Last weekend Mark and I made some spiced rice with Lamb and almond sauce. We made a ton of rice. So we got to enjoy it all week. Here's the rundown of the meals:
1. Rice with lamb and almond sauce
2. Rice with store-brought curry
3. Rice with homemade curry and chickpeas--very spicy!
4. Rice with leftover #3
So here was Noah's reaction (and our interferences/encouragement) to the meals
1. Didn't eat any--he had a quesadilla instead (we had friends over and we didn't even offer Noah and his friend food until we finished eating and they were ready to eat. This is pretty atypical)
2. Would not even touch. We did nag him to try it. He wouldn't. He didn't eat dinner that night. (If he won't eat the food we give him, we make him leave the table, and he doesn't eat. We try not to make big deal about it though, just matter-of-fact).
3. Ate the entire huge plateful and asked for more. Neither Mark or I even asked Noah to try it or eat it. We were too busy talking to think about what Noah was doing and finally I looked over as Noah was taking his last bite.
4. ( WE had this for lunch, not dinner) Ate some of it after eating something else. I thought he would chow down like he did the night before but he ate what he wanted and then he was done.
*Update* these meals were spaced out throughout the week, they were not consecutive dinners. He did eat during other meals.
Here are the lessons from this experience:
- Noah ate the best when we didn't make any assumptions that he would not eat the rice and curry
- Just because he wouldn't eat something the first time we had it, didn't mean that he would never try it
- Just because he loved it one night, didn't mean he would love it the next day
I think this sums up the child feeding experience. Kids will surprise us. The worst thing you can do is make a huge deal out of them not liking something so that they have bad memories to go along with that particular food. If they don't eat something one time you make it, don't let that stop you from serving it again as leftovers or as a future meal. Trying to plan all of your meals around all of you child's favorite foods is also not a good plan since one day they love something, and the next day they don't.
Showing posts with label dietetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dietetics. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Book Review: In Defense of Food
I've been slacking on my posts lately, hope you don't mind a book review for a change.
I recently read, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. I have been really reluctant to read this book since I thought he was going to be some crazy extremist who only told one side of the story. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the book--even though he did bash on my profession. He may actually be a little bit extreme, but I really think it's the direction that we need to go in our eating habits.
Pollan tries to look at the big picture of food and eating. His moto: "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much. Here are some of the points he makes:
- Stop focusing on single nutrients to avoid or attain
- Avoid processed foods as much as possible
- Get your "nutrients" in the context of food
- Take a more active role in your eating experiences (garden, cook, eat meals with family, etc)
My criticisms,
- He knocks the food guide pyramid. He has his reasons and I understand the shortcomings of the pyramid. But I think the pyramid is just the first step on the ladder. I think that before people can start eating the way he suggests that they need be eating in the way the pyramid suggest. The FGP is a great guide for how get a variety of foods and eat in a balanced way. Once you have achieved that, than you can continue to improve your diet and eating behavior/lifestyle
- This is an extension of my first criticism but his suggestions are a little too extreme. One category of people that will have a hard time are those who don't know how to cook. There is really no other way for them to learn how to eat "healthy" per his suggestions without learning how to cook. There are many other categories of people who will struggle with his suggestions. And that's normal. My main suggestion when making any lifestyle change is that it has to be done gradually it order for it to be permanent and manageable. That's why I like the FGP--it helps you to do that.
- He claims that drinking alcohol will help you to be healthy. Yes, there are studies that show alcohol can have positive affects on your health. While I don't expect everyone to believe in abstinence from drinking, I also don't think you need to drink in order to be healthy. If you currently drink alcohol, you should limit your alcohol consumption to 2 drinks for men and 1 drink for women. If you don't drink alcohol, I don't think you need to start drinking 1-2 drinks/day to be healthy.
Overall, it's a great book and has motivated me to improve the way our family eats. I hope you will take some time to read it--it gives you the perspective that you really are what you eat and that eating healthy is an investment in your physical and mental health!
