Fun-In-Seven




Many of our common foods are processed foods, and some processed foods are less nutritious than the original whole foods from which they came. Processed foods usually have sugar, salt, or fat added to them, and fiber taken out of them. It's healthier to try to substitute the less processed foods instead of eating the processed ones. Let's look at some examples!

	Example 1: French fries This is a deep fried product, which contains large amount of oil and made from potatoes. Substitution: Baked or mashed potatoes French fries have 43% energy from fat. A baked potato only has 1% energy from fat.
	Example 2: Deep-fried drumstick Though it contains abundant protein, it contains large amount of fat after deep-frying. Substitute: Steamed drumstick or soy sauce drumstick (with skin removed).
	Example 3: Sausage Sausages contain a large amount of energy (76% of energy) from invisible fat and salt. We should eat these less frequently than unprocessed lean meats. Substitution: Fresh or frozen unprocessed lean meat.

	Example 4: Dry salted vegetables Due to their high salt content, these should also be categorized into the 4th level of the pyramid. Substitution: Fresh vegetables or vegetables cooked in only a little oil.

	Example 5: Cream cake It is high in calories because it has a large amount of sugar, butter and cream added during the cooking process, and it has no fiber. Substitution: Soda crackers, whole-wheat biscuits or plain cake made with less oil and fat.

	Example 6: Soft drinks Though soft drinks contain water and can partially or briefly relieve our thirst, their high sugar content gives us 'empty calories' with no other nutrients. So, we should only drink these very seldom. Substitution: Water, low-sugar soymilk, pure fruit juice, low- or nonfat plain milk.

	Example 7: Instant noodles These are high in calories because they contain a large amount of invisible fat and are always eaten with soup that is high in salt and MSG. So, we should eat these seldom. Substitution: Fresh noodles, egg noodles, vermicelli or spaghetti.

Summary

If you remember the Healthy Diet Pyramid when choosing your food, it will guide you to a (1) balanced diet (2) many kinds of healthy foods (3) healthful amounts of different kinds of foods With the Healthy Diet Pyramid as your guide, you'll feel good and alert and be the best that you can be! If you want to know more a better breakfast, lunch or snack, click here: Breakfast Lunch Snack If you and your family like to eat out sometimes, click here Eating Out and you'll find out how to use the Healthy Diet Pyramid to choose healthy food in shops! Here's wishing you healthy eating!