Nutrition tips
Eat breakfast
To help you feel less hungry later in the day, maintain a healthy weight, and improve your focus, eat breakfast. Include foods from at least 3 of the 4 food groups in Canada's Food Guide. If you are trying to lose weight, aim to consume plenty of protein at breakfast.
Try a whole grain toast, 2 eggs steamed in the microwave, a glass of skim or 1 per cent milk, and a piece of fresh fruit. Nuts, peanut butter, and low fat cheese also provide protein.
Eat your fruit instead of drinking it
A serving of fruit juice is 1/2 cup, but a normal glass may contain 3, 4 or even more servings. It may seem to be a great way to meet the number of servings of vegetables and fruit you need. But even 100% fruit juice contains as much sugar as an equal amount of pop.
To add to the story, fruit juice does not contain fibre, while the whole fruit does. That may be one reason we do not feel full from drinks in the same way we do from whole foods. So to fill up and to get enough fibre it is best to eat your fruit rather than drink it.
Add more colour to your plate
The easiest way to add colour to your plate is with your vegetables and fruit. The more colour you see, the more likely there is a range of vegetables and fruit on your plate. You gain from a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruit because may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Try a stir-fry of green snow peas and broccoli, orange carrots, red peppers, and white bean sprouts or cauliflower. For dessert top some frozen yogurt with mixed berries.
Include healthy snacks
Choosing healthy snacks between meals can keep you from feeling famished. his can reduce the chance that you will make less healthy choices at mealtime. Use snacks as a chance to eat the foods from Canada's Food Guide that you miss out on at meal time. For instance, if you did not have fruit at breakfast, have it as your morning snack.
Always be sure to have healthy snacks with you to avoid choosing higher fat, sugar or salt foods when hunger strikes. Because they are full of fibre, snacking on fruits and vegetables can help curb those hunger pangs. Low-fat yogurt is a healthy snack that provides calcium. Sprinkle fruit or bran on top for added fibre. Or eat ? cup of nuts for the healthy fats to help lower cholesterol.
Spread your food over the day
Rather than saving up all your calories for supper, spread your food intake throughout the day. This will keep your blood sugars from plunging and keep your energy up. You will also be less likely to eat to much later in the day.
Eat every 3 to 4 hours. Include 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks. If you aren't hungry at night, eat a smaller dinner and skip your bedtime snack.
Try fruit for dessert
Eating a higher fat, higher sugar dessert like a bowl of ice cream may please your sweet tooth. But one cup also adds almost 300 calories and 14 grams of fat to your day.
Instead, do your body a favour and indulge in a bowl full of grapes, or melons, or any other fruit that suits your fancy. You will get plenty of antioxidants and fibre. You will be closer to getting the number of servings of vegetables and fruit you need each day. And because fruit is sweet it can be a great way to end a meal while pleasing a sweet tooth.
Additional information
Registered Dietitian at Millennium Place
780-416-7212
Last updated: Thursday, February 25, 2010
Page ID: 2644