Exercises for Men in Their Late 40s

Most men in their 40s do not have the speed and endurance of fit men in their 20s, but they still can do challenging and diverse workouts. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy men do at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular exercise every week. You should also do three 20-minute weightlifting, stretching and body resistance training sessions every week to build muscle, lubricate your joints and boost flexibility.

Aerobic exercise helps men in their 40s maintain healthy hearts. Photo Credit ASIFE/iStock/Getty Images.

Cardiovascular Exercise

The heart of any 40- to 50-year-old man's fitness program should be cardiovascular exercise. Aim to raise your heart rate for at least 20 to 30 minutes. If high-impact workouts such as running, jumping rope and martial arts stress your joints and tendons, adopt a lower-impact workout such as climbing stairs, training on an elliptical machine, using a rowing machine or pedaling on a stationary cycle. You can make a low-impact workout more intense by speed-walking or hiking by adding a steady incline or hills to your route.

Strength Training

As men age, they gradually lose muscle mass. Men in their 40s can reverse this process by adopting a strength-training regimen. Lifting dumbbells, pumping hand weights, using resistance machines or doing calisthenics and floor work that use your own body weight as resistance builds muscle which raises your resting metabolic rate. Your body pumps more energy to your muscles, which makes you burn more calories around the clock. Target your upper body with pullups, biceps curls, triceps dips, standing flies and bench presses. Build lower body strength with squats, hamstring raises and lunges. Focus on your core by doing abdominal crunches while bicycling your legs or situps on an incline.

Flexibility Training

Getting fit and muscular does not always boost your flexibility. You need to stretch, bend and lubricate your joints to maintain your full range of motion as you age. After doing cardiovascular exercise, take time to do some forward bends, side stretches and overhead reaches. If you want more intense flexibility training, consider doing yoga poses. Power yoga, Ashtanga yoga and Bikram yoga are intense styles that also raise your heart rate and build muscle.

Deep Breathing

Reduce stress and the effects of aging by doing deep breathing exercises. In addition, breathing deeply while warming up for exercise gets your blood pumping and delivers oxygen to your muscles. Spend the first 10 minutes of your workout walking briskly or marching in place, and focus on inhaling deeply through your nose -- enough to fill your belly as well as your chest. Hold for a beat and then exhale deeply.

www.livestrong.com

Weight-Loss Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is often described as one of the most important meals of the day. Breakfast--literally a break after a period of fasting--restores blood glucose levels that have declined during the night and ensures you have adequate energy to begin your day. A good breakfast can help stave off hunger and sustain energy levels throughout the morning, reducing your chances of suffering a mid-morning energy slump and associated sugar cravings. A healthy breakfast is often associated with weight loss and weight management. Numerous studies indicate that breakfast eaters are generally closer to their ideal weight than non-breakfast eaters.

Eggs are an excellent breakfast food Photo Credit Max Oppenheim/Digital Vision/Getty Images.

Eggs

Eggs are rich in protein and essential fats which means they are satisfying to eat and keep you feeling fuller for longer. An average egg contains around 76 calories, 6.5 grams of protein and 5.6 grams of fat. Eggs cook very quickly and can be poached, scrambled, fried, boiled or made in to an omelet as preferred. If you want to save some fat calories, you can remove some of the yolks as this is the part of the egg that contains the majority of the fat. It is worth noting, however, that most of the vitamins contained in an egg is found in the yolk.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a low glycemic grain that provides slow releasing carbohydrate, soluble fiber and is also low in fat. The high fiber content of oatmeal means that it stays in your stomach for longer which promotes a feeling of fullness. When made with milk, oatmeal also provides essential protein and calcium--both important factors in weight loss. Oatmeal is very quick and easy to prepare and can be heated in a microwave to save time. You can also eat oatmeal cold by soaking the oats in milk overnight and then eating straight from the fridge the following morning. Serve with fresh fruit or a small amount of honey if you want a sweeter tasting oatmeal.

Smoothies

Smoothies can be prepared quickly and easily making them ideal for when you need a good breakfast in a hurry. Smoothies are also ideal if you find that you aren't very hungry first thing in the morning. To make a smoothie, pour around half a pint of water or milk into a blender, add soft fruits e.g. a banana, berries or similar, add some whey protein powder or natural yogurt and then blend until smooth. If you prefer you can use almond, rice or soya milk as your liquid base. You can spice up your smoothie by adding natural peanut or almond butter, frozen berries, honey, dry oats or any number of other ingredients but be aware that these can all increase the calorie content of your smoothie.

Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast cereals are quick to prepare, tasty and satisfying to eat. On the downside, many breakfast cereals contain so much sugar that they are broken down by your digestive system very quickly and can leave you hungry soon after consumption as your blood sugar levels initially rise very quickly and then fall even quicker! If you choose to consume breakfast cereals make sure you select products that are low in sugar, high in fiber, have undergone minimal amounts of processing and contain as few artificial additives as possible. Whole grain cereals such as unsweetened muesli are a good choice as are bran based cereals such as bran flakes and bran sticks. Even the healthiest breakfast cereals can be very calorie dense so you should endeavor to practice good portion control by measuring the amount of cereal you eat by using a cup to ensure you don't consume too much.

www.livestrong.com

COIR

Coir (pronunciation: /ˈkɔɪər/) is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses, etc. Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Other uses of brown coir (made from ripe coconut) are in upholstery padding, sacking and horticulture. White coir, harvested from unripe coconuts, is used for making finer brushes, string, rope and fishing nets.

A close-up view of coir fibre.

Etymology

The English word "coir" comes from the Malayalam word 'kayar'. it is pronounced (in English) coy-yer

Segregation of coir fibre.

History

Ropes and cordage made from coconut fibre have been in use from ancient times. Indian navigators who sailed the seas to Malaya, Java, China, and the Gulf of Arabia centuries ago used coir for their ship ropes. Arab writers of the 11th century AD referred to the extensive use of coir for ship ropes and rigging. 

A coir industry in the UK was recorded before the second half of the 19th century. During 1840, Captain Widely, in co-operation with Captain Logan and Mr. Thomas Treloar, founded the known carpet firms of Treloar and Sons in Ludgate Hill, England, for the manufacture of coir into various fabrics suitable for floor coverings.

Structure

Coir fibres are found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. The individual fibre cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose. They are pale when immature, but later become hardened and yellowed as a layer of lignin is deposited on their walls. Each cell is about 1 mm (0.04 in) long and 10 to 20 µm (0.0004 to 0.0008 in) in diameter. Fibres are typically 10 to 30 centimetres (4 to 12 in) long. The two varieties of coir are brown and white. Brown coir harvested from fully ripened coconuts is thick, strong and has high abrasion resistance. It is typically used in mats, brushes and sacking. Mature brown coir fibres contain more lignin and less cellulose than fibres such as flax and cotton, so are stronger but less flexible. White coir fibres harvested from coconuts before they are ripe are white or light brown in color and are smoother and finer, but also weaker. They are generally spun to make yarn used in mats or rope.

The coir fibre is relatively waterproof, and is one of the few natural fibres resistant to damage by saltwater. Fresh water is used to process brown coir, while seawater and fresh water are both used in the production of white coir.

Processing

Green coconuts, harvested after about six to 12 months on the palm, contain pliable white fibres. Brown fibre is obtained by harvesting fully mature coconuts when the nutritious layer surrounding the seed is ready to be processed into copra and desiccated coconut. The fibrous layer of the fruit is then separated from the hard shell (manually) by driving the fruit down onto a spike to split it (dehusking). A well-seasoned husker can manually separate 2,000 coconuts per day. Machines are now available which crush the whole fruit to give the loose fibres. These machines can process up to 2,000 coconuts per hour.

Brown Fibre

The fibrous husks are soaked in pits or in nets in a slow-moving body of water to swell and soften the fibres. The long bristle fibres are separated from the shorter mattress fibres underneath the skin of the nut, a process known as wet-milling. The mattress fibres are sifted to remove dirt and other rubbish, dried in the sun and packed into bales. Some mattress fibre is allowed to retain more moisture so it retains its elasticity for twisted fibre production. The coir fibre is elastic enough to twist without breaking and it holds a curl as though permanently waved. Twisting is done by simply making a rope of the hank of fibre and twisting it using a machine or by hand. The longer bristle fibre is washed in clean water and then dried before being tied into bundles or hanks. It may then be cleaned and 'hackled' by steel combs to straighten the fibres and remove any shorter fibre pieces. Coir bristle fibre can also be bleached and dyed to obtain hanks of different colours.

