Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Everything you eat and drink matters. Find your healthy eating style and maintain it for a lifetime. Start with small changes to make healthier choices you can enjoy. The right mix can help you be healthier now and into the future.
To build your own healthy eating style, follow the MyPlate building blocks. Each one has starter tips to inspire you to create your own solutions — “MyWins.” The key is choosing a variety of foods and beverages from each food group — and making sure that each choice is limited in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables: Focus on whole fruits
• Choose whole fruits — fresh, frozen, dried, or canned in 100% juice.
• Enjoy fruit with meals, as snacks, or for a dessert.
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables: Vary your veggies
• Try adding fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables to salads, side dishes, and recipes.
• Choose a variety of colorful veggies prepared in healthful ways: steamed, sautéed, roasted, or raw.
Make half your grains whole grains
• Look for whole grains listed first or second on the ingredients list — try oatmeal, popcorn, whole-grain bread, and brown rice.
• Limit grain desserts and snacks, such as cakes, cookies, and pastries.
Vary your protein routine
• Mix up your protein foods to include a variety — seafood, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, soy products, eggs, and lean meats and poultry.
• Try main dishes made with beans and seafood, like tuna salad or bean chili.
Move to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt
• Choose fat-free milk, yogurt, and soy beverages (soy milk) to cut back on your saturated fat.
• Replace sour cream, cream, and regular cheese in recipes and dishes with low-fat yogurt, milk, and cheese.
Drink and eat less sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars
• Use the Nutrition Facts label and ingredients list to compare foods and drinks. Limit items high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.
• Use vegetable oils instead of butter and choose oil-based sauces and dips instead of those with butter, cream, or cheese.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
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