Let's Get Things Straight
Nutrition can be a confusing subject because it is so personal and groundbreaking research is happening everyday; sometimes it feels like no matter where you turn you hit a road block. I will try to provide sources addressing some of the misconceptions people hold about food and nutrition and give you the basics of what you need to create a healthy plate. As part of this page I need to know what you want to know, so please comment telling me what topics you are confused on or want to know more about!
Basic Guidelines
If you want basic knowledge on how the average person should be eating then choosemyplate.gov is a great place to start. You can see what the recommeneded guidelines are for Americans and even create your own personalized SuperTracker account to help you manage your diet and weight loss goals.
One of the best features of this website, in my opinion, is that it provides sample recipes and menus! With other sites, that has always been the roadblock for me; they give me information on what is healthy to eat but don't tell me how to incorporate those foods into a meal. The links to many of these recipes have graphics to explain exactly how the dish will make your plate look based on the model shown above; they also provide traditional nutrition facts. Your new favorite recipe can be found here: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/sample-menus-recipes.html
One of the best features of this website, in my opinion, is that it provides sample recipes and menus! With other sites, that has always been the roadblock for me; they give me information on what is healthy to eat but don't tell me how to incorporate those foods into a meal. The links to many of these recipes have graphics to explain exactly how the dish will make your plate look based on the model shown above; they also provide traditional nutrition facts. Your new favorite recipe can be found here: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/sample-menus-recipes.html
Helpful Symbols
Shopping for healthy foods can seem like a challenge, and some may think they just don't have time to read through all of the nutrition facts in order to make the best choices. Cropping up in the grocery store and in restaurants are easy-to-recognize symbols that make identifying healthy choices more simple.
If you have read through the MyPlate recommendations, you know that it's important to make half your grains whole because whole grains have more nutrients, particularly fiber, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The Whole Grain Council has created The Whole Grain Stamp to help you identify products with whole grains. When you're shopping, look for the stamp and compare items that are both stamped by reading the amount, in grams, of whole grain the products contain at the bottom like in the picture at left. Read more about the benefits of whole grains on the Council's website.
If you have read through the MyPlate recommendations, you know that it's important to make half your grains whole because whole grains have more nutrients, particularly fiber, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The Whole Grain Council has created The Whole Grain Stamp to help you identify products with whole grains. When you're shopping, look for the stamp and compare items that are both stamped by reading the amount, in grams, of whole grain the products contain at the bottom like in the picture at left. Read more about the benefits of whole grains on the Council's website.
The American Heart Association has crafted a handy tool which identifies
foods that are heart healthy with the Heart-Check Meal Certification. This stamp
indicates foods that are low in unhealthy fats, sodium, and cholesterol. It can
be found on products in the grocery store as well as in restaurants, notably
Subway. Visit the AHA's website to learn
about which products have the Heart-Check Certification.
foods that are heart healthy with the Heart-Check Meal Certification. This stamp
indicates foods that are low in unhealthy fats, sodium, and cholesterol. It can
be found on products in the grocery store as well as in restaurants, notably
Subway. Visit the AHA's website to learn
about which products have the Heart-Check Certification.
Quick Tips
Published in the May/June issue ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal is an article by Stella Lucia Volpe, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N., FACSM which gives 5 great tips to help busy people eat healthier every day. Her article mentions things like keeping frozen fruits, vegetables, and meats handy so that they can be quickly prepared.
Until recently I was under the impression that frozen foods were significantly inferior to fresh. Especially with my tendency to let fresh foods sit in the fridge for days, however, as a research article from the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture explains, they
may lose some of their nutrient content due to oxidation and be more comparable
to frozen or canned foods. So, if you're likely to let your fresh produce sit for a long time, you may be better off to go with frozen produce anyway.
If you're pressed for time, the frozen vegetable is always better for you than the donut. To make the healthiest selections in the frozen food aisle, opt for products with little or no sodium or sugar added and avoid products in sauce or syrup. Check out Dr.Volpe's
article above for more tips!
Until recently I was under the impression that frozen foods were significantly inferior to fresh. Especially with my tendency to let fresh foods sit in the fridge for days, however, as a research article from the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture explains, they
may lose some of their nutrient content due to oxidation and be more comparable
to frozen or canned foods. So, if you're likely to let your fresh produce sit for a long time, you may be better off to go with frozen produce anyway.
If you're pressed for time, the frozen vegetable is always better for you than the donut. To make the healthiest selections in the frozen food aisle, opt for products with little or no sodium or sugar added and avoid products in sauce or syrup. Check out Dr.Volpe's
article above for more tips!
Defining Good
Have you ever looked at a food product at the grocery store and on the front of the package it said "Good Source of Calcium?" Have you wondered just what a "Good Source" is? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 explains that a good source contains 10-19% of the Daily Value for a nutrient, while an excellent source contains 20% or more of the Daily Value.
Let me back up now and explain what a Daily Value is. You can see on this nutrition facts label to the left that the title for the right column reads % Daily Value. The % Daily Values are based on the nutrient needs for all people 4 years and older, and are the amounts required to prevent nutrient deficiency and chronic disease in about 98% of the population. You can see in the footnote highlighted in this picture that these Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. From this label we can see that one serving of the product contains 12% of the total fiber a person on a 2000 calorie diet needs for the day.
When you go to the store, you will now be able to tell at a glance how much of your needed nutrients a product contains! You should look for low percentages of over-consumed nutrients like fat, cholesterol, sugar, and sodium, and high numbers of Vitamins and the other nutrients listed. If a product says on its package that it is a good source of a certain nutrient, you can know that it has at least 10% of your daily need for that nutrient, and if it says "Excellent Source" that it has at least 20% of your daily need. If it does not make a claim like this, you can decide for yourself what kind of a source it is by checking out the % Daily Values on the nutrition facts label.
Let me back up now and explain what a Daily Value is. You can see on this nutrition facts label to the left that the title for the right column reads % Daily Value. The % Daily Values are based on the nutrient needs for all people 4 years and older, and are the amounts required to prevent nutrient deficiency and chronic disease in about 98% of the population. You can see in the footnote highlighted in this picture that these Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. From this label we can see that one serving of the product contains 12% of the total fiber a person on a 2000 calorie diet needs for the day.
When you go to the store, you will now be able to tell at a glance how much of your needed nutrients a product contains! You should look for low percentages of over-consumed nutrients like fat, cholesterol, sugar, and sodium, and high numbers of Vitamins and the other nutrients listed. If a product says on its package that it is a good source of a certain nutrient, you can know that it has at least 10% of your daily need for that nutrient, and if it says "Excellent Source" that it has at least 20% of your daily need. If it does not make a claim like this, you can decide for yourself what kind of a source it is by checking out the % Daily Values on the nutrition facts label.
Eating Out
I hear it often, people want to eat healthier but don't know how when they're always eating at restaurants. Below are a few pointers to help you make healthier choices no matter what type of menu you're looking at:
- Order half sizes or kid's portions.
- Avoid anything with the words 'breaded' or 'fried' in front of it, opt instead for grilled or baked options.
- Choose steamed vegetables as a side instead of french fries or other heavy starches.
- Ask for water or tea instead of sugary sodas or alcohol (this will save you lots of money too!).
- Avoid white, cheesy sauces on pasta dishes; instead, choose a tomato or wine-based sauce.
- Make sure your "healthy" salad choice really is good for you by asking for a vinaigrette-type dressing instead of one that's creamy and high in calories.