White Fibre

The immature husks are suspended in a river or water-filled pit for up to ten months. During this time, micro-organisms break down the plant tissues surrounding the fibres to loosen them — a process known as retting. Segments of the husk are then beaten by hand to separate out the long fibres which are subsequently dried and cleaned. Cleaned fibre is ready for spinning into yarn using a simple one-handed system or a spinning wheel.

Researchers at CSIR's National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram have developed a biological process for the extraction of coir fibre from coconut husk without polluting the environment. The technology uses enzymes to separate the fibres by converting and solubilizing plant compounds to curb the pollution of waters caused by retting of husks.

Buffering

Because coir is high in sodium and potassium, it is treated before use as a growth medium for plants or fungi by soaking in a calcium buffering solution; most coir sold for growing purposes is pre-treated. Once any remaining salts have been leached out of the coir pith, it and the coir bark become suitable substrates for cultivating fungi. Coir is naturally rich in potassium, which can lead to magnesium deficiencies in soilless horticultural media.

Coir does provide a suitable substrate for horticultural use as a soilless potting medium. The material's high lignin content is longer lasting, holds more water, and does not shrink off the sides of the pot when dry allowing for easier rewetting. This light media has advantages and disadvantages that can be corrected with the addition of the proper amendment such as coarse sand for weight in interior plants like Draceana. Nutritive amendments should also be considered. Calcium and magnesium will be lacking in coir potting mixes, so a naturally good source of these nutrients is dolomitic lime which contains both. The addition of beneficial microbes to the coir media have been successful in tropical green house conditions and interior spaces as well. However, it is important to note that the microbes will engage in growth and reproduction under moist atmospheres producing fruiting bodies (mushrooms).

Bristle Coir

Bristle coir is the longest variety of coir fibre. It is manufactured from retted coconut husks through a process called defibring. The coir fibre thus extracted is then combed using steel combs to make the fibre clean and to remove short fibres. Bristle coir fibre is used as bristles in brushes for domestic and industrial applications.

Uses

Making coir rope in Kerala, India.

Red coir is used in floor mats and doormats, brushes, mattresses, floor tiles and sacking. A small amount is also made into twine. Pads of curled brown coir fibre, made by needle-felting (a machine technique that mats the fibres together), are shaped and cut to fill mattresses and for use in erosion control on river banks and hillsides. A major proportion of brown coir pads are sprayed with rubber latex which bonds the fibres together (rubberised coir) to be used as upholstery padding for the automobile industry in Europe. The material is also used for insulation and packaging.

The major use of white coir is in rope manufacture. Mats of woven coir fibre are made from the finer grades of bristle and white fibre using hand or mechanical looms. White coir also is used to make fishing nets due to its strong resistance to saltwater.

In horticulture, coir is a substitute for sphagnum moss because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores. Coir is also useful to deter snails from delicate plantings, and as a growing medium in intensive glasshouse (greenhouse) horticulture.

Coconut coir from Mexico has been found to contain large numbers of colonies of the beneficial fungus Aspergillus terreus, which acts as a biological control against plant pathogenic fungi.

Coir is also used as a substrate to grow mushrooms. The coir is usually mixed with vermiculite and pasteurized with boiling water. After the coir/vermiculite mix has cooled to room temperature, it is placed in a larger container, usually a plastic box. Previously prepared spawn jars are then added, spawn is usually grown in jars using substrates such as rye grains or wild bird seed. This spawn is the mushrooms mycelium and will colonize the coir/vermiculite mix eventually fruiting mushrooms.

Coir is an allergen, as well as the latex and other materials used frequently in the treatment of coir.

Coir can be used as a terrarium substrate for reptiles or arachnids.

Major producers

Total world coir fibre production is 250,000 tonnes (250,000 long tons; 280,000 short tons). This industry is particularly important in some areas of the developing world. India, mainly in Pollachi and the coastal region of Kerala State, produces 60% of the total world supply of white coir fibre. Sri Lanka produces 36% of the total brown fibre output. Over 50% of the coir fibre produced annually throughout the world is consumed in the countries of origin, mainly India. Together, India and Sri Lanka produce 90% of the coir produced every year.

Waste and byproducts

Coir fibres make up about a third of the coconut pulp. The rest, called peat, pith or dust, is biodegradable, but takes 20 years to decompose. Once considered as waste material, pith is now being used as mulch, soil treatment and a hydroponic growth medium.

