Food 101

Are you trying to lower your blood pressure, reduce your cholesterol, or take off some weight?

Then be sure to reshape your diet so that it's rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Keep your total fats at a moderate level and watch how much saturated fat and cholesterol you're consuming. Another essential part of a good diet — consume less salt and sodium. Try these tips to get you started:

Get spicy instead of salty. In the kitchen and at the table, flavor foods with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, or salt-free seasoning blends.

Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed types.
Eat moderate portions. When snacking, eat fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or bread sticks.

Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings. These often have a lot of sodium.