I enjoy eating meat, but I am trying to cut back and incorporate more vegetables into my diet. When I have a craving for meat, what type should I choose and why?

Amping up the veggies in your diet is a smart way to increase nutrition, provide lasting energy, and fight chronic disease. So, without ignoring the need to include vegetables on your plate (aim for one cup of vegetables per meal), we still want to have space for protein.

Turn to lean proteins. How do you identify a lean protein for meat, poultry, and seafood? Read below:

• Less than 10 grams of total fat.

• 4.5 grams saturated fat.

• 95 milligrams cholesterol per 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces serving as packaged.

Stay under one serving total of red meat (including beef, or lamb) and processed meat per week. High intakes of saturated fat increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers.

With so many confusing claims on food packages, how can I tell if something is really whole-grain?

Look for the word "whole" in the ingredients list – whole grain, whole corn – or look for the whole-grain stamp. Products that contain 100 per cent whole grain – and at least 16 grams of the stuff – are eligible for the 100 per cent whole grain stamp, while products labelled with the 50 per cent stamp contain at least 50 per cent whole grain, at a minimum of eight grams per serving. If a product bears the basic stamp, that means it contains at least eight grams of whole grain per serving, but the rest of the grains may be more refined than whole.

What foods can I eat to help keep me full longer?

One of the most common reasons people feel perma-hungry is they're not eating balanced meals. Many times, they're simply getting insufficient protein or fat during their day. Protein and fat are the two macronutrients that have serious satiety skills. Fibre's another way to amp up fullness – it slows down digestion and absorption of nutrients, while allowing for more controlled blood sugar and feelings of satiety. To better control hunger, we recommend including a lean protein, a healthy fat and a high-fibre carb at each meal. So, instead of having chips for a snack, choose half an apple with a hard-boiled egg and a handful of almonds.