We all want to be healthy. Good health, like most things worth having, requires some effort. That effort best begins with self-education. Living a healthy lifestyle starts with what you eat. After all, "we are what we eat"! We are made personally aware of this statement when we over-indulge in poor food and drink choices. As our body deals with the consequences we feel sluggish, nauseous, irritable and lacking in energy and enthusiasm. In modern western societies, we live in a world where our food health is usually compromised more by excess quantity than scarcity. It seems like almost all of the fast food chains have their own form of "supersizing". However, it is critical to make a distinction between sufficient or even excess food consumption and adequate nutrient intake. In other words, more food doesn't necessarily mean it is better for you nutritionally. In fact, much of the food and drink we consume are nothing more than empty calories - calories containing very few, if any, nutrients. The bottom line is most foods are produced with continuing and increasing sales as the major driver. How good they are for you isn't even part of the equation. To achieve this, producers and manufacturers often place more emphasis on taste, texture and appearance and shelf life rather than nutrient availability. Good food can and does taste good, but clever processing can make foods with little nutrient value taste incredibly good too. It is up to you to know the difference and that is where this information will help you to understand why some foods and food types are better for your health, vitality and well-being. Let's get started.