Sodexo Blog: Ten Simple Tips to a Healthier You

By Ragini Raghuveer, MS, MS, RD, LD/N
Dec 20, 2012 8:50 AM ET

Sodexo's Health & Wellness Blog

Heading into the holidays, here are ten simple tips you can follow for a healthier you. Your body will thank you!

1. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. One medium sized orange has 70 mg – almost your entire daily RDA. 

2. Trans-fats are partially hydrogenated oils that make the fats solid and are not good for the heart. They are usually found in ready to eat foods like pastries, pie crusts, biscuits, pizza dough, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and shortenings.

3. Cholesterol is necessary for human health but high intakes affect cardio vascular health – average estimated intake should be 200 mg or less per day. One large egg yolk has 275 mg.

4. Dietary fiber – is found in vegetables, fruits and grains. It helps in digestion, prevention of constipation, scavenges cholesterol, makes you fuller faster, helps in controlling how much you eat.  Recommended Dietary Allowance per day is 25-30 gms. Top 5 fiber rich foods are bran, nuts, beans, fresh salads, fruits and green vegetables.

5. Iron – a very important “micro-nutrient” that is essential for cell growth, differentiation, carries oxygen, protein and promotes immunity. Iron is an important part of hemoglobin – a component in blood.  Iron deficiency anemia reduces oxygen delivery to cells causing fatigue, poor work performance.  Foods rich in iron are: liver, nuts, soy beans, lentils, spinach, raisins and fortified cereals.

Continue reading 5 more tips for a healthier you >>