Practical, Healthful Eating Habits--Part 3

Know the difference between fats.

• Choose the healthier types of fats and enjoy them in  moderation.
• Your total fat intake should be no more than 35% of your daily calories. For every gram of fat that you eat you get 9 calories which is 5 calories more than either protein or carbohydrate provides.
• Healthy fats can lower your risk of heart disease; they reduce the total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in your blood.

        Monounsaturated - Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, 
                 avocados, nuts and seeds
            Polyunsaturated - Vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn,
                 sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils), nuts and seeds
            Omega-3 fats - Fatty, cold-water fish (such as salmon,
                 trout, mackerel and herring), flaxseeds, flax oil and
                 walnuts
                 Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fat that may
                     protect against irregular heartbeat and help
                     lower blood pressure.

• Harmful fats can increase your risk of heart disease by increasing your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. They tend to lower HDL (good) cholesterol.

            Saturated fats - animal products (such as meat, poultry,
                seafood, eggs, dairy products, lard and butter), and
                coconut, palm and other tropical oils
                   Saturated fats should be less than 10 percent of your
                      total daily calories
            Trans fat - Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, 
                commercial baked goods (such as crackers, cookies and
                cakes), fried foods (such as doughnuts and french fries),
                shortening and margarine
                   Trans fat should be no more than 1 percent of your total
                      daily calories, less than 2 grams a day. Trans fats also
                      contain saturated fats.
            Limit cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg per day. If
                you have heart disease or your LDL cholesterol level
                is 100 mg/dL or higher, limit your choesterol intake to
                less than 200 milligrams a day.
            Avoid any product that contains the word "hydrogenated”
                especially if it is listed as one of the first three
                ingredients.

Be aware of food safety.

• Food poisoning is caused by eating food that contains harmful bacteria, toxins, parasites, viruses, or chemical contaminants.
• Points to remember when preparing food:

          CLEAN:        Wash hands and surfaces often. Wash fruits and
                                 vegetables under running water just before
                                 eating, cutting or cooking.

          SEPARATE:  Don't cross-contaminate! Separate raw from
                                 cooked food
          CHILL:          Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods right
                                 away. Keep refrigerator temperature at
                                 40°F or below and freezer temperature at
                                 0°F or below.
          COOK:          Cook to proper temperature, use a food
                                 thermometer

• Following is a chart of safe minimum internal temperatures:

          Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops may be
                   cooked to 145 °F.
          All cuts of pork, 160 °F
          Ground beef, veal and lamb to 160 °F
          All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal
                   temperature of 165 °F.

• Store food properly to maintain quality. Refrigerate most fresh fruits (not bananas) and vegetables (not potatoes or tomatoes) for longer storage, and arrange them so you'll use up the ripest ones first. If you cut them up or open a can, cover and refrigerate afterward.
• Do not eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish (clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels).
  
• Do not eat or drink unpasteurized juices, raw alfalfa or bean sprouts, raw (unpasteurized) milk and products made from unpasteurized milk.
  
• Throw away anything that looks or smells suspicious. If you think a food might be bad, don't taste it!