Smart choices at the grocery store are key to a heart-healthy diet In today’s fast-paced world, women are often pressed for time.
WF nutritionists have put together the following shopping suggestions for low-fat foods for each food group to make your life easier.
Fruits & Vegetables : Choose a variety fresh or canned vegetables and fruit for soups, salads & pasta dishes. Choose vegetables that don’t have salt added and fruits packed in juice whenever possible. Choose local or organic produce. When you buy fruits and vegetables in season, they will be picked at their peak and grown outside, which will give them more flavor and more minerals and other nutrients. You should look forward to the crisp orange pippins or the first new potatoes. It’s better than eating the same bland food all year.
Shopping seasonally can help you save money, since prices are often lower when there’s a glut of fresh produce available.
Dairy Products : Dairy products are a great source of calcium and vitamin-D, which help build strong bones. You can get your three daily servings with a variety of low-fat or non-fat products, such as tube yogurts and drinkable yogurts. No problem if you like higher-fat cheeses — just make sure to keep your portions small. Whole milk contains 35-45 per cent of its calories as fat. 1 percent gets only 23 per cent, while nonfat provides only 4 percent. The taste and texture are loved by almost everyone. Unfortunately, most cheeses are high in fat. The average cheese contains between 40-60% calories from fat. Try low-fat versions of your favorite cheeses, or cheeses that are part-skim (mozzarellas, ricottas, cottage cheeses, low/nonfat cheeses, etc.). You may not like low-fat or nonfat cheeses at first if you’re used to regular cheeses. You will eventually develop a taste and preference for low-fat, or nonfat versions. Low-fat or nonfat yoghurt is great for many reasons: it can be used to replace sourcream and whipping cream, add great flavor and texture to foods like baked potatoes or angel food cakes, and as a snack. Choose nonfat varieties or low fat varieties. Nearly half of the calories in regular yogurt come from fat.
Meat There are two important things to consider if you’re looking to continue eating meat while maintaining a healthy, low-fat lifestyle: the portion size and the fat content. The maximum amount of lean meat you should consume per day is three ounces, or about the size of an average deck of cards. If you consume 2,500 calories per day, then you will need between 300 and 500 calories, or 75 to 125 grams, of protein. This can be satisfied by three ounces lean meat, and one serving of dairy products. The leanest meat is “select”, which contains only 39 percent fat. “Choice” grade contains more fat (44%) and “Prime” has the most (48%) When selecting ground beef, select varieties marked “round”, “loin”, “top sirloin” or “extra-lean”, as they are the leanest. Check the color and fat of the meat, as well as its label. Choose cuts that have the least visible fat. Meat that has white streaks is going to have a higher fat content. If the meat is very dark red it will be much leaner than pink or gray meat. Avoid salami, bacon, pepperoni and bologna when shopping for sandwich meats. Try to choose white meats that are leaner, such as turkey, chicken, or fish. Try leaner versions of roast beef, ham and fish.
EggsEach yolk contains 210 milligrams cholesterol and 5 grams fat. Two eggs per day is more than the daily recommended limit of cholesterol. You should also limit yourself to four whole eggs per week. The egg whites, which are eggs without the yolks, contain almost all the protein and are free of fat and cholesterol. Use three egg whites per whole egg when cooking or baking.
Grains & Pasta – Choose your grains carefully. fibre is found in whole grain products. fiber helps to prevent cancer, lower cholesterol and improve digestion. You should aim to consume 25-35 grams per day. Sadly, fiber grams are not easily added up. Three grams are found in two slices of whole wheat bread. A bowl of cereal contains about 2-3 grams, though there are many delicious high-fiber cereals available. Read the label again. Two to three grams of enriched pasta per cup. One bagel contains 5 grams. Whole grain foods are rich in fiber and also contain vitamins B, E and trace minerals. Replace egg noodles with spinach or wheat noodles to increase your nutritional intake. Rice is available in many varieties. The most common are brown and white rice. White rice contains more iron and thiamin because it is enriched. Brown rice is a natural source of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin E.
Cereals Look for cereals that are low in sugar, have less fat and at least 2 grams of fiber. Cereals are a good source of fiber if they’re chosen carefully. Unfortunately, cereals that are high in fiber tend to be bland. Do not stock your shelves with cereals that you don’t like. You’ll be more likely to eat the cereals if you stock your shelves with only those that you like. You may skip breakfast if you purchase brands you “should” consume but taste like cardboard. Add some fruits to your breakfast cereal. To make your cereal more tasty, you might want to purchase two different types: one with low fat and high fiber and another with low fat and higher sugar. Combine these ingredients and you’ll have a healthy and delicious way to start your day.
Oils – Avoid saturated fats whenever possible. Keep your total saturated fat calorie intake to less than 10% of your daily food intake. Unsaturated oil comes in two forms: monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated. The mono-unsaturated oils are olive, canola, and peanut oils. Polyunsaturated oils include sesame, corn, and safflower oils. Pure olive oil is best for baking or stir-frying. Virgin or extra-virgin olive oil is the best choice for light sautes, drizzling over pasta, vegetables or bread, and for baking.