I recently read, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. I have been really reluctant to read this book since I thought he was going to be some crazy extremist who only told one side of the story. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the book--even though he did bash on my profession. He may actually be a little bit extreme, but I really think it's the direction that we need to go in our eating habits.
Pollan tries to look at the big picture of food and eating. His moto: "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much. Here are some of the points he makes:
- Stop focusing on single nutrients to avoid or attain
- Avoid processed foods as much as possible
- Get your "nutrients" in the context of food
- Take a more active role in your eating experiences (garden, cook, eat meals with family, etc)
My criticisms,
- He knocks the food guide pyramid. He has his reasons and I understand the shortcomings of the pyramid. But I think the pyramid is just the first step on the ladder. I think that before people can start eating the way he suggests that they need be eating in the way the pyramid suggest. The FGP is a great guide for how get a variety of foods and eat in a balanced way. Once you have achieved that, than you can continue to improve your diet and eating behavior/lifestyle
- This is an extension of my first criticism but his suggestions are a little too extreme. One category of people that will have a hard time are those who don't know how to cook. There is really no other way for them to learn how to eat "healthy" per his suggestions without learning how to cook. There are many other categories of people who will struggle with his suggestions. And that's normal. My main suggestion when making any lifestyle change is that it has to be done gradually it order for it to be permanent and manageable. That's why I like the FGP--it helps you to do that.
- He claims that drinking alcohol will help you to be healthy. Yes, there are studies that show alcohol can have positive affects on your health. While I don't expect everyone to believe in abstinence from drinking, I also don't think you need to drink in order to be healthy. If you currently drink alcohol, you should limit your alcohol consumption to 2 drinks for men and 1 drink for women. If you don't drink alcohol, I don't think you need to start drinking 1-2 drinks/day to be healthy.
Overall, it's a great book and has motivated me to improve the way our family eats. I hope you will take some time to read it--it gives you the perspective that you really are what you eat and that eating healthy is an investment in your physical and mental health!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
TV/video games, Salty Snacks, and Asthma Oh My!
Asthma is more prevalent in Westernized countries. The reasons for this is undetermined. There is a lot of research out there trying to link asthma and diet.
The theme of this month's American Dietetic Association (ADA) journal is Diet and Asthma.
First of all, the juxtaposition of 2 articles really stuck out to me
The first article was an original research article* that looked at the association of TV watching/video gaming, consumption of salty snacks, and the occurrence of asthma.
The other article was a review article* looking at the possibility of using nutrition to prevent or treat asthma.
The latter article really seemed to focus on individual nutrient consumption whereas the first article focused on lifestyle behavior.
In my opinion, the first article is a fairly important contribution to our field. Whereas, focusing on the consumption of an individual nutrient (in the 2nd article) seems a little dated. It concludes that there is a minimal practical link to diet and asthmas--people with asthma, pregnant women, and all people basically should not change or supplement their diet to treat or reduce risk of developing asthma. While I don't know of anyone who recommends doing this, now you know, you don't need to take a special vitamin or nutrient to treat/prevent asthma. It just doesn't work that way.
On the other hand, the research article is looking at something completely different and more important--overall diet patterns and physical activity (or at least, the lack of). I should add that this research was done in Greece--think home of the Mediterranean diet.
In this study, they found a positive association between kids who were eating salty snacks (more than once/week) and watching TV/playing video games. No surprise there. They found that kids who ate salty snacks and were less likely to follow a Med. diet pattern. Not really a surprise. What is interesting is that kids who ate salty snacks more than 3 times/week were significantly more likely to have asthma symptoms. And asthma symptoms were more prominant in salty snack-eating-kids who had more than 2 hours screen time. Kids eating a Med diet were less likely to have asthma symptoms.
Basically, kids who watch lots of TV daily and eat chips often are more likely to have asthma symptoms.
