Healthy eating
Fats and oils:
general tips
- Canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils are low in saturated fatty acids. They're good to use in limited amounts for cooking or dressings.
- Peanut oil has slightly more saturated fatty acids. Don't use it as a major cooking oil - use now and then for flavoring.
- Vegetable oils are hydrogenated for use in margarines or shortenings. Hydrogenation may partly offset some of the benefits of using polyunsaturated or monounsaturated vegetable oils.
- Learn more
Guidelines for
healthy eating
- Coconut is high in saturated fat; olives and avocados are high in monounsaturated fat and calories. Use sparingly to avoid getting too many calories from fat.
- When vegetable grains or legumes are cooked or processed into foods, saturated fats or cholesterol are often added. For instance, egg yolks may be added to breads or pastas.
Healthy Hunter workout – a six-week nutrition and physical activity plan to help you get ready for the hunt.
Healthy Hunter - Steps to Healthy Eating
The keys to healthy eating are balance, variety and moderation. Eat a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient. Follow these 10 tips to enjoy eating healthy:
- Eat a variety of foods
- Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Eat moderate portions.
- Eat regular meals.
- Reduce, don’t eliminate certain foods.
- Balance your food choices over time.
- Know your diet pitfalls.
- Make changes gradually.
- Remember, foods are not good or bad.
The American Heart Association established its Food Certification Program to help consumers easily identify heart-healthy foods. Products certified by the American Heart Association contain the heart-check mark and state that the product "Meets American Heart Association criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol for healthy people over age 2." When shopping, look for foods with the heart-check mark symbol on the label. These foods are approved to be part of a healthy diet. Find out about American Heart Association cookbooks and publications, including a low-fat, low-cholesterol cookbook.
Reading Food Labels
Make reading food labels a habit to help you choose foods more wisely. Many foods have saturated fat or hydrogenated fat that can raise your cholesterol. Some may be high in sodium, which can increase blood pressure in some people. Also, watch for these key terms and know what they mean:
- "Free" has the least amount of a nutrient.
- "Very Low" and "Low" have a little more.
- "Reduced" or "Less" always means the food has 25%less of that nutrient than the standard version of the food.
Fruits, Vegetables, Grains and Legumes
These foods tend to be low in fat and have no cholesterol and are also good sources of dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates and vitamins. The American Heart Association recommends foods high in complex carbohydrates and fiber (some kinds of soluble fiber, such as pectin and oat bran, when eaten in large amounts in a diet low in saturated fat, may reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol). The Association suggests eating 25-30 grams of dietary fiber per day.
Cholesterol, Fiber and Oat Bran
Most Americans consume only about half the fiber they need every day. Dietary fiber is the term used for several materials that make up the parts of plants that your body can't digest. Learn more.
Guidelines for Healthy Eating
- Canned, processed and preserved vegetables may have added sodium. For some people too much sodium (salt) can lead to high blood pressure. Some food companies are canning vegetables with less salt. "No salt added" varieties are also available. Look for these in the market or choose fresh or frozen vegetables.
- Nuts and seeds tend to be very high in fat and calories, but most of the fat is poly- or monounsaturated (e.g., walnuts, almonds, pecans). Some varieties, such as macadamia nuts, are also high in saturated fat, so check the label. Nuts and seeds don’t have cholesterol and are good sources of protein.
What are Discretionary Calories?
Depending on the foods you choose, you may be able to spend more calories than the amount required to meet your nutritional needs. Learn more!