References

1. ^ Coconut
2. ^ ^a b Staff. "About Coir". Coir Board, Govt. of India. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
3. ^ "Thomas Treloar 1818-1876". RootsWeb.
4. ^ http://www.fao.org/economic/futurefibres/fibres/coir/en/
5. ^ ^a b c "http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Coir.html
6. ^ "‘Clean' technology for coir fibre extraction". The Hindu. 2009-04-30.
7. ^ Hunt, Robert; Ricciardi, Zac (2011-02-10). "Reusing Media: Coco Coir" Urban Garden Magazine (14).
8. ^ Hyder, Naveen; Sims, James J.; Wegulo, Stephen N.. In Vitro Suppression of Soilborne Plant Pathogens by Coir. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, 448 Plant Science Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583. 2008-11-19. URL:http://www.agrococo.com/Pathogen_Suppression.pdf. Accessed: 2009-08-17. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5j5breEfV).
9. ^ "Nasobronchial Allergy and Pulmonary Function Abnormalities Among Coir Workers of Alappuzha" (PDF). Japi.org.
10. ^ "Reptiles" 16. Fancy Publications. 2008: 66.
11. ^ Jacobi, Michael (2011). Tarantulas. TFH Publications Inc. p. 93. ISBN 9780793844784.
12. ^ Tom Woolley, Sam Kimmins, Paul Harrison, Rob Harrison. “Green Building Handbook Volume 1: A guide to building products and their impact on the environment”. Green Building Digest. Spon Press. 1997. ISBN 0-419-22690-7.

Wikipedia 

Hand Tool Essentials eBook By The Editors of Popular Woodworking

THE WOODWORKING DESIGN COLLECTION - ONLY 69 LEFT !

By The Editors of Popular Woodworking

Format: eBook 

Learning to work with hand tools takes a little guts, some basic dexterity and some background information. In today's shop, you supply the guts, anyone can learn the dexterity and the background is best gotten from a crusty German master cabinetmaker.
Now, if you don't have a crusty German master cabinetmaker hiding in the garage, we have something almost as good that should help you on your way. We've assembled 224 pages of the best writing we've done on hand tools at Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine during the last 10 years and assembled it into a full-color and reasonably priced ($24.99) book that is now available directly from us and booksellers nationwide.

Hand Tool Essentials (Popular Woodworking Books) contains articles from all of our regular contributors during the last decade, including Lonnie Bird, David Charlesworth, Adam Cherubini, Don McConnell, Frank Klausz and magazine editor Christopher Schwarz.

The 43 chapters cover a wide range of topics, from how to assemble your first kit of hand tools at a flea market for less than $100 and tune them up, to advanced topics such as how to blend bench planes with power tools, how to make custom chisel handles and how to select an exotic infill handplane.

Not only is there a wide range of subject matter in the book, there's also a wide range of opinion on what are the best practices. We tried hard not to make this a dogmatic, you-must-work-this-way book. So you'll get a good dose of 18th century techniques and philosophy from Adam Cherubini, a firm understanding of the merits of wooden-bodied planes and spokeshaves from Don McConnell, and a modern hybrid of hand and power techniques from Lonnie Bird, David Charlesworth and Christopher Schwarz.

Here are some of the raw numbers on this book: We packed nine chapters in on sharpening, five on chisels, 10 on handplanes and five on sawing. In addition, we also squeezed in complete plans for a French-style workbench, an Arts & Crafts wall-hung tool cabinet, an English sawbench and a useful miter shooting board.

Armed with the complete picture of hand work in the modern shop, we think you'll be able to find the path that's best for you. And in some ways, that approach might be even better than the advice you'd get from an old German cabinetmaker.

SKU	Y3146
Author/Speaker/Editor	The Editors of Popular Woodworking
File Type	PDF
Format	eBook
ISBN 13	9781440313134

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Oatmeal for Dinner & Weight Loss

Putting oatmeal on the dinner menu has the potential to enhance weight loss. Oatmeal is filling, it is packed with ingredients that fight hunger, and it's lower in calories than other whole grains you might normally have for dinner, such as brown rice. Whole grains in general, and oatmeal in particular, are also associated with long-term maintenance of a healthy weight.

Oatmeal contributes to calorie control at dinner time. Photo Credit Arx0nt/Moment/Getty Images.

