Sports drinks are recommended only to increase your physical performance if you are physically active for more than 60 to 90 minutes. Anything less, water should be the drink of choice because it’s better for hydration. Make sure to drink enough fluids before, during and after physical activity.

Vegetables are versatile, nutritious, colorful and flavorful. Not only are they naturally low in calories, fat and sodium, but they also are good sources of important vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Vegetables do not contain cholesterol. Increasing vegetable consumption can replace foods higher in calories and fat. Vegetables are rich sources of vitamins, particularly A and C. The value of a vegetable as a source of a nutrient is affected both by the amount of the nutrient present and by the amount of the vegetable eaten.

Keep washed, ready-to-eat vegetables on hand and easy to find. How many times does someone in your family open the refrigerator door to see what there is to eat and take one of the first foods he or she sees? So let the cleaned vegetables be seen first. Also, set them out when meals and snacks are eaten. On the run? Cut up some veggies and put them in zip-top bags. Stop in the produce department to see if some vegetables are cut up and ready to eat for a snack. If you do not have a cooler or refrigerator nearby, remember to eat cut-up produce within two hours for safety.

Most adults and children need 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day, but the amount varies depending on age, gender and amount of physical activity.

Imagine this: You have just walked in the door and are greeted by the aroma of a tender beef stew simmering in your slow cooker. You slice a loaf of whole-wheat bread and toss a simple spinach and strawberry salad. Dinner is served! Evenings like this can go from a dream to reality when using a slow cooker.

A good cook needs good tools. He or she needs to know where to find them in the kitchen.

Have you heard about probiotics and prebiotics?

Fiber isn’t a “miracle food,”but adding fiber-rich foods to your diet can have health benefits. The National Cancer Institute suggests that foods high in fiber may be protective against some cancers, particularly colon cancer. Although the National Cancer Institute recommends getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day. Soluble fiber (found in oats, dry edible beans, barley and fruits) helps lower blood cholesterol and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Insoluble fiber (found in wheat bran, whole-wheat products and vegetables) helps prevent ulcers, constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. High fiber foods usually are low in calories and many are inexpensive, too.

Learn to prepare your old family favorites in new, healthier ways with these recipe makeovers. Not all recipes need a makeover. If you can answer yes to the following questions, the recipe might be right for a makeover.

A child’s small tummy usually cannot hold enough at meals to keep him or her satisfied until the next meal. Kids younger than 6 may need to eat two to three snacks a day because they usually can’t meet their daily requirements in just three meals. Think of snacks as minimeals to help fill the gaps in their diets. Children should be getting the majority of their calories from a variety of grains (preferably whole grains), vegetables, fruits, milk products and lean protein sources.