your day beginning on the right and nutritious foot.

• Better Food Choice #4: Hummus
  

Hummus can be used not only as a simple dip for chips and crackers but can also replace butter, sugary spreads, cream cheese and even mayonnaise. There are different types of hummus on the market today and each one has a different taste and texture to it. If you prefer a creamier texture then I would suggest Joseph's Hummus or Cedar's Hummus spreads. If you like a more coarse and grainy texture then your best bet is Tribe Hummus. I love to mix a can of tuna with the creamy texture of the Joseph's Hummus in place of mayonnaise. The hummus has zero saturated fat and contains more fiber and protein from the natural chick peas. Try replacing your sugary and unhealthy spreads with hummus, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and will forget all about your past food accomplices.