Healthy Resolutions: The 5 Things You Should Avoid Eating in 2017

by Laurie Osgood | Jan 27, 2017

It’s that time of year again – time to make resolutions designed to improve your life to become a happier, healthier, and wealthier person. Unfortunately, some resolutions are not realistic and set us up for failure from the start. A very small percentage of us manage to maintain these lofty resolutions.

However, there are small changes you can make today that can help you enjoy a healthy lifestyle. You can start by simply reading the nutrition fact labels on your favorite foods. Smart dietary choices include eliminating or cutting back on these 5 commonly used food items.

1. Added Sugar: Some foods, such as milk (lactose) and fruits (fructose), naturally contain sugars. Added sugars (like sucrose and high fructose corn syrup) are added to prepared foods and drinks. Many prepared and processed foods are stocked with added or refined sugars for supplemental sweetness. Added sugars are often called “empty” calories, because they contain extra calories and few or no vitamins and minerals, and can lead to extra pounds or even obesity, thereby reducing heart health. Alternatives: Instead of eating foods with a lot of added sugar, try a piece of fruit or use other options such as raw honey, Stevia or maple syrup.
2. Sodium: is found in many processed foods, and is commonly known as salt. Excess sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, and that creates an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium will increase your risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, and some cancers. Alternatives: You can reduce the amount of sodium in your diet by limiting the amount of salt you add to your foods, avoiding processed foods, and by choosing “reduced sodium,” “no sodium added,” or “low sodium” options when available. Try experimenting with fresh or dried herbs/seasonings to flavor to foods without adding salt.
3. Enriched Flour: this ingredient is included in many of the processed foods that we eat including pasta, cereals and breads. Whole grain flours are often stripped of their nutrients. Then, to be considered enriched, vitamins, sugar, and other additives are added back in. Alternatives: Instead of white bread, pasta or rice, choose whole grain products instead.
4. Saturated Animal Fats: this type of fact, in the form of lard, butter, eggs, cheese, and tallow come primarily from animals and are known to cause health issues such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Minimizing intake of unhealthy fats allows you to reduce calorie intake in a healthy manner. Unsaturated fats offer important health benefits and should be included in everyone’s diet. Alternatives: A simple alternative to saturated fats in your diet can be unsaturated fats found in non-animal, plant products such as fruits & vegetables, oils, nuts and seeds.
5. Hydrogenated Oils; commonly called Trans fats, or Trans Fatty Acids. Hydrogenation is the process of converting a pourable oil into a more solid, saturated fat, and is often added to a product in order to extend its shelf life. Partially or fully hydrogenated oils promote cardiovascular diseases by raising your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lowering your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Alternatives: Choose oils that are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, such as olive, safflower and peanut oils. Another healthy alternative to hydrogenated oil is Omega- 3 oils from fish. Also, try broiling foods instead of frying.                      

Overly ambitious New Year’s Resolutions often fail because they require major changes in a very short amount of time, making them almost impossible to stick with. Instead of broad, life changing goals, your New Year’s Resolution should include small lifestyle changes, such as starting with cutting back on or eliminating these 5 items.

Resources:

University of Florida IFAS Extension;

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1400

American Heart Association:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#.WG1D0k0zWLw

USDA Choose MyPlate.gov:

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/myplate-mywins

Footnotes:

Laurie B. Osgood, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Gadsden County Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Quincy, FL 32351 (850) 662-3287 Osgoodlb@ufl.edu

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.

Oats…Grain of the Month – Let’s Eat More!

by Melanie Taylor | Jan 6, 2017

January’s grain of the month is OATS. Americans buy more oats at this time of year than in any other month – and January has long been celebrated as National Oatmeal Month.

Oats at a Glance

Samuel Johnson’s 1755 dictionary defined oats as “A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland appears to support the people.” The Scotsman’s retort to this was, “That’s why England has such good horses, and Scotland has such fine men!” Oats (Avena sativa) have a sweet flavor that makes them a favorite for breakfast cereals. Unique among the most widely-eaten grains, oats almost never have their bran and germ removed in processing. So, if you see oats or oat flour on the label, relax; you’re virtually guaranteed to be getting whole grain.

In the U.S., most oats are steamed and flattened to produce rolled oats, sold as “old-fashioned” or regular oats, quick oats, and instant oats. The more oats are flattened and steamed, the quicker they cook – and the softer they become. If you prefer a chewier, nuttier texture, consider steel-cut oats, also sometimes called Irish or Scottish oats. Steel-cut oats consist of the entire oat kernel (similar in look to a grain of rice), sliced once or twice into smaller pieces to help water penetrate and cook the grain. Cooked for about 20-30 minutes, steel-cut oats create a breakfast porridge that delights many people who didn’t realize they love oatmeal!

Health Benefits of Oats

Scores of studies have documented the many health benefits of oats:

• Eating oats helps lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Oats help you feel fuller longer, which helps control your weight.
• Oatmeal and oats may help lower blood pressure.
• Oats may help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, since their soluble fiber helps control blood sugar.
• Oats help cut the use of laxatives without the side effects associated with medications.
• Oats are high in beta-glucans, a kind of starch that stimulates the immune system and inhibits tumors. This may help reduce your risk of some cancers.
• Early introduction of oats in children’s diets may help reduce their risk of asthma.
• Oats are higher in protein and healthy fats and lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains.
• Oats contain more than 20 unique polyphenols called avenanthramides, which have strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching activity.

Meal Ideas

Think oats are limited to breakfast cereals, cookies, and snack bars?  Think again!  Oats can be used in place of bread crumbs in meatloaf and hamburgers, in side dishes, and as a crispy coating.  Check out these recipes for healthy, new ways to use oats:

• Three Pepper Oat Pilaf – a side dish
• Stuffed Turkey Burgers with Smoky Aioli – a flavorful main dish
• ABC Meatball Soup – a lunchbox treat the kids will enjoy
• Spicy Oat-Crusted Chicken with Sunshine Salad – try this in place of fried chicken

For additional oat recipes you may want to try at home, visit: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/

Source:  Whole Grains Council at http://wholegrainscouncil.org/