Oatmeal for Dinner Controls Calories

As your daily activity increases, you burn more calories and strengthen your heart, muscles and bones, and even improve your mood. But a boost in activity doesn’t guarantee you’ll lose weight. If you continue to consume more calories than your body uses, you won’t lose any stored fat. Having oatmeal for dinner is a healthy way to limit calories, which is essential for any weight-loss diet.

One cup of cooked oatmeal only has 166 calories, so having a bowl for dinner makes it easier to control the number of calories consumed. It also has fewer calories than other whole grains. For example, you'll get 248 calories from a cup of cooked brown rice and 222 calories from the same portion of quinoa.

Oatmeal makes a great base for various toppings that provide a serving or two of fruits and vegetables. Top it with sliced bananas, peaches, apples, almonds and any type of antioxidant-rich berries. Or go savory and add mushrooms, sweet peppers, chopped spinach, tomatoes, or any other favorite veggie. If you want to cook the veggies, toss them in when you're boiling the oats. Another tasty mix combines oatmeal with mashed sweet potatoes, walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon and a small amount of maple syrup.

Whole-Grain Oatmeal Supports Weight Loss

Including whole grains, such as oatmeal, in a weight-loss plan, may improve your total weight loss. When experts from UCLA reviewed studies investigating the relationship of whole-grain intake with chronic disease and weight gain, they found that people who consumed three to five servings of whole grains daily had less weight gain over 8 to13 years than people who never or rarely ate whole grains, according to the Journal of Nutrition in 2012.

Beyond its role as a whole grain, oatmeal may have another advantage for weight loss. After learning that oats regulated metabolism in lab animals, researchers conducted a study using human subjects. One group was the control group, which received a placebo, while the second group consumed oat cereal. After 12 weeks, the oat-eating group lost more total body weight and abdominal fat than the control group, reported the March 2013 issue of Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. While the information is promising, this was a small study that only included 34 subjects, which means the results may not apply to everyone. More research is needed to verify the impact of oats alone on weight loss.

Weight Loss Benefits of Protein and Fiber

Oatmeal is a good source of two nutrients, protein and fiber, that make a difference to weight loss efforts. A cup of cooked oatmeal has about 6 grams of protein, which is about 12 percent of the daily value. The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs water and forms a gelatinous mass, which pushes against sensors in the stomach wall and sends the message that you’re full. Protein and fiber both work to slow down the rate at which food leaves your stomach and travels through the small intestine. As a result, they help you feel full for a longer period of time, which in turn, makes it easier to eat less. Soluble fiber may also delay an increase in the hunger-causing hormone ghrelin, according to Current Obesity Reports in 2012.

Protein and fiber also prevent spikes in blood sugar. As a result, less insulin is released into the bloodstream -- and that’s an important benefit when you’re trying to lose weight. Insulin is responsible for getting excess sugar out of the bloodstream. To accomplish the job, insulin tells the body to turn extra blood sugar into fat, then it also stops fat from being used for energy. Insulin has a "fat-sparing effect," which stimulates fat storage, notes Colorado State University.

Low-Energy Density Nutrients From Oatmeal

Energy density refers to the number of calories in a specific weight of food, which is usually expressed as calories per gram. Foods with fewer calories per gram, called low-energy density foods, have the distinct advantage of letting you eat more food while trying to lose weight. Water and fiber are the components that determine low-energy density, because they contribute bulk without adding calories. Since cooked oatmeal is nearly 84 percent water, and 1 cup of cooked oatmeal has only 165 calories and 4 grams of fiber, oatmeal is a filling, low-energy density food.

Cutting calories can put you at risk for not getting adequate nutrients. Diets that include exercise and fiber-rich, whole-grain cereals, such as oatmeal, increase the quality of overall nutritional intake, according to a report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2006. Oatmeal for dinner increases mineral intake, as it is a good source of iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc.

www.livestrong.com

Made by Hand Digital Download

THE WOODWORKING DESIGN COLLECTION -  ORDER NOW !

By Tom Fidgen

Format: Digital Download 

Learn the simplicity of using hand tools, while you build!

Traditional woodworking using hand tools can offer a more satisfying relationship with the wood and the creative woodworking process. It's quieter, cleaner and maybe even a little spiritual. It's no surprise that many "plugged-in" woodworkers are returning to the roots of this treasured skill. Where some hand-tool books focus solely on the use of hand tools, Made By Hand takes you right to the bench and shows you how to start building furniture using these tools. 

