Foods to Add in The New Year
Many people set goals for the new year to lose weight, eat healthier, or start the latest trending diet, including lists of foods to cut out or avoid. This year consider an approach different from a temporary diet or short-term program by doing something for more than a few weeks while also improving health and weight.
While there is nothing wrong with a diet for a couple of weeks or 30 days, dietary changes that will positively impact weight and overall health require eating better well past a month of restrictions.
Try this approach: focus on foods to add to your overall diet, long-term, and not on what foods to cut out. By adding healthier foods for us, we will eat fewer not-so-healthy foods.
Think, “drink more water” rather than “drink less soda.” If the focus is to drink more water, then for many people, soda consumption will decline at nearly the same rate as the water intake increases. The mindset of what to include rather than exclude can lead to success.
What food can we add to the diet? Adding more plant-based foods, but not necessarily excluding animal foods, is suitable for many people. Note the term “plant-based” does not mean plant-only. Learn more about Plant-Based vs. Vegetarian: What’s the Difference?
Here are foods to consider adding to your diet this year and beyond.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Most people don’t eat enough of these nutrition powerhouses. Most fruits and vegetables are low calorie, high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals (chemicals found in plants beneficial to our health). As much as a supplement will attempt to replicate fruits and vegetables, there is just no substitute for the real thing. None. And isolating one nutrient like vitamin C or fiber as a supplement does not provide the whole package and synergistic effect of the nutrients in the food form.
Don’t worry about whether something is a fruit or a vegetable; eat them. Eat more. Is it possible to eat too many fruits and vegetables? Try it and see how that goes. Or don’t do that. While overeating fruit and vegetables are possible, it isn’t likely. Most people eating whole fruits and whole vegetables (not juiced) will likely become too full and stop eating before it becomes harmful.
Which fruits and vegetables should you choose? Any of them. Colorful fruits and vegetables, including red, orange, yellow, green, and purple, have many health benefits. But keep in mind that the white and brown ones like onions, mushrooms, and cauliflower also have significant health benefits.
Think outside of the salad bowl and try these ideas to get more fruits and vegetables:
Add frozen blueberries or a banana to oatmeal;
pack baby carrots or sliced avocado for lunch;
choose an apple or pear as part of an afternoon snack;
include a cup or two of cooked vegetables with dinner.
If that sounds like a lot, start with a serving of fruit at breakfast and at least one cup of vegetables for dinner. Then and add more each week.
WHOLE GRAINS
Whole grains have numerous nutrients and health benefits. Whole grains include far more than whole wheat flour and brown rice. Oats, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, and farro are just some whole grains to choose from and add to the diet. In addition, since whole grains are plant foods, they are rich in fiber and have many B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals, including iron.
Having oats for breakfast is a start in integrating whole grains. Then, add a half cup of whole grain such as wild rice or bulgur to dinner several times a week.
Even for people who cannot eat wheat or other grains with gluten, many grains do not have gluten (which is only naturally found in wheat, barley, and rye).
Learn more in this article: Go With (Whole) Grains
BEANS
Budget-friendly and nutrient-packed, beans have fiber, protein, and several minerals along with folate, all of which are beneficial to our health. Beans are considered a vegetable as well as a good source of protein. Whether it is pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, or any of the varieties of beans, it doesn’t matter which to use since all have health benefits. Dried beans are good, but canned are OK to keep on hand for quick additions to meals. Just rinse and drain to reduce sodium content, and they are ready to go.
Add beans to soups and stews to increase protein and fiber. Eat as a side dish with dinner. Add to meat dishes and use half as much meat. Even add them with a salad to add protein.
NUTS AND SEEDS
A combination of protein, healthy fats, and fiber along with several B vitamins, vitamin E, and numerous minerals including zinc, selenium, and magnesium, nuts, and seeds are portable and a great snack or addition to a meal. Whether it is almonds or walnuts, or any of the several popular nuts, all have their unique profile and are a great addition to the diet.
Add walnuts to oats a breakfast, have nut butter with an afternoon snack or sprinkle almonds or pecans on a salad at dinner.
FOODS RICH IN OMEGA-3 FATS
Many Americans fall short of one nutrient is the healthy omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are in cold-water fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, and albacore tuna, and in a few plant foods. Walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, and edamame are some plant foods that provide omega-3 fats.
Choose fish twice a week, including canned selections, and a tablespoon of flax seeds or chia seeds in hot cereal or smoothies for a healthy addition of omega-3 fats.
When implementing any changes to your diet, whether adding foods or cutting back on them, making one or two changes at a time and integrating them as part of an overall lifestyle for a few weeks helps keep them as part of a lifelong habit of eating healthier.
