Getting the most out of your daily calories means you need to learn some basic nutrition. Most people on a diet can quote the calories per serving of every food in the pantry, but knowing the nutritional values is also important for a healthy, well-balanced diet.
While lettuce is low in calories, it is also low in most other nutrients, too. Spinach is higher in nutrients and can be substituted for lettuce in most uses.
Peanut butter is high in protein, but eggs are lower in fat and overall calories. Boiled eggs are only 70 calories each, and aren’t cooked in oil or butter. Canned fish, such as tuna and salmon, are also good sources of protein. When packaged in water they also have Omega 3 acids that are recommended for heart health.
Potatoes are high in potassium, but bananas are a better choice because we don’t top them with fatty extras.
Most vegetables can be steamed instead of fried with great results. Adding fresh onion or garlic can boost flavor without adding fat.
If you can’t keep fresh fruits and vegetables easily, frozen is usually the next best. If you buy cans, especially fruit, read the label carefully. Many are packed in some sweet juice. Any ingredient that ends in “ose” (like fructose or sucrose) is probably some form of sugar.
Choosing light gives you room in your diet to eat your fill while giving your body the nutrition it needs. For example, you can eat over three boiled eggs for fewer calories than is in only two tablespoons of peanut butter.
