It’s easy to broaden your food horizon

By Carolyn O'Neil

For the AJC

As we wheel our carts down supermarket aisles or peruse a restaurant menu, chances are we’re on the hunt for familiar tastes and the usual favorites. We’re creatures of habit, especially when it comes to food choices.

Add to that the additional worries brought on by a lackluster economy and there’s even more reason to steer clear of expensive impulse purchases.

But sometimes wandering off in a new direction can lead to fresh discoveries that satisfy culinary and cost demands. According to results of the 2010 Food and Health Survey, conducted by the International Food and Information Council Foundation, taste is the biggest influence on food and beverage purchasing decisions, followed by price.

However, the next biggest impact on food buying habits is concern about health.

Change for the better

Whether it’s to lose weight, maintain weight or boost overall health status, Americans are adding and subtracting foods to support their goals. The foundation survey found that nearly half of those questioned say they’re trying to eat more protein and consume less salt.

Some results from the survey read like a shopping list of a concerned yet confused consumer.

Nearly three-fourths of Americans are trying to consume more fiber and choose whole-grain versions of foods, but they don’t really know what the benefits might be. For the record, whole grains are beneficial for digestive health, heart health and weight control and the provide disease-fighting, anti-oxidant-rich nutrients.

Most are trying to consume fewer artery-clogging trans fats and saturated fats, but less than half say they’re choosing more heart-healthful omega-3 fatty acids.

One thing remains a constant in food and health surveys: A significant barrier getting in the way of improving diets is the perception that newly adopted healthful foods won’t taste as good as old favorites. So here are some suggestions for great-tasting healthful foods you may have noticed but might not have tried before.

Try these

● Jicama: Pronounced HICK-ah-mah, this large brown tuber doesn’t look very pretty when judging from its plain Jane outside, but it’s the Cinderella of vegetables. Cut it open to reveal a white interior that looks and tastes kind of like an apple. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet and perfect for salads or as crudités with an impressive 6 grams of fiber per cup.

● Scandavian crispbreads: Messages to consume at least half your grains as whole grains may be new, but these flat breads have been around for years. Supercrunchy, high-fiber, whole-grain crackers like Wasa crispbreads, around since 1919, are only 40 calories a slice. No added sugar or fat. Top with turkey and Swiss or humus and tomatoes.

● Quinoa: Add more players to your whole-grain cast. Quinoa (keen-WAH) seeds cook into slightly nutty tasting light and fluffy ricelike grains. Perfect as a side dish combined with fresh herbs and chopped veggies. Unlike other grains, quinoa is a good source of complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.

● Flat iron or hanger steaks: Cut back on saturated fat and still enjoy beef. Leaner lesser-known cuts such as the flat iron steak or hanger steak are lower in total fat and calories per serving but big on flavor.

● Cocoa nibs: Cocoa nibs are crunchy, slightly bittersweet roasted bits of cocoa beans. Loaded with anti-oxidants and the mineral magnesium, a little goes a long way. Sprinkle on a fruit and yogurt parfait or add a mocha hit to your coffee.

● Yerba maté tea: This South American tea possesses health benefits that sound pretty good. A study conducted at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana found that yerba maté’s superhigh anti-oxidant content outperforms red wine and green tea.

Carolyn O’Neil is a registered dietitian and co-author of “The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!” E-mail her at carolyn@carolyn
oneil.com.