Category: Nutrition

*  Whole wheat breads, pasta, and cereals

*  Fruits galore – Apples, apricots, bananas,  berries, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, and pineapples

*  Vegetables – Broccoli, carrots, salad greens, green beans, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes

*  Freshly cooked lean beef and pork; game meats; chicken and turkey; and fish and shellfish. Canned tuna and salmon.

*  Unsalted almonds, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter

*  Chick peas, kidney beans, lentils, split peas and homemade or low-sodium soups made with these. Other low-sodium soups.

*  Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk or buttermilk; fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat cheese, fat-free or  low-fat yogurt or yogurt smoothies

*  Frozen fruit for smoothies

*  Canned and dried fruit, such as raisins and prunes

*  Single-serving frozen meals with less than 800 milligrams of sodium

*  100 percent juice boxes (to keep lunch cool)

4 cups fat-free (no sugar added) vanilla yogurt

2 cups fresh (or thawed frozen) strawberries, sliced

2 cups fresh (or thawed frozen) blueberries

2 cups graham crackers, crumbled

1/2 cup fat-free whipped cream (optional)

1.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of yogurt into the bottom of 8 different parfait or wine glasses that each hold 8-ounces. Add 1 tablespoon strawberries, 1 tablespoon blueberries and 1/4 cup graham crackers.

2.  Repeat yogurt, strawberry, blueberry and graham cracker layers.

3.  Top with a tablespoon of fat-free whipped topping, if desired.

4.  Serve right away. Or cover each glass with plastic wrap and chill for up to 2 hours before serving.

Calories – 179

Total fat – 2 grams

Saturated fat – 1 gram

Sodium – 34 mg

Carbonhydrate – 34 grams

Fiber – 2 grams

Protein – 6 grams

Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables:

*Lutein (green):May help lower the risk for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Indoles may help lower the risk for some cancers.

*Carotenoids (orange & yellow):May help reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, and age-related macular degeneration.

*Lycopene (red):May help lower the risk for heart disease and some cancers, such as prostate cancer.

*Anthocyanins (purple & blue):May help reduce risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

Dos

* Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. Eat them for snacks.

* Make fruit your everyday dessert.

* Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the table. Add cut-up vegetables and fruits to salads.

Don’ts

* Don’t resist trying new vegetables.

* Don’t have cake, pie, or cookies after most meals.

1.  Healthy children and adults can get the nutrients they need by choosing a variety of foods in moderation rather than taking supplements. This reduces the risk of deficiencies, as well as excesses.

2.  Some supplement ingredients can be seriously harmful. Examples include high potency doses of some vitamins, such as niacin, amino acids (e.g., L-tryptophan) and herbs (e.g., chaparral, comfrey, and germander).

3.  A standard multi-vitamin-and-mineral supplement can’t hurt and might help, if a person doesn’t eat healthy foods or is on a low calorie diet.

4.  Do not take supplements, though, that contain more than 10 times the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for a nutrient, especially for fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). The mineral selenium can also be harmful if taken in large amounts.

5.  The value of vitamins is in food rather than pills. It’s much better to get your vitamins and minerals from food than from pills. Unlike supplements, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have dietary fiber that is beneficial, promotes regularity, and aids in the prevention of disease.

6.  Some people need a vitamin – mineral supplement to meet specific nutrient needs. Here are examples:

* Females with excessive menstrual bleeding may need to take an iron supplement.

* Females who are pregnant or breast-feeding need more iron, folic acid, and calcium.

* Some vegetarians may not get enough calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.

* Older adults and people with little exposure to sunlight may need a vitamin D supplement.

* People with certain disorders or diseases and people who take some medications. For example, persons with high blood pressure who take a water pill may need to take a potassium supplement. Ask your doctor if you need any vitamin and/or mineral supplement due to a medical condition or any medicine(s) you take.

* People who seldom eat dairy products or other rich sources of calcium may need a calcium supplement.

1.  Keep track of what you eat and drink to see how many calories you have a day.

2.  Plan meals and snacks. Involve your family. Eat together at the table, not in front of the TV.

3.  Bone up on calcium and vitamin D. Drink nonfat and low-fat cow’s milk or almond, rice, or soy milk fortified with these nutrients.

4.  Focus on foods with fiber. Choose whole-grain breads, cereals, and pastas over white, enriched ones.

5.  Eat less meat and more vegetables. Make kebobs with green and red peppers, onions, and salmon or chicken.

6.  Choose meatless meals more often. Start with “Meatless Mondays.” Enjoy meatless chili, veggie burgers, and soups with beans, lentils, and plenty of veggies.

