5 Tips to a Healthier Diet
5 Tips to a Healthier Diet
While many focus on exercise as the hallmark of a healthy lifestyle, diet plays an equally important role in overall health.
1. Select Nutrient-rich Foods & Beverages Choose Among the Basic Food Groups • Brightly colored fruits and 100% fruit juice • Vibrantly colored vegetables • Whole-grain fortified and fiber rich grain foods • Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt • Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts
Practical Ways to Add Nutrient-rich Foods • Make oatmeal with fat-free milk instead of water. • Try whole-wheat macaroni and cheese for a way to get a wholegrain food and a serving of dairy. • Choose nutrient-rich beverages, such as low-fat flavored milk, or 100% fruit juice. • Cut and bag vegetables for a convenient snack for the entire family.
2. Reduce Added Sugar Intake The 411 on Sugar •
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The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee defines added sugars as, “sugars that are either added during the processing of foods, or are packaged as such, and include sugars, syrups, naturally occurring sugars that are isolated from a whole food and concentrated so that sugar is the primary component, and other caloric sweeteners.” Sugar may appear under as many as 50 names, including cane sugar, corn syrup, raw sugar, and crystal solids.
Reducing Sugar Intake • • • •
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Scan labels for added sweeteners. Replace sugary snacks with naturally sweet fruit and vegetables. Drink water and milk as beverages. Reduce sugar at home by trying to cook from scratch. Many times sugar can be cut from recipes without issue. Limit flavored yogurt. Flavored yogurt contains startling amounts of added sugar. Try mixing half a flavored yogurt with half of a plain yogurt.
3. Curb Late Night Snacking • Focus on planning healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. • Boost your protein and fiber intake. Protein and fiber both provide a satiated feeling. • Get adequate sleep. When sleep patterns are disrupted, appetite, and hormone levels are disrupted as well. • If feeling hungry at the end of the day, ask yourself “Am I really feeling hungry or am I just tired, bored, or procrastinating?” If you are truly hungry, try reaching for a healthy snack.
4. Keep a Food Journal 10 Best Food Journaling Apps • • • • • • • • •
Calorific The Eatery Lose it! My Fitness Pal My Food Diary MYNETDIARY MYPLATE by LIVESTRONG SPEECH-To-Text Nutrition Menu
Keeping a food journal is a great way to learn more about your eating habits. With technology, food journaling has become easier then ever. There are a variety of apps available, each with different functions. Find an app that meets the individual’s needs.
5. Tips for Dining Out • Have a plan. Eat a light dinner if you had a big lunch, or cut back on calories during the day if you know you will be dining out at night. • Choose a restaurant that offer healthy meal choices. Check online menus for nutritional information. • Substitute when possible; ask for a vegetable instead of fries. • Control portions. If a restaurant serves large portions, eat only a small portion and bring home the leftovers. Order an appetizer in place of a large entrée and add a small salad. • Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that you’re no longer hungry.
Sources: •
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Tips for choosing a Nutrient-rich Diet, Sharon Denny; http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrient-richfoods/choosing-a-nutrientrich-diet Looking to Reduce Your Family’s Added Sugar Intake? Here’s How, Jessica Cording; http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/dietary-guidelines-andmyplate/looking-to-reduce-your-familys-added-sugar-intake-heres-how 5 Tip to Curb your Late-Night Snacking, Penelope Clark; http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/tips-for-weight-loss/5-tipsto-curb-your-late-night-snacking The 10 best apps for Food Journaling; http://www.redbookmag.com/body/healthy-eating/advice/g614/lose-weightapps-tools/?slide=7 7 Tips for Healthy Dining Out, Jill Kohn; http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/eating-out/eating-out
While many focus on exercise as the hallmark of a healthy lifestyle, diet plays an equally important role in overall health.
1. Select Nutrient-rich Foods & Beverages Choose Among the Basic Food Groups • Brightly colored fruits and 100% fruit juice • Vibrantly colored vegetables • Whole-grain fortified and fiber rich grain foods • Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt • Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts
Practical Ways to Add Nutrient-rich Foods • Make oatmeal with fat-free milk instead of water. • Try whole-wheat macaroni and cheese for a way to get a wholegrain food and a serving of dairy. • Choose nutrient-rich beverages, such as low-fat flavored milk, or 100% fruit juice. • Cut and bag vegetables for a convenient snack for the entire family.
2. Reduce Added Sugar Intake The 411 on Sugar •
•
The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee defines added sugars as, “sugars that are either added during the processing of foods, or are packaged as such, and include sugars, syrups, naturally occurring sugars that are isolated from a whole food and concentrated so that sugar is the primary component, and other caloric sweeteners.” Sugar may appear under as many as 50 names, including cane sugar, corn syrup, raw sugar, and crystal solids.
Reducing Sugar Intake • • • •
•
Scan labels for added sweeteners. Replace sugary snacks with naturally sweet fruit and vegetables. Drink water and milk as beverages. Reduce sugar at home by trying to cook from scratch. Many times sugar can be cut from recipes without issue. Limit flavored yogurt. Flavored yogurt contains startling amounts of added sugar. Try mixing half a flavored yogurt with half of a plain yogurt.
3. Curb Late Night Snacking • Focus on planning healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. • Boost your protein and fiber intake. Protein and fiber both provide a satiated feeling. • Get adequate sleep. When sleep patterns are disrupted, appetite, and hormone levels are disrupted as well. • If feeling hungry at the end of the day, ask yourself “Am I really feeling hungry or am I just tired, bored, or procrastinating?” If you are truly hungry, try reaching for a healthy snack.
4. Keep a Food Journal 10 Best Food Journaling Apps • • • • • • • • •
Calorific The Eatery Lose it! My Fitness Pal My Food Diary MYNETDIARY MYPLATE by LIVESTRONG SPEECH-To-Text Nutrition Menu
Keeping a food journal is a great way to learn more about your eating habits. With technology, food journaling has become easier then ever. There are a variety of apps available, each with different functions. Find an app that meets the individual’s needs.
5. Tips for Dining Out • Have a plan. Eat a light dinner if you had a big lunch, or cut back on calories during the day if you know you will be dining out at night. • Choose a restaurant that offer healthy meal choices. Check online menus for nutritional information. • Substitute when possible; ask for a vegetable instead of fries. • Control portions. If a restaurant serves large portions, eat only a small portion and bring home the leftovers. Order an appetizer in place of a large entrée and add a small salad. • Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that you’re no longer hungry.
Sources: •
•
•
•
•
Tips for choosing a Nutrient-rich Diet, Sharon Denny; http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrient-richfoods/choosing-a-nutrientrich-diet Looking to Reduce Your Family’s Added Sugar Intake? Here’s How, Jessica Cording; http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/dietary-guidelines-andmyplate/looking-to-reduce-your-familys-added-sugar-intake-heres-how 5 Tip to Curb your Late-Night Snacking, Penelope Clark; http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/tips-for-weight-loss/5-tipsto-curb-your-late-night-snacking The 10 best apps for Food Journaling; http://www.redbookmag.com/body/healthy-eating/advice/g614/lose-weightapps-tools/?slide=7 7 Tips for Healthy Dining Out, Jill Kohn; http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/eating-out/eating-out
