Fitness Cure

Vegetables – Most vegetables are low in calories but high in volume – salad greens, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, zucchini, just to name a few. Each vegetable serving is about 25 calories, and typical serving sizes are 1 cup raw, a half cup cooked or 2 cups leafy vegetables. Some vegetables are starchy – such as corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash – and contain more calories per serving.

Fruits – Practically all types of fruit fit into a healthy diet. Some fruits are better choices than others. Whole fresh, frozen and canned fruit, without added sugar, have about 60 calories a serving. Unlike fruit juices and dried fruits, these types of fruit are higher in bulk because of water and fiber and are your best choices. A typical serving is a small or medium-sized piece of fresh fruit or a half cup of sliced fruit.

Carbohydrates – Most foods in this group are either grains or are made from grains, such as cereal, rice, bread and pasta. The best grains are whole grains because they’re higher in fiber and other important nutrients. Whole grain means the bran and germ are left on the grain when it’s processed. Here are some examples – whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereal.

Protein/Dairy – This includes foods from both plant and animal sources. The best choices are those that are high in protein but low in fat and calories, such as legumes – beans, peas and lentils, which are also good sources of fiber – fish, skinless white-meat poultry, fat-free dairy products and egg whites.

Fats & Sweets – Eat sweets and high-fat foods in very low moderation since many of these foods are high in calories but low in volume. For example – just 1 tablespoon of butter has about 100 calories, and one standard-sized chocolate bar has about 225 calories.