Even though we do not realize it, our most important diets are the healthy ones. Even in our college years our diets are very important. As the old saying goes, we are what we eat. Lower risks of overall mortality are associated with healthy diets.

Studies done in Bethesda, Md, as well as Queens College of the City University of Flushing, NY, Found that the women who eat more healthy foods tend to live longer than women who eat less optimal diets.

The scientists there evaluated more than 42,000 women, the article appears in an issue of the journal of American medical associations. The questionnaire included questions about the frequency of the different healthy foods consumed during the past year.

Foods recommended, were fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats or meat alternatives and low-fat dairy foods, by the U.S. Department of agricultural and included in present guidelines.

All persons included in the study were given food scores that were based on the number of healthy foods that were eaten at least once each week.

As you know vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry, a vegetarian diet can easily meet the US department guidelines for these diets which are low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low fat, and high fiber.

For heart-healthy cooking, foods should be sauteed in water instead of oil or use small amounts of olive or canola oil.

You will learn that many of the so called healthy diets are a joke on the heart, why? They are really not healthy for the heart. If you start to take away cholesterol and fat then you wind up getting more carbohydrates. But then the liver takes the excess carbohydrates and turns them right back into fat and cholesterol.

During the past twenty years or longer these diets were touted as heart healthy, and supposed to be low in fat. However since there is not a lot of protein, this makes them high in carbohydrates. There goes the heart health.

Healthy diets are important in many ways, after about five years on this plan, the group had clearer arteries, while those in the other group saw their disease get worse.

The most important part to a healthy diet is to eat a wide variety of foods, which means for most people should be eating more fruits, vegetables, more bread, cereals and potatoes, and consuming less fatty and sugary foods.