Nutrition For Your Body

When you hear the word "nutrition," you probably think of boring green salads and bland whole-grain bread. Eating healthy does not have to be negative. Nutrition can take you on a journey of new foods and tastes. By using these great tips to enhance your efforts to live a healthy life, you can truly appreciate your food.

Potassium is an important nutrient in your daily diet. It has benefits in decreasing the risk of strokes and lowering high blood pressure. It can also help maintain proper water balance in your body. A deficiency in potassium can lead to muscle aches and cramps, feelings of stress, depression and anxiety. Proper levels of potassium can help you feel good overall.

Legumes are superstars of the nutritional world. They provide protein and help balance blood sugar. But they may seem dull. Just dress them up in a good recipe and they are superstars of taste also: lentils become a good veggie burger, chick peas become hummus, beans excel in Mexican dishes, and there is nothing better than a bowl of homemade pea soup on a cold winter day!

To improve your diet, you may want to consider reducing the amount of meat and dairy you consume. You don't have to go completely vegetarian, but try cutting out meat from one or two dinners per week at first. There are lots of tasty and nutritious alternatives to meat available at any grocery store.

A smoothie makes a delicious and nutritious snack. There are even ways to make the smoothies you already love have a higher nutritional value. Add some flax seed with omega 3 fatty acids or cocoa powder (which has antioxidants) to the smoothie. Not only will this enhance the flavor of your drink, it will also fortify your immune system with powerful nutrients.

Slap some peaches, apples, pineapple, banana and other fruit on the grill and get ready for a real treat! Fresh fruit makes a wonderful addition to a backyard cookout. You don't have to eat it raw though! Cook it right alongside the lean hamburger and turkey franks!

Make sure you're getting enough folic acid in your diet during your pregnancy. If you're not, the low levels can lead to abnormalities in the fetus or even spina bifida. Even if you have to take a vitamin every day to keep your folic acid levels up, do whatever it takes to keep the baby healthy.

Stock your freezer with lots of frozen vegetables so you always have them around. They are convenient ways to get some of the nutrients that you need. Freezing them prevents them from spoiling before you can use them.

If you find it hard to make nutritious meals because of the time it takes to make them at the end of a long day, try taking one day a week, to cook and prepare lots of dishes that can be stored in the freezer. Then each night, you only need to take one out and heat it up to have a healthy, homemade meal.

As you can see, eating a balanced, nutritious diet is easy and fun. There is a lot of room for creativity in the world of food, so it is a wonderful way to enhance your quality of life without limiting yourself. These tips are only the beginning to a new, healthier you!