Supercharge Your Diet With Nutrient Dense Foods

If you’re dieting, it’s important to make every calorie count.  By choosing foods that are nutrient dense–which means they provide a lot of nutrition per serving–you’ll get the benefit of lots of healthy vitamins and minerals without a lot of extra calories.

According to a recent CNN and Cooking Light article, the most nutrient dense foods tend to be whole grains, fruits, veggies, beans and fish.  Nuts and sends are also full of healthy nutrients.

Here are a few questions you should ask to help determine if a food is nutrient dense:

Can I find this exact item in nature?  Strawberries, broccoli and tuna can be found in nature.  But when’s the last time you saw a doughnut tree?  Processed foods tend to contain few healthy nutrients.

Is it deeply colored? Generally speaking, deeper colored fruits and veggies tend to contain the most nutrients.  For example: blueberries, tomatoes, spinach and carrots are all rich in color and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.

Has it been processed?  White rice and white flour–like the kind used to make white bread–has been processed in a factory to remove the outer hull of the grain.  But that’s where you find all the nutrients and fiber!  Stick with whole grain choices like brown rice and whole wheat bread.

Remember: eating a rainbow of colors will help provide you and your family with the largest variety of nutrients.  Try to include at least four or five different colors with each meal, such as:

•    Stir fry made with salmon (pink), broccoli (green), cauliflower (white), red peppers (red) and brown rice (brown)

•    Cheese (yellow) sandwich made with tomatoes (red), lettuce (green) and whole grain bread (brown), served with carrots sticks (orange)

•    Chicken (white) kebabs with chunks of green pepper (green), mushrooms (brown), yellow squash (yellow) and eggplant (purple)

•    Salad made with romaine lettuce (green), radishes (red), carrots (orange), chickpeas (brown) and topped with steamed shrimp (pink)

Healthy Eating On A Frugal Budget

Many people believe that eating healthy foods means paying a premium price.  But you don’t have to buy specialty foods, diet meals and organic produce if you want to cut calories and enjoy nutritious meals.  In fact, Sally Squires recently wrote a column for The Washington Post that offered plenty of tips for preparing healthy meals on a budget.

By avoiding lots of processed foods–and using a few basic frugal grocery shopping tips–you can eat healthy, low-calorie foods without spending a lot of cash:

Buy in bulk:  Many major supermarkets offer an aisle or section that allows you to buy food from "bulk bins."  This is a great way to save big bucks on things like oatmeal, nuts, seeds, rice and other grains.  If there are no bulk bins, you may be able to save money by buying extra large bags or packages of these items.

Buy local: In some cases, produce stands and farmers markets sell fruits and veggies for far less than the grocery store.  Another option might be a co-operative or a Community Supported Agriculture farm.  Find one at Coopdirectory.org or LocalHarvest.org.

Buy in-season:  Choosing in-season produce will help keep your grocery tab low.  If you’re on a budget, avoid pricey exotic fruits or vegetables that traveled a long distance to reach your store.  The one exception is bananas, which are almost always reasonably priced.

Buy store brand:  When it comes to things like rice, beans and pasta, there’s almost no difference between the store brand and the name brand versions–and the name brand almost always costs more!  The same is true for things like frozen and canned veggies, so choose the store brand for the most savings.

Buy with coupons: If you’re a fan of certain organic or health foods, take the time to visit the manufacturer’s website.  Many offer special discounts, coupons and deals if you sign up for their newsletter or mailing list.

Make Your Kids Love Veggies

A recent WebMD.com article offered some suggestions for sneaking veggies and fruit in your child’s diet, such as pureeing them into sauces.  But the article also suggests that parents should simply try and encourage their kids to eat more of these good-for-you foods without any sneaky or sly tactics.

Unfortunately, not every kid gets excited about a stalk of broccoli.  But here are some suggestions that might help pique your child’s interest in fruits and veggies:

Make it kid-friendly:  Cut bits of fruit into bite-size pieces, or carve vegetables into fun shapes.  Decorate the food so it looks appealing (red potatoes, for example, can be given pretzel stick antennae to look like bugs).  For other great ideas, check out this blog of suggestions. 

