Healthy food fuels our bodies,

and gives us the energy to make us feel good.

Living a balanced life includes regular physical activity,

enough sleep

and good nutrition.

This video will focus on three ways to be healthy:

eating vegetables,

drinking water,

and eating healthy fats.

First, let's talk about vegetables.

Eating vegetables is an important part of healthy eating.

Vegetables are great because they have a lot of nutrition

through vitamins and minerals,

and we can eat a lot of them because they are low in calories and fat.

They help our body work properly and help us fight disease.

Did you know that most people do not eat enough vegetables?

Each adult should eat at least 2-3 cups of vegetables per day,

and your child should eat at least 1 or 2 cups.

How can you help your family eat more vegetables?

Keep plenty of vegetables of different colors available.

Vegetables can be eaten at any time of day.

They are great to add to sandwiches,

pack into lunches,

or add them to soup.

There are so many ways vegetables could be part of your meals and snacks.

Try our challenge!

Make it fun for the family by adding different colors,

shapes, and ways to eat them.

Your family will thank you for it.

Next, let's talk about water.

Did you ever wonder how much water you should be drinking each day?

How much water you need depends on your body size,

how active you are,

and where you live.

The average person should try to drink 8 glasses each day.

Water helps absorb nutrients and move oxygen throughout the body,

and to move toxins out of your body.

Although most drinks can help us stay hydrated,

some drink choices are better than others.

Water is great because it is all natural

and does not have calories or sugar.

It is better than other drinks like soda

or fruit drinks that contain added sugars.

Sugary drinks are high in calories.

Too many calories lead to weight gain,

which can contribute to health problems

like heart disease and diabetes.

Choose the better choice, water.

Try our challenge!

Replace one serving of soda or sweetened drink with water each day.

Adding lemon, orange or other fruit slices to water

makes it special and tasty,

without adding sugar.

Try adding mint leaves for a refreshing twist.

Water: It's the clear choice!

Lastly, let's talk about fat.

Did you know that there are several different kinds of fat?

Some types of dietary fat can promote good health

and some can be trouble.

Fats in general should be eaten in smaller amounts

because, over time,

they can be harmful to your body when you eat too much.

Fat in the diet generally comes from meat,

lard, oil, and high fat food

such us fried foods and sweets.

There are two kinds of fats:

solid fats, which remain hard at room temperature,

and oils, which are liquid.

Solid fats like butter, solid margarine, lard, or meat fat

are high in saturated fat and trans fat.

These fats are also found in many baked goods and processed foods.

These fats are closely linked with higher cholesterol levels.

This can be more of a problem for those who are overweight

or have high blood pressure,

heart disease,

or diabetes.

Liquid oils are a better choice than solid fats for staying healthy.

Eating smaller portions,

eating more fruits and vegetables,

and replacing high-fat, high- calorie foods

with leaner and low-fat foods

are all ways to eat smarter without counting fat grams or calories.

Try our challenge!

Choose to grill, bake, or broil your chicken and fish

instead of frying;

or cook with using a "spray" of vegetable oils

like canola or olive oil

instead of cooking with butter or lard.

Choosing healthier fats and lowering the fat in the food you eat

can make a big difference for your health and the way you feel.

Healthy eating is about the choices you make.

Choosing water over sugary drinks,

using oils instead of solid fats,

and adding more vegetables to your diet

are all paths to a long, healthy life for you and your family.