By working through the six projects in this book, you'll learn the basics of hand-tool woodworking and how to use the tools effectively and efficiently, then add joinery skills and design complexity. The accompanying DVD includes valuable insight into the tools themselves and a look at the techniques that make these tools work so well. 

If you're interested in hand tools, start here!

SKU	U3786
Author/Speaker/Editor	Tom Fidgen
File Type	PDF, MP4
Format	Digital Download

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Build an Arts & Crafts Mantel Clock with Robert W. Lang (Video Download)

THE WOODWORKING DESIGN COLLECTION - ONLY 69 LEFT !

By Robert W. Lang

Format: Video Download 

Expand your skills while making a clock you’ll be proud to display. 

Though it was designed in 1895 by British architect and designer C. F. A. Voysey, this attractive mantel clock will look at home in just about any setting. And making it offers big rewards, both in the reaction the finished clock receives and in the skills you will develop along the way.

You'll learn expert techniques to:

• Do fine woodworking on a small scale
• Make tapers safely on the table saw
• Create small mouldings with a router table
• Use a shooting board for perfecting joints
• Use pre-made inlay piece

SKU	U8632
Author/Speaker/Editor	Robert W. Lang
File Type	MP4
Format	Video Download
Runtime	137 Minutes

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How to Compare Junk Food to Healthy Food

Some things just scream junk food. You know double-stuffed chocolate cookies and the cheese puffs that stain your fingers orange aren't good for you. But it's not always so obvious to identify healthier foods. This takes a little investigative work. Comparing junk food to healthy food means reading and understanding nutrition labels, identifying ingredients and thinking about how foods are prepared.

A young man is reading a nutritional label. Photo Credit Minerva Studio/iStock/Getty Images.

Step 1

Read the nutrition label of a food from top to bottom.

Step 2

Look at the number of calories per serving and examine the number of calories from fat. Junk food usually provides a large number of calories per serving, with the majority of the calories coming from fat. Healthy food should be low in calories and especially low in calories from fat. On a 2,000 calorie diet, you should consume less than 65 grams of fat a day.

Step 3

Analyze the types of fat the food contains. Junk food is usually high in the bad types of fat -- trans and saturated. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1 percent of total trans fat from calories, or less than 2 grams of trans fat a day if you have daily diet with 2,000 calories. Less than 20 grams or 10 percent of your total calories should come from saturated fat. Healthy foods have little to no trans and saturated fats.

Step 4

Study the amount of cholesterol and sodium in the food. For a daily diet of 2,000 calories, you should consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,400 mg of sodium. The higher the numbers, the more likely it's junk food.

Step 5

Read the percent daily values of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and iron. These are good nutrients often absent or low in junk food -- less than 5 percent of the recommended daily value for that nutrient is considered low. For a food to be rich in the nutrient, it must provide at least 20 percent of the nutrient's recommended daily value.

Step 6

Consider the food's overall content of nutrients such as fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. A healthy food doesn't have to be high in all of these nutrients. An orange, for example, provides 130 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, but it only has 2 percent of the daily value of vitamin A and no iron. Some healthy foods provide a lot of one nutrient, while others provide smaller amounts of a variety of nutrients.

Step 7

Look up the sugar content and compare it to the food's ingredients list. Foods such as fruit have naturally occurring sugars, and naturally occurring sugars won't appear in an the ingredients list. Junk food often has a large amount of added sugar, which you will see listed under a variety of terms, including sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, maple syrup and fruit juice concentrate.

Step 8

Read the ingredients list. The order of ingredients in the list indicates how much is in the product. The first ingredient comparatively makes up most of the product, the second listed ingredient is the second most plentiful, and so on. If you see sugar, salt or fat as one of the first ingredients, it's one of the main ingredients in the food. Junk food is often high in all three.

Tips

• When you're eating out, consider how the food is cooked. Junk food is often fried or batter dipped. However, healthier options may be baked or grilled.
• Keep healthy food healthy by limiting what you add to it. A healthy salad becomes high in fat when drowned in salad dressing, for example. Pasta and veggies are great, but a creamy sauce poured on top is likely high in fat and sodium. Mayo, sour cream and cheese add even more calories and fat.

www.livestrong.com