Celebrate National Nutrition Month

Celebrate National Nutrition Month

NNM 2016 Logo2Celebrating the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Nutrition Month each March is the perfect time to focus on your health needs and set new nutritional goals. A couple of key messages for this year’s theme include discovering new ways to prepare meals that trim sodium and practicing mindful eating behaviors. Make it your goal to incorporate at least one of the following tips into your lifestyle so you can “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right!”

Get Creative with Herbs and Spices

Instead of adding salt or condiments high in sodium to your food, consider using herbs such as rosemary, basil, mint, oregano, or cilantro. Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, paprika, pepper, and cumin are another great option to include in your favorite meals. Flavoring with herbs and spices instead of salt can help reduce your sodium intake without sacrificing taste.

Appreciate Each Bite

Take time to appreciate every flavor, texture, and the overall eating experience at each meal. Eating slowly and enjoying every bite gives your stomach time to tell your brain that you are satisfied. This practice may help you eat less overall, as well as assist you in reaching your nutritional goals.

Practice Mindful Eating

Think about where you eat a majority of your meals. Eating at your desk or in front of a television can be distracting and may cause you to overeat. Aim to find a place where you can focus solely on your meal instead of trying to multitask while eating.

To learn more about how you can savor the flavor of eating right, visit www.eatright.org or contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office.

 

Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

Photo by USDAgov - no changes made

Enjoy the taste of eating right.

Taste tops nutrition as the main reason why we buy one food over another, as consumer research has clearly shown.  Even though social, emotional, and health factors do have important roles to play, the foods people enjoy are probably the ones they eat the most.  The key message for National Nutrition Month® – March 2014 focuses on encouraging personalized healthy eating styles – showing how we can combine taste and nutrition to make healthy meals.

This year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages everyone to “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right”.  Because taste is the major influencer of what we eat, it’s important to balance choosing the foods we like with those that provide the nutrients we need.

When it comes to choosing what to eat, nutrition is important, but flavor is the true motivator and the key to eating right.  We have over 10,000 taste buds, so we should use them to discover a world of tasty nutritious foods.

  • Try one new fruit, vegetable, or whole grain each week.
  • When eating out, try ethnic foods from Asia, Europe, or Africa because they often have many healthy options.
  • When cooking at home, try a new twist on old favorites.  Grill vegetables and fish, make kabobs, bake the potatoes instead of mashing them, and use that spice rack to add zest.
  • If you’re sticking with the tried and true foods you know you like, be sure to read the nutrition labels to help you develop a plan for healthy eating that emphasizes a balance of foods.

Return to the basics of healthful eating starting this month.  Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right:  eat right, your way, every day.

Learn more about how you can enjoy the taste of eating right by visiting www.eatright.org and by contacting your local UF/IFAS Extension Office.