Just like the miniature pancakes served at my favorite neighborhood diner, I'm a big fan of easy-to-digest bits of information on how to eat healthy. Here are five of the tastiest tips I've learned:
1. Mind your meat. Can't live without cold cuts, sausages, canned corned beef, and other processed meats? Well, you may have to take it easy on them. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, fans of processed meat increase their risk for pancreatic cancer by 67 percent.
2. Spice it up. A study done by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine reveals that chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which has the ability to battle tumor cell growth.
3. Just go Mediterranean. Feasting on Mediterranean cuisine--which focuses on fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains, fish, and olive oil--won't make you live forever but it'll sure contribute to longevity. A study published in the British Medical Journal points out that people who adhered to this eating plan had significantly lower susceptibility to heart-related ailments.
4. Gorge on greens. If you're intensifying your workouts or training for a marathon, munch on at least four or five servings of broccoli and leafy greens each day. Runners who participated in the study conducted at the University of Newcastle in Australia state that they couldn't meet their projected distances in their best time when they cut down on their "green habit."
5. Choose good carbs. Not all carbohydrates are bad. Johanna Burani, author of Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: Lose Weight and Enjoy Optimum Health and Vitality by Eating the Right Carbs, advises that if you're watching what you eat, stick with healthy carbs that come from whole grains. The carbohydrates that are found in vegetables and fruits are also great.
Now, who says eating wisely is complicated?
Just remember that it's easy to commit to chewing on the right stuff, as long as your mind has already told your taste buds to quit hankering for junk food.
Credits: Photo by Scott Bauer, courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service.
