Making Informed Food Choices

Knowing exactly what to eat and what is suitable for your body with tons of diet fads can be challenging. While everyone’s nutritional needs may vary, you should know some basic dietary facts to help you make more informed food choices. 

Consider What You’re Drinking 

When people try to assess their diet, they often focus on the foods they’re eating and may forget to think about what beverages they’re drinking. What you drink is just as important as the food you consume. Many canned and bottled drinks have preservatives and added sugars to taste better and increase their shelf life. Some beverages with the most added sugar include energy drinks, soda, premade coffee, and fruit juices. 

The most beneficial beverage for the body is water, and you want to drink as much water as you can to keep your body hydrated. However, drinking only water can get boring, and there are hydrating alternatives you can try, such as sugar-free sparkling water, all-natural fruit juices, and milk. 

Choosing the Right Juices and Milk

Not all juice and milk are the same. Both beverages contain sugar. However, some juices and milk contain natural sugar, while others are loaded with artificial sugars. When you’re looking for low-sugar juice, you want to find 100 percent fruit juice brands with no added sugar or preservatives. Since fruit naturally has sugar, juices will have sugar, but you want to find ones with less than 12 grams per serving. The same concept goes for milk. Look for milk (including soy and nut milk) with no added sugar. 

It’s Okay to Eat Carbs

Many health fads encourage people to eliminate carbohydrates from their diet. While carbs are a sugar molecule, they’re also one of the primary nutrients your body converts to energy. There are three main types of carbs: sugars, starches, and fiber. 

• Sugars- Sugar is a simple carb found in baked goods, canned drinks, and processed foods. Sugar is also naturally present in fruits and vegetables. 
• Starches- Starch is a complex carb that the body can break down into sugar and convert into energy. Starch is the carb found in potatoes, bread, and pasta. 
• Fiber- Fiber is also a complex carb found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains. High fiber diets can help lower the risk of stomach and intestinal conditions.

Often when people say they don’t eat carbs, they’re referring to sugars and starches. However, the body needs carbs for energy, so eating the right carbs is essential instead of eliminating carbs. When incorporating carbs into your meals, you consume whole grains, such as brown rice, wheat bread, and oatmeal. It’s also okay to eat starches and sugars in moderation in their natural form, such as in fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods.

Understand Fats

Fat in food has a bad reputation, but fat plays an essential role in your energy levels and body’s ability to absorb vitamins. There are two main categories of fat; saturated fats and trans fats. 

• Saturated- Many foods contain either saturated or unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fat is a liquid at room temperature found in oils, nuts, and fish. Saturated fats are present in milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, and meat. 
• Trans- Trans-fat naturally develops in red meat and dairy products, but it’s also manufactured and added to many processed foods. 

In general, you want to eat unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats in foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, soy, and chicken help improve cholesterol levels. Saturated fats, such as those in dairy products and red meats, aren’t harmful to eat, but you want to keep your consumption low as too much saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. You want to limit your consumption of unnatural trans-fat in baked goods, frozen dinners, fried foods, and margarine. 

If you’re a senior and need help preparing or cooking your meals, the team at Visiting Angels can help. Our Wayzata office serves those in Minneapolis and the west and southwest communities. If you’d like to learn more about our services, you can complete this online form or call us at 952.935.0789.