What is healthy eating? Interestingly enough, the answer to this question can vary quite widely from person to person. Consider the amazing number of food sensitivities and allergies that can make one food completely "off limits" for someone if they hope to remain their healthiest. For instance, just think of all of the people with lactose issuesthey usually have to avoid dairy products, and this leaves them with the challenge of finding reliable sources of calcium elsewhere.
This is one of the reasons that people who are interested in healthy eating and healthy cooking must develop a list of recipes around their own needs. So, the woman who must be very careful about gluten won't have oatmeal and whole wheat bread in her list of basic ingredients, but she will have tons of fruits and vegetables along with gluten free grains. The man with lactose problems could seek out lactose-free milk or yogurt, but can just as easily use certain green vegetables, meats, and some grains for his calcium too.
It does help to always consider the well-known food pyramid plan for eating that recommends specific amounts of grains (including rice and pasta), vegetables (with an emphasis on dark green veggies), fruits, milk (emphasizing the use of lactose-free products if possible), oils, and meats and beans. Understanding which of the foods to eat the most of will often automatically help someone to control portions and enjoy a much healthier way of life.
What if someone wants to eat healthy while also dieting? There are plenty of healthy diet recipes that can deliver impressive amounts of essential nutrients and minerals to the eater, but again, these recipes should be selected according to the needs of the individual. For example, if someone needs to keep sodium or sugar consumption as low as possible they may need to alter recipes a bit to replace less healthy ingredients with those more suitable to their needs. This might mean using lemon juice instead of table salt or honey instead of sugar.
It doesn't hurt to also have a handy assortment of quick diet recipes too because many people will fall off their diet plan simply because they don't have the time or the energy to make a more complicated or time-consuming recipe. This is one of the main reasons that a dieter should have recipes for easily prepared fruit smoothies that can deliver everything from yogurt and fruit to vegetable juice and even fiber, and soups that can be whipped up in a microwave in a matter of minutes.