7.  Be snack-attack ready. Keep fruit, veggies, almonds, or unsalted nuts on hand.

8.  Eat less fast food and processed foods. Pack your lunch more often.

9.  To limit restaurant portions, share an order with someone. Or, eat half and take the other half home for another meal.

10. Chew each bite thoroughly. Sip water between bites. Take a break halfway through your meal.

*  All fresh fruits

*  All fresh vegetables (go easy on avocados, they are high in fat)

*  Nuts and seeds, such as sunflower and pumpkin

*  All salad bar items that are fresh vegetables (lettuce, celery, carrots, green peppers, spinach, etc.).

*  Tofu (soy bean curd). This may be in dairy or meat sections of the store.

*  Beef: round, sirloin, tenderloin, ground round, ground sirloin, or extra lean ground beef

*  Pork: tenderloin, leg (fresh) shoulder (arm or picnic)

*  Lamb: leg, arm, loin, rib

*  Veal: all trimmed cuts, except commercially ground

*  Poultry: chicken, turkey, cornish hens, etc.

*  All fish, shellfish

*  Sliced lean meats, such as turkey, ham, chicken, lean beef

*  Ready-to-eat broiled or rotisserie chicken and turkey breast

*  Fresh fruit salads

*  Frozen fruits and vegetables. Buy these frozen loosely in bags so it is easy to make 1 portion.

*  Juice concentrates

*  Frozen dinners-preferably ones with less than 300 calories and 1000 mg. of sodium or less/serving

*  Frozen fish fillets – look for fresh-frozen ones that can be reapportioned when you take them home instead of solid packed ones that you would have to thaw out.

*  Sugar-free or low calorie frozen treats, such as sugar-free and regular popsicles and fudgesicles, frozen yogurt, lite tofutti, fruit ices, etc.

*  Skim milk, 1/2% low fat milk, buttermilk

*  Soy milk (with added calcium)

*  Plain, nonfat yogurt

*  Low-fat, soft cheeses, like cottage and farmers

*  Reduced fat and other cheeses labeled no more than 2 to 6 grams fat per ounce

*  Margarine: soft tub (regular and diet), Benecol® and Take Control® margarines

*  Orange and other fresh juices (not fruit drinks)

*  English muffins

*  Whole wheat, corn, and flour tortillas

*  Eggs, egg substitute

*  Whole wheat bread, regular or lite (40 calories/slice)

*  Whole wheat and plain dinner rolls

*  Whole wheat and regular pita breads

*  English muffins

*  Bagels (also stocked in freezer section)

*  Breadsticks

*  Sandwich buns (“lite” are also available)

*  Rice cakes

*  Cereal mixes for cooked cereals: oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, etc.

*  Ready-to-eat cereals. Look for ones with at least 2 grams of fiber and less than 2 grams of fat per one ounce serving. Limit sugar-sweetened ones.

*  Canned entrees/main dishes (8 grams of fat or less, per 1 cup serving)

*  Canned fish, such as tuna in water, salmon

*  Rice, brown or white, barley, bulgar

*  Pastas, like plain noodles, macaroni, spaghetti

*  Dried or canned beans and peas like split peas, black-eyed peas, chick peas, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans

*  Canned fruits packed in water or their own juices

*  “Old-fashioned” style peanut butter (oil can be seen at the top of the jar)

*  Low-fat crackers, such as matzos, bread sticks, rye krisp, saltines (with unsalted tops), graham crackers, zwieback

*  Popcorn (regular or microwave-packaged, if less than 2 grams of fat per serving)

*  Spices, seasonings, herbs, butter flavor sprinkles, vanilla, other flavor extracts

*  Salad dressings – “Lite,” “reduced-calorie,” “no oil” or “fat free” varieties

*  Vinegar

*  Condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, worcestershire sauce, horseradish, etc. Use small amounts. These are high in sodium.

*  Reduced-sodium bouillon, unsweetened pickles, canned soups

*  Flour; whole wheat, all purpose, whole wheat and all purpose combination

*  Cornstarch

*  Vegetable cooking sprays

*  Liquid vegetable oils, such as olive and canola

*  Coffee, tea, cocoa mixes with nonfat dry milk

*  Sugar-free gelatin and drink mixes

*  Wine, dry for cooking

*  Nonfat dried milk

*  Canned evaporated skim milk

*  Bottled water