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Food For Thought
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The scientific facts clearly show that nutrition and health are dramatically linked. Eating sensibly and being physically active will keep you healthy. So let's take some of the myth and mystery out of nutrition.
Calling all grains ... front and center
You've probably heard about the Food Guide Pyramid, or at least seen it on the back of a cereal
box or other food product. So what does it mean to you? The Food Guide Pyramid, unveiled by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1992, represents a guide to healthful eating. |
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If it seems like our diet has been tumed on its head, you're right. It challenges the traditional American mindset that meat makes a meal, and shifts the focal point to carbohydrates, which form the foundation of the new American diet. Grain foods such as wheat breads, bran and other grain cereals, potatoes, brown rice and pasta are now the building blocks of meals, and therefore the American diet. Meats and other proteins become an ingredient or accompaniment -- important in small amounts, but no longer the focal point of the meal. |
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Upgrading grains
The daily allotment of carbohydrates, six to eleven servings for everyone over age two, may seem like a lot, but it adds up quickly. Consider breakfast: a bowl of cereal and a slice of wheat toast represents three grain servings. A pasta dinner with a whole grain roll can contribute three more grain servings, and a sandwich with pretzels for lunch boosts the daily total to nine servings of grains with little effort.
Why is this category so important? It offers a major source of dietary fiber. To benefit most, you should choose whole grain options whenever possible.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables share the second level. Produce also is a good source of dietary fiber and is virtually fat-free, justifying its highly-valued position near the base of the Food Guide Pyramid.
You should aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Slicing half a banana into cereal and drinking six ounces of juice for breakfast starts the day with two fruit servings. Adding two 1/2-cup selections of cooked vegetables to the pasta and serving it with a cup of salad at dinner assures the minimum vegetable servings.
One major benefit to eating produce items is the volume they provide. You feel full more quickly, so they're likely to save you some calories. More important, fiber-rich foods are packed with other health benefits, such as antioxidant vitamins and minerals.
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Adding Fiber |
| Switch from: |
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To: |
| white bread |
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whole grain breads |
| fruit juice |
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whole fruit |
| fried or mashed potatoes |
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baked, roasted or mashed with skin |
| creamy soups |
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bean, lentil or pea soups or chili |
| corn or potato chips |
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pretzels or hot-air popcorn |
| white rice |
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brown rice |
| iceberg lettuce |
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mixed greens |
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Calcium
Milk, yogurt and cheese, which share the third tier with protein, provide the best sources of
calcium and vitamin D essential for bone-strengthening. Becoming an adult does not lessen the
need for these nutrients. So everyone benefits from the recommended three dairy servings a day. Of course, the choices should be low-fat or non-fat varieties.
Protein
Meat, poultry, fish and seafood, dry beans, eggs and nuts are sources of protein. Don't be fooled -- all protein is not created equal. Getting protein without the saturated fat from animal products is clearly preferable, and adults need only five to six ounces of protein sources daily (equivalent to 2-3 servings), which is half of what we eat now.
Dry beans, or legumes, are a double bonus food, topping the list of fiber-rich foods even as they provide protein without the troublesome fat.
Nuts contain monounsaturated fat that doesn't raise blood cholesterol.
But don't forget -- nuts contain fat and therefore calories!
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Shape Up Tip
When it comes to rice and pasta, ease your family into fiber by mixing wheat and white. Cook
half white and half brown rice in the same pot; boil half white and half wheat pasta. They won't even notice the small difference, but you'll be improving their health greatly.
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