There’s no need to choke down chia seeds, develop a taste for tofu or eat any other foods wearing a trendy health halo if you don’t really like the taste of them.
Choosing foods to improve the quality of your diet should start with recognizing what you’re already doing right. Do you add blueberries to yogurt or snack on a few pecans? You’re upping your intake of disease-fighting antioxidants. Do you like to carry bottled water in your car? You’re more likely to stay hydrated and not confuse thirst for hunger.
Anytime you add more vegetables to a meal, use less cheese, choose leaner meats, grab the whole grain version of breads and go easy on the butter and oil-you’re right in step with the list of things to do to eat a healthier diet.
Let’s celebrate some of the dishes you may already be enjoying, but might not have known how healthy they really are.
Win-win for Taste and Health
- Guacamole -- Since the main ingredient is avocado, guacamole is a good source of heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats. The impressive list of nutrients in avocados includes fiber, potassium, Vitamin E and folic acid. Of course, where there's fat; there are calories. One ounce of avocado, which is two tablespoons of mashed or two to three thin slices contains about 50 calories. But compared to two tablespoons of butter at 200 calories you can see why using avocado as a spread is a healthy idea. The mix of chopped tomato, onion, cilantro and jalapeno added to make guacamole actually lowers the calories and increases the fiber and vitamin content per bite.
- BBQ Chicken – Here's the bottom line if you're aiming to reduce your waistline: batter and deep fry a 5-ounce chicken breast and you're chomping on 500 calories. But, if the same size chicken breast is dressed up in barbecue sauce instead, your choice is 300 calories – a 200-calorie saving.
- Peel 'n Eat Shrimp -- The USDA's My Plate dietary recommendations suggest we eat fish and shellfish at least twice a week to mix up our protein choices and consume seafood's heart healthy Omega-3 fats. Shrimp are exceptionally low in fat and calories, especially if you keep them that way by enjoying boiled shrimp (1/4 pound of boiled shrimp -- 112 calories, 1 gram fat) instead of fried (274 calories, 15 grams fat). Peel 'n Eat Shrimp are often boiled with a spicy seasoning so all you need is a squeeze of lemon and you're ready to dig in.
- Sirloin Steak -- If you're going out for a steak dinner ordering sirloin can help you save on your food dollar and your fat and calorie budget. Not as pricey as filet mignon or porterhouse, the sirloin cut is one of the leanest. A 6-ounce serving of top sirloin steak, strip steak, flank steak or London broil has about 300 calories and just 10 grams of fat. Splurge on the same size serving of prime rib or rib-eye and you're looking at an additional 100 calories and 10 more grams of fat per serving. Enjoy steak with sautéed onions and mushrooms and you're adding more vegetables to your steak dinner.
- Spring Rolls -- No, not the deep-fried egg roll kind. But, you can dig in and enjoy Thai basil rolls, wrapped in chilled rice paper and filled with fresh veggies and maybe bits of shrimp. They're a low-calorie, high-fiber finger food full of crunch and flavor. Low-calorie dipping sauces range from sweet and spicy to pungent fish sauces.
- Gelato -- La dolce vita! Commonly made with milk not cream, so are lower in fat and calories than ice creams. But the real plus for a portion-control conscious sweet tooth is that gelato is usually served in a dainty half-cup serving. Enjoy sliced strawberries, blueberries or summer's sweet mango as a topping and you're adding a vitamin-rich fruit serving to your dairy dessert.
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