Now, here is the thing with research. Correlation does not equal causation. I doubt it's the TV or even the snack consumption that is CAUSING the asthma symptoms. In fact, studies showed a relationship to fastfood (high sodium/high fat foods) and wheezing symptoms in children but another study failed to show any beneficial effects from low-sodium diet. It really seems to me that it is this sort of sedentery, junk food-eating lifestyle that is really the problem.
Take home message:
- Turn off the TV. (Don't think it's possible? It's hard. I can even do a separate post on that--although it will be as Holly the Mom speaking and not Holly the RD! )
- Slow down on the chips/fast food/etc. This week I will post something on healthy snack choices for kids.
Leave a comment, I would love to hear your opinions!
references: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, February 2011, pages 251-268
The theme of this month's American Dietetic Association (ADA) journal is Diet and Asthma.
First of all, the juxtaposition of 2 articles really stuck out to me
The first article was an original research article* that looked at the association of TV watching/video gaming, consumption of salty snacks, and the occurrence of asthma.
The other article was a review article* looking at the possibility of using nutrition to prevent or treat asthma.
The latter article really seemed to focus on individual nutrient consumption whereas the first article focused on lifestyle behavior.
In my opinion, the first article is a fairly important contribution to our field. Whereas, focusing on the consumption of an individual nutrient (in the 2nd article) seems a little dated. It concludes that there is a minimal practical link to diet and asthmas--people with asthma, pregnant women, and all people basically should not change or supplement their diet to treat or reduce risk of developing asthma. While I don't know of anyone who recommends doing this, now you know, you don't need to take a special vitamin or nutrient to treat/prevent asthma. It just doesn't work that way.
On the other hand, the research article is looking at something completely different and more important--overall diet patterns and physical activity (or at least, the lack of). I should add that this research was done in Greece--think home of the Mediterranean diet.
In this study, they found a positive association between kids who were eating salty snacks (more than once/week) and watching TV/playing video games. No surprise there. They found that kids who ate salty snacks and were less likely to follow a Med. diet pattern. Not really a surprise. What is interesting is that kids who ate salty snacks more than 3 times/week were significantly more likely to have asthma symptoms. And asthma symptoms were more prominant in salty snack-eating-kids who had more than 2 hours screen time. Kids eating a Med diet were less likely to have asthma symptoms.
Basically, kids who watch lots of TV daily and eat chips often are more likely to have asthma symptoms.
Now, here is the thing with research. Correlation does not equal causation. I doubt it's the TV or even the snack consumption that is CAUSING the asthma symptoms. In fact, studies showed a relationship to fastfood (high sodium/high fat foods) and wheezing symptoms in children but another study failed to show any beneficial effects from low-sodium diet. It really seems to me that it is this sort of sedentery, junk food-eating lifestyle that is really the problem.
Take home message:
- Turn off the TV. (Don't think it's possible? It's hard. I can even do a separate post on that--although it will be as Holly the Mom speaking and not Holly the RD! )
- Slow down on the chips/fast food/etc. This week I will post something on healthy snack choices for kids.
Leave a comment, I would love to hear your opinions!
references: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, February 2011, pages 251-268
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Plant sterols and stanols effect on cholesterol
I recently read an article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association regarding plant sterols and plant stanols. The article isn't relevant to the public but I thought I would add a piece about the topic.
Plant sterols and stanols are like cholesterol but are found in plants. Research has shown that 2 g of sterols/stanols per day can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
So where do you get this magical plant cholesterol you ask? Well that's kind of the problem. There are margarines that are fortified with them. But in order to get 2 grams, you need to eat 2 tablespoons of this margarine /day. There about 150 calories in 2 tablespoons of margarine.
IF you are willing to replace calories elsewhere in your diet with calories from 2 tablespoons of margarine, then this might be a good option for you. Especially if you are at a healthy weight or underweight.
Another problem is that these products are pretty expensive and there are other ways to reduce your cholesterol. Of course, medications are probably more expensive, and needless to say, having a heart attack due to high cholesterol is even MORE expensive. So again, if you would like to be really proactive about reducing your cholesterol without medications you could give it a try.
