Sept. 08--Portion control is essential for healthy eating, but selecting the right portions of foods can make a huge difference in getting a healthy meal.
Many people often choose the high-fat foods to make up the bulk of their meal plate. Vegetables often take up the smallest part of the plate or don't make the plate at all, said Jennifer Wood, a Gundersen Lutheran registered dietitian and coordinator of the medical center's 500 Club, a program that promotes healthy eating.
Wood said the 500 Club healthy portion plate includes half filled with vegetables, a quarter with lean meat, poultry, fish or beans, and another quarter should have whole grains.
"Most of our plates should look like this at two or three meals each day, but most people eat so few vegetables," Wood said.
"A really good guide is we need to eat more fruits and vegetables, which is the basis for good health," she said.
Wood said food choices should be made from the following sources for a healthy meal:
Low-fat milk
Dairy products provide protein, calcium, vitamin D and many important minerals that help keep bones, teeth and nails healthy. Other minerals help regulate blood pressure and keep your heart healthy. Fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir provide probiotics, the good gut bacteria important for healthy bowels.
Vegetables
This group provides a plethora of vitamins (A, E, C), folate, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Vitamin A protects and promotes good eyesight. Vitamin E and C help keep skin healthy and are antioxidants that help protect against cancer. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure for a healthy heart. Folate helps prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy.
Complex carbohydrates
This group of food offers fiber, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Eating a high fiber diet helps keep you regular, controls cholesterol and helps with weight management. Iron-fortified cereals help prevent anemia. B vitamins help prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy, helps your body utilize energy from foods and keep your nervous system healthy. Magnesium helps keep bones, muscles and immune system stay healthy.
Lean protein
In addition to protein, lean meats contain an excellent source of B vitamins, iron, zinc, vitamin E and magnesium. Fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, tuna and trout, offer a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts and seeds offer an excellent source of heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats.
Fruit
Just like vegetables, this group provides a plethora of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber that promote good health. Berries are super good-for-you foods that provide many phytonutrients that offer additional health benefits scientists are just beginning to understand.
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