RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A HEALTHY DIET

1. Learn the four basic food groups:

Twenty percent of a healthy diet should consist of milk, meat and eggs, and 80 percent should be vegetables, fruits, and grains. (Fiber is found in grains, fruits, and vegetables.) This is similar to the recommendations that children receive 55 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fats, and 15 percent from proteins.

2. Eat three meals a day.

For dieters, skipping breakfast usually doesn't lead to weight loss. All meals should contain fruits or vegetables, as well as grains. Meat or milk should be included in two of the meals.
Eating snacks is largely a habit. Snacks are unnecessary for good nutrition but harmless unless your child is overweight. If your child likes snacks (and most children do), encourage fruits, vegetables, and grains, but don't give them close to mealtime.

3. Decrease the amount of fat (meat and milk products) in the diet.

Americans eat excessive amounts of meat and dairy products. Although cholesterol is important for rapid growth, children over age 2 should consume it in moderation (not eliminate it).

To decrease the amount of fat in the diet, follow these guidelines:
-Remember that one serving of meat per day is adequate for normal growth and development. (Don't serve meat more than twice a day.)
-Serve more fish and poultry and fewer red meats, since the latter have the highest cholesterol levels. Lean red meats are lean ground beef, pork loin, veal, and lamb.
-Trim fat off meats and the skin from poultry.
-Don't serve bacon, sausages, spareribs, pastrami, and other meats that have a high fat content. -Cut back on hot dogs, lunchmeats, and corned beef.
-Limit the number of eggs to 3 or 4 per week.
-Serve 2 percent milk instead of whole milk for children over 2 years of age.
-Decrease the amount of milk your child drinks to 2 or 3 cups per day. (Encourage your child to drink water to satisfy thirst.)
On the other hand, some teenage girls may need to be reminded to consume adequate milk products (the equivalent of 3 glasses of milk) to lay down the bone mass required to prevent osteoporosis later in life.

-Keep in mind that red meat may be hard to give up because of the widespread misconception that red meat helps to build muscle mass and strength.

4. Increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, and grains in the diet.

Follow these guidelines:
-Children should consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. (Fifty percent of American children eat only one fruit or vegetable per day.)
-Try to serve a fruit at every meal.
-Start every day with a glass of fruit juice. (Caution: limit fruit juices to 2 cups per day to prevent diarrhea.)
-Serve more soups.
-Encourage more cereals for breakfast.
-Use more whole-grain bread in making sandwiches.

5.Include an adequate amount of iron in the diet.

Throughout our lives we need adequate iron in our diets to prevent anemia. Everyone should know which foods are good sources of iron. Red meats, fish, and poultry are best. One serving per day of these foods will provide adequate iron. Although liver is a good source of iron, it contains 16 times more cholesterol than beef and should be avoided. For young children who refuse meats in general, use low-fat luncheon meats as a meat source. Adequate iron is also found in iron-enriched cereals, beans of all types, peanut butter, raisins, prune juice, sweet potatoes, spinach, and egg yolks. The iron in these foods is better absorbed if the meal also contains fruit juice or meat.

6. Avoid excessive salt.

7.Avoid excessive pure sugars.

Sweets are not bad, but they should be eaten in moderation. Eating food with a lot of sugar ("a sugar binge") can cause, 2 or 3 hours later, jitters, sweating, dizziness, sleepiness, and intense hunger. This temporary reaction is not harmful and can be relieved by eating some food. A love of sweets is not related to obesity (if the total calories per day are normal) or hyperactivity. A high amount of sugar in the diet has not been correlated with coronary artery disease or cancer.

8.Know what to eat before exercise.

Eating meat does not improve athletic performance. The best foods to consume before prolonged exercise are complex carbohydrates. These include bread, pasta (noodles), potatoes, and rice. These should be consumed 3 to 4 hours before the athletic event so they have passed out of the stomach.
Water consumption continues to be important up to the time of participation and every 20 to 30 minutes during the activity.