Discover the healthful qualities of the foods listed in the Precise Portions interactive meal planning and dinner plate tool.
Bell PeppersBell Peppers (Sweet Peppers) Sweet Peppers can be eaten raw or cooked.... Sweet Peppers are a Good Source of : Potassium (6% of daily value) Vitamin C (190% of daily value) Fiber (2g, 8% of daily value) Nutritional Information: Amount Per Serving - 1 medium (148 g/5.3oz) *based on a 2,000 calorie diet Calories: 25 Calories from Fat 0 Total Fat (g) 0 Saturated [...]
Sweet Potato is a starchy vegetable that is deliciously sweet and an excellent source of beta-carotene/vitamin A. Sweet potatoes can be baked, steamed, boiled, mashed, fried, etc. Sweet potato has additional antioxidants and other healthy biochemicals that help our bodies. However diabetics should eat less of sweet potato because of high carb count. Sweet potato comes in different colors and that effects the amount of [...]
Tomatoes are non-starchy veggies that are rich in antioxidants, especially lycopene. Although we can buy tomatoes year around, the tastiest tomatoes are available between July and September. Tomatoes' slightly sweet flavor makes it a great partner for salads, sauces, soups, and more flavorful foods. Cooking improves the flavor of tomatoes. The healthiest tomatoes are organically grown. Ideally, any food that is eaten with the skin [...]
Tofu a protein meat substitute is also known as soy bean curd. Tofu has very mild flavor. This makes it a perfect partner for a variety of foods. Tofu will easily absorb the flavor of any sauce it is touching. Tofu is widely use in Asian recipes. Tofu comes in 2 forms: Hard tofu - can be fried, play the role of meat, be baked, [...]
Steak Sirloin is a lean meat depending on how you cook it. Sirloin steak can be a delicious meal as long as it is most moist and seasoned. Reduce the calories from saturated fat by grilling it to allow the fat to run off the meat. Baking steak allows it to reabsorb the saturated fat it initially releases. In fact, frying adds more calories to [...]
Penne Pasta is a grain product that can be made from the flour of whole wheat, white wheat, gluten-free rice, corn, and other ingredients. It normally is a grain that is made in two forms: Wet pasta - made with eggs and other ingredients can be store for only a few days. Dry pasta - made with out eggs can be stored in a cool [...]
Lentils are beans (lesgumes) that have the third highest level of protein (26%) of all plant foods. this makes lentils an excellent protein source for vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. That means lentils can be used as replacement for meat. Lentils come in many different colors like, yellow, red-orange, brown, black, red, and white. Although some lentils take up water and cook quickly, others with [...]
Grits are grains made from coarsely ground white and yellow corn. Grits can be eaten at any time, however, they are popularly eaten at breakfast. Lately, many chefs have begun to add grits to their designed meals. Grits are normally salted to taste, but, some people in the Southern United States add sugar to it. In different parts of the world, grits is called porridge, [...]
Ham is a meat that can have low salt if it has not been processed like cured, smoked, canned, infused with honey/sugar. So, fresh ham is healthier to eat. Ham can be prepared in different ways. However, processors tend to add salt, sugar, saturated fat and other ingredients to it. Ham's major contribution to our health is in protein. Protein is the building block to [...]
Green Peas are starchy veggies that are delicious and nutritious. Fresh green peas are healthier than can peas for the higher salt content of canned peas. Green peas come in different shapes. Sweet peas are round and sweet; Snow peas are mild flavored and flatter than round sweet peas. Interestingly, the pods of snow peas and garden peas are edible and a little sweeter and [...]
Eggs a protein source with or without the yolk. Eating eggs whites (no yolk) reduces the amount of cholesterol we take in. Not only do we cook eggs but we use eggs as ingredients in baking as well. By the way, you can eat eggs any time of the day - it's not just for breakfast. Health Benefits of Eating Eggs Eggs biggest contribution to [...]
Salmon is a lean meat and one of the tastiest fish available. You can buy salmon year around due to fish farming. There are many ways to prepare salmon, for example, you can grill, bake, broil, stew, smoke, and eat salmon raw (sushi). There are a number of variety of salmon: Pink Chum Sockeye chinook just to name a few of the popular ones. Health [...]
Chicken breast is a lean meat depending on how you cook it. Chicken breast can be a delicious meal as long as it is most moist and well seasoned. It does not have to be fried to taste good. In fact, frying adds more calories to a lean piece of meat. Also, further reduce the calories by taking off the skin before cooking. Chicken breast [...]
Cucumber is a non-starchy vegetable despite being classified as a fruit (contain seeds and developing from a flower. Cucumber is delicious, good source of minerals and vitamins. Cucumber's mild slight melon taste makes a great complement to other foods. Pickled cucumber (pickles) loses most of the nutrients and is very sour. Health Benefits of Cucumber Cucumber is not a rich source of key vitamins nor [...]
Corn is a starchy vegetable that is delicious, good source of vitamin B1, vitamin B5, dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C. Health Benefits of Corn Folate is the most important vitamin found in corn. Pregnant women take folate to prevent birth defects. Folate is very important in reducing the risk cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, stroke, and arteries in the feet, legs, and hands. A [...]
A dinner roll made from whole grain like wheat, rye, etc. is a tasty and low calorie grain to add to your meal. Whole grain rolls are better for you than white flour rolls because wheat provides more dietary fiber and therefore less sugar. Wheat is also healthier for people with diabetes, because the dietary fiber from wheat help reduce blood sugar levels. When you [...]
Collard greens are non-starchy veggies that are loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K. They are also loaded with Calcium - for people who can't drink milk or dislike milk. Collards have thick, dark green edible, slightly bitter leaves. They taste best during the winter season. Collards in the same family as Kale and Spring greens. Although, collards are normally boiled and eaten [...]
Carrots are non-starchy veggies that are a rich source of Beta-carotene and Alpha-carotene which become Vitamin A. Not only do carrots taste great but they contain antioxidants that are reduce the risk of cancers, Cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration (leads to blindness.) Carrots are good for diabetics because of acceptable carb count. Carrots are in the same family as parsnips, fennel caraway, cumin and dill. [...]
Brown Rice A whole grain of rice has several layers. The hull the outermost layer is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice. Brown rice as an excellent source of manganese(88% of DV), and a good source of the minerals selenium (27.3 % of DV), and magnesium (21% of DV). When [...]
Bok Choy a non-starchy (also known as Pak Choy, Chinese Cabbage, or literally white cabbage) is one of the most used vegetables in various Oriental dishes. It has excellent mild flavor, texture, and size. Bok choy can be used in soups, salad, stir-fries, boiled, etc. Bok choy has a slight sweet flavor similar to cabbage. The leaves and stalk are edible. It makes a great [...]
THE THING TO DO? Learn to read labels. Below is a sample of a food label. It is not always as precise as this as each company varies as much as not every item can accommodate big labels. But if you already learned how to use labels, especially the Nutrition Facts, with just the values you would know already without explanation.
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