It’s important to eat a
variety of foods from all the macronutrients and also consider the quality of
our foods. Each macronutrient category
contains foods with high and low quality nutrients. For better nutrition try swapping low quality
foods for high quality foods. I think
you will find the higher quality nutrients are lower in calories and saturated
fat and you will also feel satiated longer.
Try changing one food item each week and over time you’ll have a complete diet makeover! Here are some sample swaps for each of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, and fat):
·
A 6 ounce broiled
porterhouse steak has 38 grams protein and 44 grams fat (16 saturated) while 6
ounces of wild salmon has 34 grams protein and 18 grams fat (4 saturated).
· A packet of
instant cinnamon and apple oatmeal contains 160 calories, 200 mg. of sodium, 4
grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 12 grams of sugar. A similar sized serving of old-fashioned oats
contains 150 calories, NO sodium, 4 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein and NO
sugar and only takes 5 minutes on the stove top or 2 ½ - 3 minutes in the
microwave.
· A cup of whole
milk contains 146 calories, 8 grams of fat (5 grams saturated), 24 mg.
cholesterol, 98 mg. sodium, and 13 grams of sugar while a cup of non-fat milk
contains 86 calories, no fat, 5 grams of cholesterol, 127 mg. of sodium, and 12
grams of sugar.
Try to make daily
conscious decisions about the foods you prepare and eat. A nutritional handbook or a phone app (e.g.,
My Fitness Pal and Fooducate) can be helpful as you attempt to make better choices. Trendy fad diets are a poor substitute for
fact based nutritional awareness. By
making small dietary changes you and your family will look better (inside and
out), feel better, and perform better!
