by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: January 05, 2009

There are three principal factors which we have to take in to account when considering how we are going to eat in a more healthy fashion. We have to consider the type of food which we buy and how it has been prepared or processed before we do so; we have to consider how we subsequently prepare or cook said food; and we also have to look at the times of day at which we are eating our food and in what quantities.

Whenever we go grocery shopping, most of us have a general idea of what constitutes healthy and what does not. We know that such as microwaveable ready meals are likely to contain a whole host of artificial colours and preservatives which are not in keeping with our stated aims, just as we know that fresh fruit and vegetables are an essential part of any healthy diet. What we may not know, however, is that such as frozen peas are a far healthier alternative than "fresh" peas bought from the vegetable department still in their pods. This is because when frozen food companies pick those peas, they are governed by restrictions as to how long they have before getting the peas frozen, in order to halt the natural dissipation of the nutrients. The nutrients in the peas bought in their pods will therefore have dissipated to a far greater extent.

There are many such examples as to when what we may consider to be the healthiest option is not necessarily so. This is where it is important that we try to educate ourselves a little in the science of healthier eating. Search online for healthy eating guidelines sites, visit your local library or bookstore, or watch healthy cooking programmes on TV. There are numerous ways in which we can broaden our knowledge in this respect and have fun at the same time.

When considering how to cook our food, we should be looking at the broader methods in which we do so, as well as issues such as how long we cook it. In general terms, it is much healthier to grill meats than to shallow fry them, to bake potatoes rather than deep fry them, or pretty much to cook anything in any alternative way other than to microwave it! We also have to ensure, however, that we are not overcooking our food and essentially cooking the goodness out of it. Probably the most common occasion when we are guilty of this is when boiling or steaming vegetables. Vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower are not only limp and tasteless when over-cooked, they are nutritionally compromised to a considerable extent.

Experts in health and nutrition generally agree that it is better to eat more early in the day and less at night. This is because when our bodies consume food, they consequently convert it to energy. The energy obtained from food consumed for such as breakfast or lunch is subsequently used up as we go about our daily lives. If we are consuming a lot of food at night, however, we are not using all the energy as we sleep and it is therefore converted to and stored as fat.

These are simply the three broad categories which we have to take note of when attempting to establish a healthy eating regime. Please read up further on them, put what you discover in to practise and enjoy your food more as at the same time you improve your all round health.

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