Benecol and Take Control are the two brands that I know about. There may be other fat-based products (mayonnaise, salad dressings) that also use plant sterols/stanols. Let me know if it works for you!
Plant sterols and stanols are like cholesterol but are found in plants. Research has shown that 2 g of sterols/stanols per day can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
So where do you get this magical plant cholesterol you ask? Well that's kind of the problem. There are margarines that are fortified with them. But in order to get 2 grams, you need to eat 2 tablespoons of this margarine /day. There about 150 calories in 2 tablespoons of margarine.
IF you are willing to replace calories elsewhere in your diet with calories from 2 tablespoons of margarine, then this might be a good option for you. Especially if you are at a healthy weight or underweight.
Another problem is that these products are pretty expensive and there are other ways to reduce your cholesterol. Of course, medications are probably more expensive, and needless to say, having a heart attack due to high cholesterol is even MORE expensive. So again, if you would like to be really proactive about reducing your cholesterol without medications you could give it a try.
Benecol and Take Control are the two brands that I know about. There may be other fat-based products (mayonnaise, salad dressings) that also use plant sterols/stanols. Let me know if it works for you!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Understanding Cholesterol
I think there are a lot of nutrition catch phrases and buzzwords being thrown around these days--especially by the media. So here is a guide to understanding cholesterol.
The many names of CHOLESTEROL
There a several different types of cholesterol which are based on its density (how big something is compared to how heavy something is. ie: a cotton ball vs. a marble). There are 2 types that we focus on: High Density Lipoprotein and Low Density Lipoprotein.
High Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol
- Think "good cholesterol"
- This is our bouncy ball (or marble)
Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol
- Think "bad cholesterol"
- this is our cotton ball, a really fluffy cotton ball
(Mark mentioned that I pronounce lipoprotein wrong. Hope you can get over it because I'm not redoing this video again! )
Where Does Cholesterol Come From?
- Myth: Eating cholesterol is what increases your cholesterol.
Okay, so this isn't totally a myth, but getting cholesterol in your diet isn't the major player in raising your cholesterol. Cholesterol is a necessary component to your body and actually, your body makes its own cholesterol. When you eat foods containing cholesterol, your body adjusts how much cholesterol it makes.
- Your cholesterol levels increase/decrease based on your consumption of saturated and trans fats and mono and polyunsaturated fats.
- Saturated Fats and Trans Fats: increase LDL and HDL
- Monounsaturated Fats: decrease LDL, increase HDL
- Polyunsaturated Fats: decrease LDL and HDL
- Food Sources of Saturated, trans, mono, poly
- Saturated and Trans fats are typically your fats that are solid at room temperature:
- butter
- animal fat
- Shortening and Lard
- Some margarine (unless otherwise specified)
- Check labels on snack foods, pastries, fried foods, etc
- Mono and Poly unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature
- Oils (except tropical oils: palm and coconut oil are mostly saturated fat)
- Margarines made with veggie oils
- nuts, seeds
- Fish
Desired Cholesterol Levels
Total cholesterol: less than 200
HDL (GOOD): more than 40
LDL (BAD): less than 130
Understanding your cholesterol is important as having a "bad cholesterol report card" can significantly increase your risk for various diseases--heart disease, diabetes, etc.
There are ways to improve your cholesterol levels without using medications. (some doctors will give you the option to improve your cholesterol on your own before resorting to the medication route but some won't so make sure you ask if you can try on your own first if the doc doesn't offer that option.) (Also, check your family cholesterol history)
- First, quit smoking and drinking (or limit your alcohol consumption to 1-2 drinks/day)
- Increase physical activity (eventually up to at least 30 minutes physical activity 5 days/wk)
- Decrease Saturated Fat/Trans fat intake (limit meat portions, stick to lean meats, choose fat-free dairy products
- Replace sat. fats/trans fats with poly/mono unsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil)
- Increase HDL (lose weight is overweight, use canola/olive oil)
Resources: Medical Nutrition and Disease; Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy
The many names of CHOLESTEROL
There a several different types of cholesterol which are based on its density (how big something is compared to how heavy something is. ie: a cotton ball vs. a marble). There are 2 types that we focus on: High Density Lipoprotein and Low Density Lipoprotein.
High Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol
- Think "good cholesterol"
- This is our bouncy ball (or marble)
Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol
- Think "bad cholesterol"
- this is our cotton ball, a really fluffy cotton ball
(Mark mentioned that I pronounce lipoprotein wrong. Hope you can get over it because I'm not redoing this video again! )
Where Does Cholesterol Come From?
- Myth: Eating cholesterol is what increases your cholesterol.
Okay, so this isn't totally a myth, but getting cholesterol in your diet isn't the major player in raising your cholesterol. Cholesterol is a necessary component to your body and actually, your body makes its own cholesterol. When you eat foods containing cholesterol, your body adjusts how much cholesterol it makes.
- Your cholesterol levels increase/decrease based on your consumption of saturated and trans fats and mono and polyunsaturated fats.
- Saturated Fats and Trans Fats: increase LDL and HDL
- Monounsaturated Fats: decrease LDL, increase HDL
- Polyunsaturated Fats: decrease LDL and HDL
- Food Sources of Saturated, trans, mono, poly
- Saturated and Trans fats are typically your fats that are solid at room temperature:
- butter
- animal fat
- Shortening and Lard
- Some margarine (unless otherwise specified)
- Check labels on snack foods, pastries, fried foods, etc
- Mono and Poly unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature
- Oils (except tropical oils: palm and coconut oil are mostly saturated fat)
- Margarines made with veggie oils
- nuts, seeds
- Fish
Desired Cholesterol Levels
Total cholesterol: less than 200
HDL (GOOD): more than 40
LDL (BAD): less than 130
Understanding your cholesterol is important as having a "bad cholesterol report card" can significantly increase your risk for various diseases--heart disease, diabetes, etc.
There are ways to improve your cholesterol levels without using medications. (some doctors will give you the option to improve your cholesterol on your own before resorting to the medication route but some won't so make sure you ask if you can try on your own first if the doc doesn't offer that option.) (Also, check your family cholesterol history)
- First, quit smoking and drinking (or limit your alcohol consumption to 1-2 drinks/day)
- Increase physical activity (eventually up to at least 30 minutes physical activity 5 days/wk)
- Decrease Saturated Fat/Trans fat intake (limit meat portions, stick to lean meats, choose fat-free dairy products
- Replace sat. fats/trans fats with poly/mono unsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil)
- Increase HDL (lose weight is overweight, use canola/olive oil)
Resources: Medical Nutrition and Disease; Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Organic vs Non-Organic Foods
First of all, let me say something about research--it is possible for two different research groups to do similar research and come up with different conclusions. It is also possible for scientific findings to change over a period of time. So, when you read about conclusions made from research, you should take it with a grain of salt. Think critically.
Food Safety regarding pesticide levels:
Over the last several years, most research has come up with similar findings about organic vs non-organic foods: The difference between the nutritional value and safety of either type of food id not significant. The government has strict regulations on the limit of pesticide residue that is safe for people to eat. USDA (US department of Agriculture) and other data sources show most products to have pesticide residue levels well below the established limits. (article 1, 5th paragraph) I'm assuming that means the products that aren't "well below" that level are still at or below that level in order for them to be sold to consumers.
Nutrient Levels:
Nutrient levels of comparable non-organic vs organic foods are about the same (art. 1, 6th p). It depends on the research but even then the nutrient content is not significant enough to constitute buying one product over the other (art. 2, discussion topic 1) It is more likely that nutrient levels depends more on the area where the food is grown and the age of the product.
Here are some interesting research "conclusions" that promote buying organic foods:
- Eating organic meat may reduce the possibility of becoming resistant to antibiotics (art 2, DT 2)
- One study shows that eating organic dairy products may reduce the risk of eczema in the first 2 years of life (art. 2, DT 3)
My Opinion
- Based on the research I have seen, I don't see any reason why buying organic food is better in regards to safety and nutritional value.
