Developing a healthier diet does not need to be complicated. Small changes go a long way. Here are some easy tips to start your journey to better health:
1. Increase your fiber by eating more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, beans and seeds. Women, strive for 25-30 grams per day and men, strive for 30-35 grams per day.
2. Focus on water. Decrease your intake of sodas and other sugary drinks and make water your main beverage.
3. Eat more whole grains. Try brown rice instead of white rice and experiment with other grains such as quinoa, millet, farro and amaranth.
4. Include beans and lentils into your daily routine. Do these give you digestive problems? Eat them more often in small amounts and add a little vinegar or kombu while they are cooking.
5. Decrease refined and processed foods. Watch added sugars, since refined sugars lack nutritional value. Women, strive for no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day and men, no more than 9 teaspoons (4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon).
6. Put the powdered vegetables and fruits away and eat the real stuff. Nothing provides the variety of nutrients and fiber like actual fruits and vegetables.
— Angela Dennison, Oncology Dietitian