FOOD TIPS
Things that I have been told about foods.
“Eat five different kinds of fruits and vegetables every day to recapture the disease-preventing phytochemicals missing in the American diet.” - Dr. James Duke, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Shop on the outside aisles of grocery stores where the freshest whole foods are generally found.
Be flexible and take advantage of seasonal fruits and vetagebles.
“Fruits, vegetables and grains contain a synergistic mix of micronutrients that haven’t been duplicated in pills or capsules. Eating a wide range of foods from the plant kingdom is considered better than relying on supplements.” - Dietary Guidelines for Americans, USDA
-Add fruit to meals or eat fruit as a snack.
-Add vegetables to lunch and dinner. Eat vegetables as a snack.
-Add beans to meals.
-Add whole grains to meals and snacks.
-Add nuts to snacks.
When buying packaged foods, read the labels and consider the impact of the ingredients on your day’s food plan.
Stay away from products loaded with ingredients high in saturated fats and hydrogenated oils.
Stay away from products loaded with sugar.
When the recipe calls for sugar, think about cutting back or using artificial sweetener.
When the recipe calls for cream, substitute with evaporated skim milk. .
There is no need to deep fry to produce crisp flavorful potatoes; you can bake them at a high temperature instead. There is no need to thicken soups with cream; you can use pureed white beans. Experiment with one new food a week to expand your horizons. Think about one of the less common grains and vegetables.