Examine the characteristics of a healthy diet, and the challenge associated with choosing the right foods.

The characteristics of a healthy diet:
A healthy diet should contain all of the food groups and should be balanced. We need every vitamin and nutrient for our body to function efficiently. We also need these things for energy, and to fight off any disease that may come our way!

Challenges associated with choosing the right foods:

A challenge that people come across when it comes to eating healthy, is that restaraunts and stores sell foods in much larger portions than we actually need to be eating.

"Hamburgers have expanded by 23 percent; A plate of Mexican food is 27 percent bigger; Soft drinks have increased in size by 52 percent; Snacks, whether they be potato chips, pretzels or crackers, are 60 percent larger." (abc.com, 2012) Going to a buffet is also a time when people stop paying attention to portion control. You pay a set price, and get a muh food as you want. Our brains usually try and get the most for our money, but when it comes to food, we do not necessarily need more because it is not better.

Another challenge in choosing the right foods is lack of knowleddge when it comes to nutrition labels. Some people do not know how to read them, and think they do. Some people only look at the calories, an other people may only look at the fat grams. It is important to look at ALL parts of the nutrition labels, and understand what you are reading and what that means for your body.

We all need to learn about nutrition labels, and pay close attention to them before consuming foods. we should know what we are putting into our bodies and into our children's bodies. This could be the thing that keeps us from getting heart disease or cancer.

Abc.com. Retrieved Sept 16, 2012.