Simplify Your Diet

Alright, so today we're talking nutrition.  What's the best way to eat (if there really is a best way--this is my opinion based off the things I've learned)?  While my blog may often focus on the delicious (and sometimes not-so-healthy) things I eat, it doesn't mean I shouldn't teach you a bit about nutrition in the process.  Here goes.

     With the many options out there to choose from, it’s difficult to know what to eat.  There are many complicated diet plans that promise amazing results, but the truth is they often provide results that don’t last.  It’s time to go back to basics and learn how to simplify your life and your nutrition.  To reevaluate your food choices, start by learning to follow these six simple steps.  Don’t do everything at once; pick and choose which steps you’d like to do first.  A major diet overhaul will likely overwhelm you and thus be hard to stick to.  By changing your diet slowly, you can ensure that each change you make will last you a lifetime.

·      Start looking at nutrition labels and ingredients

  Everyday products contain ingredients you might not expect.  Check for things like trans fat (which can claim to be zero on the front of the package, which is legal if the product has less than 0.5 grams—only by checking the ingredients and seeing “partially hydrogenated oil” will you know if the product truly does not contain trans fat), and high fructose corn syrup (it’s in many things you wouldn’t even consider—ketchup and bread, for example).  Cleaning up your shopping list will do wonders for your body.

·      Clean out the cupboards

  Now that you’ve stocked your grocery cart with knowledgeable choices, it’s time to take a look at the pantry.  Our kitchens are stocked full of things that we shouldn’t eat.  Take time to go through your cabinets and purge anything with unhealthy ingredients.  Try to get rid of most processed foods, such as packaged cookies, cakes, chips, etc. If it’s not already in the house, you’ll have a hard time convincing yourself to go out and buy it when you crave it.  Even better, if you do decide you really want a cookie one night, you’ll be more likely to make them from scratch.  Though it’s still not particularly healthy, it will not have the processed ingredients of prepackaged foods.

·      Re-evaluate your grains

  Even if you decide to make homemade cookies, they can be that extra bit healthier if you use whole-wheat flour or even white whole-wheat flour.  Whole grains include all three parts of the grain—the bran, germ, and endosperm.  Unlike refined grains, whole wheat gives you fiber to keep you full, as well as vitamins and minerals.  Refined flour only contains the endosperm.  Many manufacturers enrich this flour to contain enormous amounts of some of the vitamins and minerals, but do not add back all of them.  This creates an unbalanced product that is not nearly as healthy as natural whole grain flour. 

Choose brown rice over white rice and whole-wheat pasta over white pasta (the whole grain version again contains all parts of the grain).  Also experiment with other grains such as quinoa, a very high protein grain.

                       

·      Add fruits and vegetables

Here’s where you can get creative.  Many vegetables are easy additions to stir frys and soups, so don’t be afraid to experiment.  Add vegetables you know you like, but be open to new ones as well.  Take a stroll down the produce aisle and note vegetables you have never tried and look up new recipes to try them out.  There are so many vegetables out there—it’s a shame to limit which ones you try.  Don’t be afraid to go vegetarian for a day! 

  Adding fruit to your meals is as easy as carrying an apple with your lunch, or adding a fruit smoothie to your breakfast.  Fruits are also great for desserts.  Berries with a bit of homemade whipped cream adds just the right amount of satisfying sweetness.

·      Don’t be afraid of fat

Fat gets a bad reputation these days, but don’t let that deter you.  Yes, there are types of fat that one should not eat, such as trans fat, which lowers good cholesterol and raises bad cholesterol, but there are other types that are actually good for you. Polyunsaturated fats, such as that found in sunflower-seed oil, sesame oil, corn oil, and nuts and seeds are all sources of good fat that can help lower your cholesterol.  Monounsaturated fats are also good choices, and include sources like olive oil, canola oil, and avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially good for the body, and have been shown to reduce inflammation.  These fatty acids can be found in sources like fish oils and flax seeds. By just knowing which fats to cook with and eat, you can make informed choices that will lead to good health.

·      Use your kitchen

In this fast paced world, it’s hard to find time to cook.  By cooking your own food, you can be sure that only the ingredients you want in your body are being used.  Learn to use your kitchen—take a cooking class, buy a recipe book, or make up your own recipe.  Have fun and experiment!  By learning how to re-use leftovers in other recipes as well as cooking in bulk on the weekends, you can cut your cooking time down and still make delicious home cooked meals for you and your family.

Happy Eating,

KS