Let your child do the shopping:  Sure, you might save money–and hassles–if you leave the kids at home when you go to the supermarket.  But if you bring your child along, you can offer to let him/her pick one new fruit or vegetable.  Your child will be a lot more excited about eating it if he/she was the one to choose it.

Teach your kids to cook:  Choosing a fruit or veggie isn’t the only way to excite kids about food.  You can also let them help in the kitchen!  Assign appropriate tasks based on their ages and abilities.  If they get involved in the mixing or baking, they’ll be enthusiastic about trying the food, too.

Grow your own:  Even indoor containers can grow things like strawberries and tomatoes.   (Folks with a big yard can grow even more, including beans, peas, spinach and corn.)  Involve your child in the entire process–from planting the seed to harvesting the fruit–to develop his/her interest in fresh, healthy foods.

Flex Your Way To Better Health

Most of us know that eating plenty of fruits and veggies can help boost our health, but it’s not just because these foods are packed with good-for-you-nutrients.  Eating lots of plant foods means there’s less room in your diet for meat.  And limiting the amount of meat you eat can help lower your cholesterol, improve your heart health and decrease your risk of stroke. 

But you don’t have to give up every morsel of meat to get the benefits of a vegetarian diet, according to a recent MSNBC.com article.  Simply cutting back on the amount of meat you consume–and adding in more fruits, veggies and whole grains–will still improve your health!

Rather than becoming full-fledged vegetarians, "flexitarians" aim to reduce the amount of meat in their diet, but they don’t eliminate it completely.  Here are some tricks for flexing more of your meals:

•    Join the Meatless Monday campaign!  This national campaign was designed to encourage folks to try eating vegetarian just one night a week.  It offers lots of tips if you’re new to the idea of cooking a meal without meat.  Learn more here. 

•    Stretch your meaty meals!  Instead of making tacos, meatloaves and meatballs with ground meat only, try stretching your recipe by using half meat and half canned beans.  You’ll get more fiber, eat less meat AND save money!

•    Eat an ethnic dinner!  Japanese meals tend to use meat as an accent rather than the center of the meal.  Mediterranean meals include lots of grains, beans and veggies.  By making an ethnic recipe for dinner, you’ll likely get plenty of flavor but a smaller portion of meat.

•    Be a one-at-a-time eater! You probably know someone who eats one food at a time.  Try doing the same, but eat your veggies, grains and fruit first!  You’ll be starting to get full by the time you get to the meat part of your meal, so you’re likely to eat less.

•    Go vegetarian for just one meal!  You don’t have to give up meat for an entire day.  Try eating vegetarian for just one meal!  At breakfast, all you have to do is skip the bacon or ham.  Lunch can be a simple green salad, bowl of vegetable soup or veggie wrap sandwich.

Pack Your Diet With Antioxidants

You’ve probably heard that a diet rich in antioxidants can help prevent cancer.  But do you really know which foods contain the most antioxidants?

A WebMD.com feature listed the top 20 (common) foods that are rich in antioxidants.  See the list here.

So how do you include more of these foods in your diet?  Try these tricks:

•    Add red or kidney beans to casseroles, tacos or meatloaf.
•    Sprinkle blueberries on your morning cereal.
•    Mix blackberries into yogurt or cottage cheese.
•    Top salads with kidney beans or apple chunks.
•    Make smoothies with strawberries and cherries.
•    Order apple slices as your "side" at fast food restaurants.
•    Toss canned, quartered artichokes hearts into pasta sauces.
•    Make black bean burgers or burritos.
•    Mix dried cranberries into trail mix.
•    Snack on dried plums.
•    Make pecan pie instead of mince meat.
•    Serve baked russet potatoes at dinner.
•    Make a batch of minestrone soup with kidney beans for lunch.
•    Top your ice cream with fresh strawberries.
•    Buy different types of apples at the supermarket.
•    Make a bean salad instead of pasta salad.
•    Drink 100% cranberry or blueberry juice.
•    Order the black bean soup at restaurants.