- It's possible that growing food organically is significantly more sustainable and better for the environment--but if that is your goal, you should focus on buying LOCALLY GROWN food, especially since often it is organic even though it may not have the label (buying that "organic label" is expensive!)
- Many people claim to feel better after eating only organic produce. This could be because organic food is more expensive and those people are more likely to eat their produce than to forget about it while it rots in the back of the fridge, thus increasing their intake of fruits and veggies. Or, it may actually make them feel better.
- My advice is that, especially if money is an issue, focus on buying AND eating more fruits and veggies in general. (Almost) Everybody would benefit from getting more produce--and a variety at that--in their diet. Rather than spend the extra money on buying organic food, spend it on buying extra produce and learning how to incorporate it into your and your family's diet.
Here are the articles that I cited. Feel free to read them to get a more in depth look at the issue. Form your own opinions and comment!
Article 1: Advising Consumers About Organic Foods and Healthful Eating
Article 2: Perspective on the Benefits of Organic Foods
Also, I often hear about the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15" (the most and least pesticide contaminated fruits and veggies) but even though the "dirty dozen" are the most contaminated fruits and veggies, they still should fall within the regulations the government sets for safe levels of pesticide residue for human consumption. Therefore, buying the non-organic versions of the "dirty dozen" is still safe and fine. I stand by that opinion but here is another dietitian's perspective on the issue (click here). I do agree with her completely though that improving eating habits is far more important than stressing about organic vs non-organic.
Food Safety regarding pesticide levels:
Over the last several years, most research has come up with similar findings about organic vs non-organic foods: The difference between the nutritional value and safety of either type of food id not significant. The government has strict regulations on the limit of pesticide residue that is safe for people to eat. USDA (US department of Agriculture) and other data sources show most products to have pesticide residue levels well below the established limits. (article 1, 5th paragraph) I'm assuming that means the products that aren't "well below" that level are still at or below that level in order for them to be sold to consumers.
Nutrient Levels:
Nutrient levels of comparable non-organic vs organic foods are about the same (art. 1, 6th p). It depends on the research but even then the nutrient content is not significant enough to constitute buying one product over the other (art. 2, discussion topic 1) It is more likely that nutrient levels depends more on the area where the food is grown and the age of the product.
Here are some interesting research "conclusions" that promote buying organic foods:
- Eating organic meat may reduce the possibility of becoming resistant to antibiotics (art 2, DT 2)
- One study shows that eating organic dairy products may reduce the risk of eczema in the first 2 years of life (art. 2, DT 3)
My Opinion
- Based on the research I have seen, I don't see any reason why buying organic food is better in regards to safety and nutritional value.
- It's possible that growing food organically is significantly more sustainable and better for the environment--but if that is your goal, you should focus on buying LOCALLY GROWN food, especially since often it is organic even though it may not have the label (buying that "organic label" is expensive!)
- Many people claim to feel better after eating only organic produce. This could be because organic food is more expensive and those people are more likely to eat their produce than to forget about it while it rots in the back of the fridge, thus increasing their intake of fruits and veggies. Or, it may actually make them feel better.
- My advice is that, especially if money is an issue, focus on buying AND eating more fruits and veggies in general. (Almost) Everybody would benefit from getting more produce--and a variety at that--in their diet. Rather than spend the extra money on buying organic food, spend it on buying extra produce and learning how to incorporate it into your and your family's diet.
Here are the articles that I cited. Feel free to read them to get a more in depth look at the issue. Form your own opinions and comment!
