Healthy Eating Tips
Healthy Eating Tips
Many of you might be finding it difficult to maintain a healthy diet during this time of COVID19. At the end of the day, you might be too exhausted to cook or even shop. You might find yourself eating too much or too little or reaching for unhealthy foods to satisfy your emotional needs. Know that you are not alone with this and many of us are struggling to maintain a healthy balanced diet. Healthy Eating Tips.
If you are not able to get out to purchase fruits and vegetables frequently, buying frozen or canned is fine. Try to purchase canned fruit in water, not syrup and buy canned vegetables low in sodium or no salt. Keep onions, potatoes and sweet potatoes on hand as well as grains (pasta, rice, and legumes). Canned tuna and beans and some nut butters can last a long time and eggs are always a great staple to have in the refrigerator.
It’s also okay to not be too hard on yourself for not eating healthy or for snacking more often than normal. This is trying times for sure. Here are some tips and links that can guide you toward healthier eating. Healthy Eating Tips.
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/national-nutrition-month/index.html
It can sometimes feel as if we’re bombarded with information about the latest eating trend or buzzworthy ingredient. But good nutrition is really about having a well-rounded diet, and it’s easier to do than you may think. In fact, living a nutritious lifestyle can be easy and fun. Healthy Eating Tips.
Nutrition is about more than vitamins—it also includes fiber and healthy fats. Now is a perfect time to learn simple ways to help your whole family eat healthier.
Need tips specifically for young children? Learn how to introduce kids to healthy foods https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/nutrition-month/
Add healthy fats.
Not all fats are bad. Foods with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are important for your brain and heart. Limit foods with trans fats which increase the risk for heart disease https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/trans-fat#.WI-W61UrLIU
Good sources of healthy fats include olive oil, nuts, seeds, certain types of fish, and avocados https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/nutrition-month/
Avocados are full of healthy fats. Top a salad or try some avocado in your morning smoothie.
Try this:
- Top lean meats with sliced avocado or try some avocado in your morning smoothie.
- Sprinkle nuts or seeds (like slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds) on soups or salads.
- Add a fish with healthy fats, like salmon or tuna, into your meals twice a week.
- Swap processed oils (like canola or soybean oil) for oils that are cold-pressed, like extra-virgin olive oil and sesame oil.
Cut the sodium.
Good nutrition is about balance, and that means not getting too much of certain ingredients, such as sodium (salt). Sodium increases blood pressure, which raises the risk for heart disease and stroke. Most Americans consume about 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day.1 This is much more than the recommended amount of 2,300 mg per day (about one teaspoon of salt) in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/
Try this:
- Avoid processed and prepackaged food, which can be full of hidden sodium. Many common foods, including breads, pizza, and deli meats, can be sources of hidden sodium. https://www.cdc.gov/salt/food.htm
- At the grocery store, look for products that say, “low sodium.”
- At restaurants, ask for sauces and dressings on the side. Get more tips for lowering sodium while eating out https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce_sodium_tips.htm
- Instead of using salt, add delicious flavor to your meals with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a dash of no-salt spice blends, or fresh herbs. Healthy Eating Tips.
Bump up your fiber
Fiber in your diet not only keeps you regular, it also helps you feel fuller longer. Fiber also helps control blood sugar and lowers cholesterol levels.3,4 Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (beans and peas) are good sources of fiber https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce_sodium_tips.htm
Try this:
- Slice up raw veggies and keep them in to-go baggies to use as quick snacks.
- Start your day off with a high-fiber breakfast like whole grain oatmeal sprinkled with pecans or macadamia nuts.
- Steam veggies rather than boiling them. When buying frozen veggies, look for ones that have been “flash frozen.”
- Add half a cup of beans or peas to your salad to add fiber, texture, and flavor.
you eating healthy to help you get to a healthy weight? Learn more about lanced eating. Healthy Eating Tips.
Aim for a variety of colors on your plate.
Foods like dark, leafy greens, oranges, and tomatoes—even fresh herbs—are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals.
Try this:
- Sprinkle fresh herbs over a salad or whole wheat pasta.
- Make a red sauce using canned tomatoes (look for “low sodium” or “no salt added”), fresh herbs, and spices.
- Add diced veggies like peppers, broccoli, or onions to stews and omelets to give them a boost of color and nutrients. Healthy Eating Tips.
Are you eating healthy to help you get to a healthy weight? Learn more about balanced eating. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/index.html
References
- S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture. What We Eat in America. pdf icon[PDF-1.15 MB]external iconNHANES 2011-2012. Agricultural Research Service Website.
- S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.external icon8th Edition. December 2015.
- Weickert, MO, Pfeiffer, A.F.H. (2008). Metabolic Effects of Dietary Fiber Consumption and Prevention of Diabetes.external icon Nutr. March 2008, Vol. 138 No. 3, 439-442.
- (N. date). “Can eating fruits and vegetables help people to manage their weight?” pdf icon[PDF-251KB]Research to Practice Series, No. 1. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. Healthy Eating Tips.