- Consume energy-dense foods in moderation
Why – Energy-dense foods are the ones that contain many calories relative to their weight. Some of these foods, such as nuts, dark chocolate, and peanut butter, also provide important nutrients and phytochemicals. However, many energy-dense foods are also highly processed and lack significant amounts of nutrients, contributing mostly empty calories. In this category, you will find baked goods made with refined grains, fried foods, chips, soda, mayonnaise, and butter, among others. Over-consuming these foods can lead to weight gain and many chronic diseases.
How much – Eliminating these foods completely from your diet is unrealistic and will only lead to frustration. A better approach is to eat energy-dense foods in small portions, pairing them with nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
How to – To control your caloric intake, choose foods that are nutrient-dense 80% of the time. If you feel the need to consume energy-dense foods, choose low-fat or fat-free, low sugar, and low sodium varieties, and balance your diet with more nutritious foods throughout the day. Controlling portion sizes is also advisable – avoid over-consuming any type of food.
- Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation
Why – First of all, alcohol is not a nutrient. Thus, our body doesn’t need it to survive. Alcohol is an energy-dense substance that provides almost the same amount of calories as fat[1], which may contribute to weight gain. Furthermore, even small amounts of alcohol can slow reactions, impairing driver’s response time, for example. Other effects of alcohol are drug interactions, impaired fertility, dehydration, hangovers, and addiction. Alcohol abuse may also increase the risk of certain types of cancer, cause liver and brain damage, promote malnutrition, and cause emotional and social problems.
How much – The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise that if you choose to consume alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. This means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. You should also avoid binge drinking, which is defined as consuming four or more drinks at one time if you are a woman, or five or more if you are a man. Drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time can cause vomiting, dizziness, impaired mental capabilities, and hangover.
How to – When consuming alcohol, it is wise to know what accounts for a standard serving. Keep in mind that a standard serving of beer, distilled spirits, and wine contains the same amount of alcohol.
- Consume more milk and dairy products (low-fat or fat free) or fortified milk substitutes
Why – Foods from this group are usually under-consumed among Americans. Fluid milk and milk products provide important nutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamin D and potassium. Fortified soymilk contains significant amounts of calcium and is considered to be part of this group. The regular intake of foods from this group is linked to improved bone health, which may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It is also associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
How much – The current recommendation for most adults is to consume three cup equivalents of foods in this group. In order to avoid the over-consumption of dietary fat, low-fat (1%) or fat-free varieties should be preferred.
How to – The following are considered 1 cup equivalents: ⅓ cup of shredded cheese; ½ cup of evaporated milk or ricotta cheese; 1 cup of milk, yogurt, or frozen yogurt; 1 ½ cups of ice cream; 2 cups of cottage cheese; or 2 slices (3 ounces) of hard cheese.
- Get your essential fatty acids
Why – Essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) are fats that cannot be synthesized by the body in sufficient amounts to meet physiological needs. They must be supplied by the diet and are commonly found in plant and fish oils. These fatty acids form structural parts of the body and cell membranes, participate in immune system function and produce hormone-like compounds. The omega-3 fatty-acids are particularly interesting for health. It seems that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids may lower cholesterol and triglycerides levels, slow clot formation, enhance defenses against cancer and reduce inflammation.
How much – We need to consume only about 5% of our total calories per day from essential fatty acids. According to USDA’s My Plate, the daily allowance for oils is 5 to 6 tablespoons for most women. These fatty acids may be supplied by the consumption of nuts, fish, cooking oil, and salad dressings.
How to – Consume oily coldwater fish (such as salmon) two to three times a week, add walnuts to breads and cakes, substitute oils (such as safflower, canola, and olive oil) for solid fats (such as butter, lard, and shortening), or sprinkle ground flaxseeds over yogurt, morning cereal or oatmeal.
References
Boyle, M. and Long, S. Personal Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. 2010.
United States. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 2010.
Wardlaw, G. and Smith, A. Contemporary Nutrition. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2009.
“What foods are included in the dairy group?” Available at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/dairy.html. November 2011.
[1] Alcohol releases 7kcal/g, while fat releases 9kcal/g.