A Positive Approach: Choose Nutrient-Rich Foods for the Most Nutrition
Through National Nutrition Month, created in 1973, the American Dietetic Association promotes healthful eating by providing practical nutrition information and focusing attention on the importance of making informed food choices.
What to eat or not to eat? That’s the question many of us struggle with every day. For decades nutrition advice has told us how to answer the question by telling us what foods and nutrients to avoid. As a result, most Americans are overweight yet undernourished.
It is time for a change in the way we think about foods. By choosing nutrient-rich foods that provide the most nutrients per calorie, we can build healthier diets and start down a path of health and wellness.
The nutrient-rich foods way of eating emphasizes choosing foods based on their total nutrient package, including vitamins and minerals, instead of choosing foods based only on what they don’t contain – saturated fat, sugar and salt. It offers a positive foundation to help build overall healthier habits and meet personal nutrition needs over a lifetime.
Because nutrient-rich foods are familiar and easy to find, achieving balance and building a healthier diet is simple and stress free. Selecting the following foods is a way to make good choices within your daily eating plan and get the most nutrients for the least amount of calories:
Brightly-colored fruits and vegetables
Think variety and think color. Different colored vegetables provide varying amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that provide unique health benefits. The phytonutrients are responsible for the colors of vegetables and fruits. Research suggests that phytonutrients may work best when eaten together in a whole food. So eating a wide variety of different colored fruits and vegetables may provide greater health benefits than eating a single type of vegetable/fruit or taking a vitamin supplement.
Whole, fortified and fiber-rich grain foods
In the past, whole grains were thought to provide nothing more than fiber. However, new research reveals that whole grains offer vitamins and minerals plus high levels of antioxidants and other healthy plant-based nutrients in addition to fiber.
Low fat and fat free milk, cheese and yogurt
These foods are high in protein, calcium and vitamin D in addition to many other important vitamins and minerals. Calcium and vitamin D are both essential nutrients when it comes to bone health. Recent research suggests that vitamin D plays an important role in the prevention of certain cancers.
Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts
These are all foods that are high in protein, vitamins and minerals. In addition, eggs contain choline, an essential nutrient needed for normal functioning of all cells. Beans and nuts, in addition to protein, minerals and vitamins also contain fiber.
To help you plan an optimal meal plan seek help from a qualified health professional. A registered dietitian is your best source of reliable, up-to-date food and nutrition information, with the skills to translate science into practical advice you can use.