5 SMART FOOD CHOICE TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
COOK AT HOME AND PLAN AHEAD
When you cook at home, you know exactly what’s going into your food — you control the ingredients. Restaurant food and processed foods from the supermarket are often filled with hidden sugars, sodium, and fats. Plus, portion sizes at restaurants have been expanding over the years. Take some time on the weekend to plan your meals for the week and make one trip to the grocery store. This will save you time and money and will cut down on last-minute runs to the fast food joint.
LIMIT ADDED SUGARS
There’s a difference between the naturally occurring sugars found in foods (like fruit and milk) and added sugars, which are added to food during processing. Added sugars, which are found in things like candy, cakes, and soft drinks, provide calories without any nutrients. The US Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of your total calories (The American Heart Association Guidelines are even more strict). For example, a 2,000-calorie diet that’s less than 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugars a day (about 12 ½ teaspoons). As a reference, a 12-ounce can of soda contains 35 grams of added sugars!
FOCUS ON FIBER
The health benefits of fiber are countless! Fiber is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. Our fiber intake falls well below the recommended 14 grams per 1000 calories. Fiber keeps everything moving smoothly through your gut, regulates your blood sugar, lowers your cholesterol, keeps your gut bacteria happy, and keeps you feeling full. Plus, eating plenty of fiber helps lower your risk for many chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and some cancers.
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY GUT
The gut microbiome is the community of microorganisms that inhabit your digestive tract. These microbes help you maintain good gut health and can also improve your immunity, your mood, and even your weight. To keep the balance of good and bad bacteria in check, eat foods that are rich in probiotics, the friendly bacteria. Probiotic-rich foods include yogurt and fermented items like kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha. Don’t forget to eat fiber-rich prebiotics like onions, garlic and asparagus, which feed the good bacteria and help them thrive.
CHOOSE HEALTHY FATS
We now know that not all fats are created equal! You should limit your intake of saturated fat and avoid trans fats altogether. Choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats instead, which is found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and seafood. Fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have strong anti-inflammatory properties and have many positive effects on our health, especially heart health and brain health.
By DR. SONALI RUDER
The Foodie Physician & Ambassador for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
thefoodiephysician.com