Spring Clean Your Diet
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
- Stock your kitchen with good fats such as nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocados, fish, and flaxseed.
These foods contain primarily
unsaturated fat, which is good for your heart and blood vessels because it
helps lower your bad cholesterol and may increase your good cholesterol.
- Clear your shelves of foods that have trans fats.
These fats clog your arteries and
raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol. Trans fats are found in margarine, doughnuts,
cookies, chips, candy, pastries and crackers.
Trans fats will be found on a nutrition label. Look at the ingredient label for
“hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
- Place seasonal fruit in an easily accessible spot in your kitchen.
Having nutritious food available
makes it more likely you will eat it and get your recommended 3-5 servings per
day. In the summer it is easier to have
fresh fruit available. In the winter try
pears, apples, navel oranges, pink grapefruit and grapes.
4. Fill
your pantry with whole grains rather than refined-grain products such as
white rice and white – flour foods.
Whole grains offer fiber, folic
acid, magnesium, vitamins E and B6, copper, zinc and dozens of
phytochemicals. Just because the food is
brown, do not assume that it is whole grain.
Look for one of these words - whole grain, whole wheat or rye as the
first item in the ingredient list. Whole
grains contain more fiber than white flour products, making it easier for you
to get your recommended 25 grams of fiber each day.
5. When
you prepare a healthful dish, make enough so that the leftovers can be
frozen for additional meals. Then
separate the meal into individual serving sizes before freezing.
Having a meal always ready to
defrost is a timesaver and an easy way to reduce stress. It will also control your portions.
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