Pizza Is Good For Your Health

Pizza has a reputation as "junk food," but a University of Maryland report suggests that it can actually be a healthy meal, according to a recent MSNBC.com article.  In fact, pizza can be loaded with lots of healthy nutrients and antioxidants–as long as you use the right ingredients.

Here are a few ways you can make sure your pizza is a healthy meal instead of a bomb of fat and calories:

Choose whole grain crust:  Pizza crust made from whole wheat flour is loaded with fiber and nutrients.  Like whole grain bread, it’s a better choice than the plain white version.  You can make it yourself by using a standard pizza crust recipe (just replace half of the white flour with whole wheat flour).

Add extra sauce:  Cooked tomatoes–like the kind found in tomato sauce–are full of lycopene, an antioxidant that’s been linked to lower rates of some cancers, such as prostate cancer.  Tomatoes are also a great source of Vitamin C and A, so pour on the sauce!

Load up on veggies:  Vegetables are full of fiber, rich in nutrients and low in calories.  Try standards like onions, peppers and mushrooms.  But don’t be afraid to experiment, too!  Sliced tomatoes, chopped broccoli, chopped spinach, sundried tomatoes, zucchini, squash and other veggies make great toppings for pizza.

Skimp on the cheese:  Although cheese is a good source of calcium, it tends to be high in calories.  Choose a low-fat cheese and sprinkle it sparingly on the pizza.  If you need that cheesy taste, try a very flavorful cheese like fresh parmesan.  Other possibilities include sprinkles of feta cheese or small dabs of low-fat cottage cheese.

No time to make your own pizza?  Some specialty pizza restaurants offer whole wheat crusts and fancy veggies.  You can also find premade whole wheat crusts in your local supermarket, which helps cut down on preparation time.

Quick And Healthy Meals

A recent MSNBC.com article listed lots of weight loss tips from Men’s Health magazine.  The article covered all the basics–like eating breakfast and controlling portion sizes.  It’s a great read for inspiration and motivation, so check it out here.

One section of the article, titled "Kick Your Fast-Food Addiction," included some tips for making healthy eating convenient.  If you’re a busy bee with a jam-packed schedule, you probably don’t have much time to prepare a hearty, healthy meal every evening.

Fortunately, it’s easier than you think cook nutritious foods.  Just try some of these tricks:

Slow it down!  Your slow-cooker can be your best friend!  Before work in the morning, toss in a protein (such as chicken breasts or tofu), a veggie (like a bag of frozen peas) and a healthy carb (like chunks of sweet potato).  Turn it on "low" and let it cook all day.  You can add a can of low-fat broth, too.  By the time you get home, you’ll have a healthy meal that’s ready-to-eat!

Make it ahead of time!  Use that hour when you’re watching Battlestar Galactica to prepare some of your food for the week.  Broil some chicken, bake some salmon or roast some tempeh.  (Marinate or season it first for flavor.)  Once it’s cooked, store it in your fridge.  Grab pieces of it all week long for salad toppings, sandwich fillings or a snack.

Zap it in seconds!  The microwave isn’t just for popcorn!  You can zap a healthy meal in just a few seconds.  Fresh veggies, frozen veggies and some lean proteins can be heated in your microwave.  Add some herbs or lemon juice for flavor, and you have an instant meal.

Eat it cold! Not every meal has to be hot!  Try canned tuna or salmon, some whole grain bread and a pile of fresh veggies (like carrots or cucumber slices).  It only takes a few minutes to throw it all on a plate, and it’s filling and healthy, too!

Make it convenient!  Convenience foods can be healthy, especially if you’re in a pinch.  Try frozen dinners, canned soups or even prepackaged bags of rice or grains.  Just remember: Check the labels for things like calories and sodium, since some convenience foods are healthier than others.

Got Kids? You May Have Too Much Fat, Too

According to a recent WebMD.com article, adults who have kids tend to eat more fat than childless people.  Although it’s not a significant amount–only 5 grams a day–it could mean extra pounds on your waistline after a few years.

Fat, however, is not necessarily a bad thing.  "Good" fats have been linked to things like lower rates of heart disease and cancer, so going totally "fat free" is probably not a good idea.

