Healthier Shopping, Healthier Cooking, Healthier Lifestyle

Healthier Shopping, Healthier Cooking, Healthier Lifestyle

Eating healthy is easy enough. Changing your habits is what can be difficult. Sometimes even if you want to change your habits you might not know where to start or how to do it. That s why we ve created this brochure of tips and tricks you can use to improve the way you eat. Starting from the beginning The first place to make changes to your eating habits is the grocery store. A few simple revisions to your shopping list are all it takes to start on the path to eating healthier. Making a list will help to keep you on track and help steer you away from impulse buys. When making your list think about the meals you will make during the week and what healthy ingredients you will need to cook them. 1 Shopping Lean 2 Meat and poultry are major protein sources but they can also be high in fat and cholesterol. If you want to cut unnecessary fat from your diet, buying the leanest cuts of meat is a good starting point. When buying chicken or turkey be sure to select white meat without the skin. Among the leanest cuts of beef are round, chuck, sirloin or tenderloin. Tenderloin and loin chops are the leanest pork selections. Ground meats should be at least 90% lean. When using ground turkey or chicken be sure the meat is either from the breast or is low-fat. Meats labeled Choice or Select usually have less fat than those labeled Prime. The Healthiest Healthy Foods Not sure which foods are the healthiest for you? Below you will find a list of 10 of the healthiest foods 3 around. These foods are considered among the healthiest because they meet at least three of the following criteria: Good or excellent source of fiber, vitamins, mineral and other nutrients High in phytonutrients and antioxidant compounds (e.g., vitamins A and E and beta carotene) May help reduce the risk of heart disease and other health conditions Low in calorie density Readily available 1

Add these to your list for the next time you go to the store: Item Almonds Apples Blueberries Broccoli Red Beans Salmon Spinach Sweet Potatoes Vegetable Juice Why it is good for you Rich in nutrients like fiber and one serving provides half of your body s recommended dietary allowance of vitamin E. (One serving is about 23 almonds.) Good source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels. Also a good source of vitamin C. Full of plant compounds, may help prevent urinary tract infections, improve short term memory and promote healthy aging. Also a low-calorie supply of fiber. Good source of calcium, potassium, folate and fiber, as well as containing phytonutrients. Also a good source of vitamins A and C. Low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and dietary fiber as well as a source for iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and thiamin. Also contains phytonutrients. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Good source of protein. High in vitamins A and C and folate. Good source of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, calcium, iron and magnesium. High in beta carotene. Also a good source of fiber, vitamins B-6, C and E, folate and potassium. Low in calories. Contains most of the vitamins and minerals found in vegetables. Some can be high in sodium so look for low-sodium varieties. Wheat Germ Highly concentrated source of nutrients such as vitamin E, zinc, potassium and iron among others. Also a good source for protein and fiber. 2

What are antioxidants? 4 Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods that can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen they naturally produce free radicals (by-products), which can cause damage. Antioxidants prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. They may prevent or lower the risk of health problems such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The most commonly known antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E among others. Staying on course Most grocery stores have fresh food items around the perimeter. This is where you should concentrate most of your shopping. Read food labels while you shop. Food labels contain information about serving size, calories, nutrients and Daily Values. By reading labels you can learn what foods are healthier than others. A new twist on your old favorites Changing your eating habits doesn t always mean you have to give up your favorite meals. Substituting healthier ingredients allows you to keep eating the meals you love while making them better for your body. Below is a listing of a few options you can use the next time you cook 5 : Old standby Bacon Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking Full-fat sour cream Syrup All-purpose flour Dry bread crumbs Iceberg lettuce Enriched pasta New twist Turkey bacon, Canadian bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto Cooking spray or nonstick pans Fat-free or low-fat sour cream or fat-free plain yogurt Low-calorie, sugar-free syrup or pureed fruit such as applesauce Whole-wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal Arugula, chicory, collard greens, kale, spinach or watercress Whole-wheat pasta 3

Taking the next step 6 Now that you have all of your healthy ingredients the way to make sure they stay that way is to cook them using a healthy technique. If you can, use nonstick cookware or vegetable sprays in place of oil. If you cannot eliminate oil, try olive, peanut and canola oils which are the lowest in fat. Using one of the methods below will add little or no fat to your meals: New Method Baking Braising Broiling Grilling Poaching Roasting Sautéing Steaming Stir-frying How you do it Cook food covered or uncovered in the oven Brown first, then simmer in a covered pan with a little liquid. Cook food by direct heat in the broiler section of the oven. Cook food by direct heat over coals. Cook food in liquids such as broth, vinegar or juice. Carefully tend to food cooking in liquid, so that it retains its shape. Cook food covered or uncovered in an oven at a higher temperature than you would use when baking. Cook food rapidly with a small amount of oil in a hot pan. In some instances you can use broth, nonstick cooking spray, or water in place of oil. Cook food in a perforated basket over a small amount of boiling water. Cook by stirring small pieces of food in a hot pan with a small amount of oil. When trying to reduce the fat in your diet trim off any visible, solid fat from your meats before and after cooking. When cooking soups or stews boil the meat one day in advance and put it in the refrigerator. Once the dish has chilled you will be able to remove the fat that has hardened on the top. Lastly, after cooking ground meat, drain the fat from the pan and rinse the meat with hot water. Blot the meat with a paper towel to dry it. 4

Your food is counting on you 7 Another way to maintain a healthier diet is to watch your caloric intake. Everyone has heard about counting calories. But not everyone knows what a calorie does or why it is important to keep track of them. Calories are the energy in food. When you ingest calories they are either converted to physical energy or stored as fat. If you do not use the stored calories they remain as fat. Eating more calories than you burn leads to weight gain. How many calories are in one pound? 3,500 calories = One pound of fat If you want to lose one pound you need to burn 3,500 calories more than what you take in. Reducing or cutting calories may be easier than you think. Switching to fat-free milk or snacking on fruit instead of chips are just two ways you can lower your intake. Think about what you eat and drink on a daily basis and come up with lower calorie alternatives or foods you can cut out altogether. Eating smaller portions is also an option. 5

Deciphering the terms 8 When you are grocery shopping or listening to health reports on the news there are a lot of terms being used to describe the food you are about to buy. Here are some definitions to let you know what these terms mean. Organic Food items with the USDA organic label are 95% free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and sewage sludge and have not been genetically modified or irradiated. No hormones or antibiotics are permitted and animals must be fed organically grown feed and have outdoor access. Sustainable Crops that are raised in eco-friendly ways, are humane to animals, and support farm workers and farming communities. Natural Meat and poultry with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Locally Grown Crops produced no more than 250 miles away from where they are purchased. Antibiotic-Free Animals that are raised without the use of antibiotics. Antibiotic-free is not a regulated term but food can be labeled as no antibiotics administered or raised without antibiotics. Free Range Chickens that are allowed access to the outdoors and are not confined to cages. Only limited outdoor time is required by the USDA and the conditions are not regulated. Grass Fed Cattle raised mostly on grass and hay. No government regulations or inspections apply to the term and these cattle may not be organic. We hope you have found these tips to be informative and helpful. Bring this brochure with you the next time you visit the grocery store to remind you of healthy ways to shop and eat. Good luck in your pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. 6

1 www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-foods/nu00639 2 www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/nu00202 3 www.mayoclinic.com/health/health-foods/nu00632 4 http\\www.healthcastle.com/antioxidant.shtml 5 www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/nu00585 6 www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-eating/wt00020 7 www.mayoclinic.com/health/calories/wt00011 8 www.foodnetwork.com/food/if_hl_eating_green/article/0,3180,food_30156_557713,00.html MS-08-376 10102