| 
Love Your Heart
You Are What You Eat
 Good nutrition is a major factor in avoiding health problems throughout life. Parents should set the stage for a healthy diet early in their children's lives. Study the Food Pyramid to find out how many servings from each food group are recommended.
A diet high in fat and LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) should be avoided. Try to prepare family meals that are high in fiber and low in fat. Sodium should also be taken into account, as too much can lead to high blood pressure.
Many foods have low-fat or nonfat equivalents. Using the low-fat or nonfat version of your favorite foods is an easy way to help improve your nutrition and that of your children.
A few substitution suggestions from each group:
Instead of this: Try this:
| Doughnuts, pastries |
English muffins, whole-grain bagels |
| French fries, hash browns |
Baked, mashed or boiled potatoes |
| Prime or marbled cuts of beef |
Select-grade lean beef (sirloin, loin) |
| Regular ice cream |
Sorbet, sherbet, nonfat ice cream |
| Shortening, butter, margarine |
Olive, soybean, canola oils |
For more information on the food pyramid, visit www.mypyramid.gov. The website includes a tool you can use to customize the information for yourself or your child. |