LAFAYETTE, La. (NEWS 15) — The holidays mean lots of food and festivities but that doesn’t mean you still can’t eat healthy.
Let’s start our holiday wellness series with simple rules for a good healthy diet. We’re talking about healthy choices in the right proportions.
Think of dividing your plate into 1/4 protein, 1/2 vegetables, and 1/4 grains.
Starting with protein, that holiday ham or turkey comes issues like fat and salt. So, the order of protein goes:
- plant-based first, but if lima beans aren’t your thing
- next are the lean meats like poultry and seafood
- followed by red meat, but remember with more marbling comes higher saturated fat
- and lastly, processed, salted cured meats like ham, salami, and cold cuts
Seriously, one serving of cured ham contains about 1/2 of your daily recommended salt intake.
Vegetables are next on our plate and we can show that people who eat more vegetables have less heart disease and stroke. The overall order of vegetables starts with:
- leafy green like lettuce and spinach
- followed by broccoli and cabbage – (Fun Fact) these are called cruciferous vegetables
- then ones like squash and zucchini – yes, I know technically these are fruits but we’re keeping it simple
- last on our plate are grains, and we prefer whole grains – that’s because the more grain is processed, the more vitamins and minerals are taken away
- the best example is brown whole grain rice versus processed white rice
- processing removes protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
- only some of which is added back and sold as enriched rice
It’s okay to enjoy food during the holidays. Just keep in mind a few simple rules for healthy eating.