Some good fats:

•    Olive oil
•    Avocados
•    Nuts
•    Seeds

So how should you get more of these in your diet?  Try these tricks:

•    Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over salads as a dressing.
•    Cook with olive oil instead of plain vegetable or corn oil.
•    Dip bread in herbed olive oil instead of spreading it with butter.
•    Smash avocado with a fork and use in place of mayo on sandwiches.
•    Chop ripe avocado and add to green salads.
•    Make fresh guacamole from avocado instead of using an onion or ranch dip.
•    Sprinkle chopped nuts in oatmeal or cereal.
•    Add nuts to muffins, cookies and other baked goods.
•    Top salads with pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
•    Keep trail mix–with nuts and seeds–handy for snacks.
•    Mix nuts with vegetables and casseroles for additional crunch.

5 A Day Is Easier Than You Think

The "5 A Day" campaign began in 2001, according to a recent MSNBC.com article, and was designed to encourage Americans to eat five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.  Supporters of the campaign hoped that, by 2010, 75% of people would be meeting this "5 a day" goal.

And, according to research reported by MSNBC.com, only 40% of Americans are consuming five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

So how does your diet compare?

The 5aday.com website says one single serving equals:

•    a medium raw fruit
•    ½ cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits, vegetables or beans (such as peaches, green beans or chickpeas)
•    1 cup of raw leafy greens (like romaine lettuce)
•    ¼ cup dried fruit

It’s easier than you think to eat your 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies.  Here’s a sample menu (fruits and veggies are underlined):

Breakfast:  Whole grain cereal, fat-free milk (or soy milk), a medium banana

Mid-morning snack:  ¼ cup raisins mixed with almonds and walnuts

Lunch:  Bean burrito in whole wheat tortilla, green salad with chunks of tomato, cucumber, carrots and radishes

Mid-afternoon snack:  Medium apple with some natural peanut butter

Dinner:  Stir-fry made with chunks of broccoli, snow peas and onion, served over brown rice

Be creative with your meals and look for opportunities to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.  If you reach the "5 a day" target, you’ll be on your way to a healthier lifestyle!

Vegetables May Keep Your Brain Healthy, Too

You already know that vegetables can help keep your body healthy and slim.  But did you know that they have a positive impact on your brain, too?

According to an AP news article, researchers at the Rush Institute for Health Aging found evidence that suggests eating plenty of vegetables may help keep us mentally sharp as we age.  The scientists studied a group of almost 2,000 people over about a six year period.  During that time, the study participants answered questions about their eating habits and performed various mental tests.  The researchers found that folks who ate more than two servings of vegetables a day had less mental decline than people who ate fewer servings of veggies.

Eating lots of vegetables can also help keep your body healthy, too!  They’ve been linked to lower rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  Moreover, since they’re usually low in calories and full of fiber, they can also help you trim your waistline!

One of the reasons people seem to neglect eating their veggies is because of the time and preparation required.  It’s much easier to nuke a frozen dinner (which includes a tablespoon of vegetables) than it is to clean, cook and serve vegetables.  However, there are some ways to make eating your veggies easy!  Try these tips:

Buy it bagged.  Buying convenience produce–like pre-chopped veggies or bagged salad–may be more expensive, but it’s worth the price if it means you actually eat more vegetables.  For snacks, consider baby carrots and sugar snap peas.  They’re perfect for dipping and ready-to-eat!

Just heat ‘em up. No need to get fancy with your vegetables.  Just heat them up!  Canned or frozen versions have just as many nutrients as fresh–sometimes more, since they’re preserved at the height of freshness.  Just dump them in a pan and heat them up for instant cooked vegetables.

Double your serving. Whenever you make a vegetable dish, cook twice as much as you need.  The leftovers can be served again at lunch or dinner the next day.

Hit the bar.  The salad bar!  It’s full of an array of veggies that are already prepped, like chopped broccoli, diced carrots and green pepper slices.  Just load up one of those little plastic containers with the veggie you want.  Or go the traditional route and eat a salad!