Article 1: Advising Consumers About Organic Foods and Healthful Eating
Article 2: Perspective on the Benefits of Organic Foods
Also, I often hear about the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15" (the most and least pesticide contaminated fruits and veggies) but even though the "dirty dozen" are the most contaminated fruits and veggies, they still should fall within the regulations the government sets for safe levels of pesticide residue for human consumption. Therefore, buying the non-organic versions of the "dirty dozen" is still safe and fine. I stand by that opinion but here is another dietitian's perspective on the issue (click here). I do agree with her completely though that improving eating habits is far more important than stressing about organic vs non-organic.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
healthy eating
To start this section out, I better post on what "Healthy Eating" is. There are so many theories on how to eat healthy and the truth is, there is no single right way to eat healthy. Eating healthy for someone with Celiac Disease means avoiding any food with gluten in it. Eating healthy for someone with seizures who is on the ketogenic diet means eating mostly fat and hardly any carbohydrates or protein. Healthy eating between people without allergies/disease/special circumstances can be varied as well. So, I have come up with a short list of general guidelines.
My list is based off the new food guide pyramid.*
- Balance:
This means eating foods from all of the food groups
- Variety:
Eating a variety of foods within each food group. Focus on whole foods as much as possible--whole grains, whole fruits and veggies as opposed to juice, etc. There are so many different nutrients in various foods besides just vitamins and minerals that are healthful for your body and you don't want to miss out on them! Focus also on nutrient dense foods** as opposed to high calorie foods (skim milk vs whole milk)
- Moderation:
This is the hard one. I always say that any food can fit into a healthy diet--including cheesecake or onion rings. The key is to eat foods with moderation. First, you should eat the suggested amount of foods within each food group according to your specific needs (go to www.mypyramid.gov to learn more). When you do enjoy higher calorie foods like dessert or fried foods, they should be in smaller portions and NOT on an every day basis.
- Pleasure:
Take the time to enjoy what you eat. Feeling guilty while eating is NOT healthy! Also be adventurous and try new things. Try them more than once--sometimes it takes up to 20 exposures to a food before you realize how much you like it!
- Special Circumstances:
Take into consideration your own special circumstances whether you are pregnant, have food allergies/intolerances, have a disease that is treated with a specific diet, etc. This list can still serve as a guide to most people with special circumstances.
I think it is also important to note that Living Healthy includes EATING HEALTHY balanced with HEALTHY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. But I will save the physical activity part to the exercise experts.
*many people criticize the government for the Food Guide Pyramid. Just remember that it is a GUIDE for healthy eating and while it may not be perfect, they are constantly updating it to make it better with the current research that they have.
**nutrient dense foods are those that have a higher percentage of nutrients (or even one particular nutrient) compared to calories.
My list is based off the new food guide pyramid.*
- Balance:
This means eating foods from all of the food groups
- Variety:
Eating a variety of foods within each food group. Focus on whole foods as much as possible--whole grains, whole fruits and veggies as opposed to juice, etc. There are so many different nutrients in various foods besides just vitamins and minerals that are healthful for your body and you don't want to miss out on them! Focus also on nutrient dense foods** as opposed to high calorie foods (skim milk vs whole milk)
- Moderation:
This is the hard one. I always say that any food can fit into a healthy diet--including cheesecake or onion rings. The key is to eat foods with moderation. First, you should eat the suggested amount of foods within each food group according to your specific needs (go to www.mypyramid.gov to learn more). When you do enjoy higher calorie foods like dessert or fried foods, they should be in smaller portions and NOT on an every day basis.
- Pleasure:
Take the time to enjoy what you eat. Feeling guilty while eating is NOT healthy! Also be adventurous and try new things. Try them more than once--sometimes it takes up to 20 exposures to a food before you realize how much you like it!
- Special Circumstances:
Take into consideration your own special circumstances whether you are pregnant, have food allergies/intolerances, have a disease that is treated with a specific diet, etc. This list can still serve as a guide to most people with special circumstances.
I think it is also important to note that Living Healthy includes EATING HEALTHY balanced with HEALTHY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. But I will save the physical activity part to the exercise experts.
*many people criticize the government for the Food Guide Pyramid. Just remember that it is a GUIDE for healthy eating and while it may not be perfect, they are constantly updating it to make it better with the current research that they have.
**nutrient dense foods are those that have a higher percentage of nutrients (or even one particular nutrient) compared to calories.
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