March is National Nutrition Month 2014, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is urging everyone to “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.”
Balancing Act
The key element to healthy eating is to balance the daily diet by choosing the most nutritionally-packed foods from each of the five MyPlate food groups every day. Focus on ways to combine taste and nutrition to create healthy meals that follow the recommendations of the “2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.”
Key Points
Nutrient-rich foods and beverages provide vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and other essential nutrients that offer health benefits. Limit added sugars and reduce the major sources of solid fats. Do not give up these foods entirely, but find ways to enjoy small amounts occasionally.
Find Options That Satisfy
If eating right is a challenge, it may be because you are trying things you simply don’t like. The key is finding options that satisfy your taste buds. Taste is a major influential factor driving what you eat and feed your family, so it’s important to strike a balance between foods you like and those that provide the nutrients you need.
Maximize Flavor in Foods
The secret to successfully adding low-calorie flavor is knowing which seasonings to use with which types of food. Read on to learn about a few of the many possibilities to maximize flavor in foods!
- Citrus and vinegar: Adds a punch of flavor, especially to neutral foods like seafood, poultry, beans, and salad greens. Lemons, limes, grapefruit, and assorted flavored kinds of vinegar each add their own distinctive flavor to foods. Try balsamic vinegar on salmon or salad, raspberry vinegar on cooked carrots, and Asian rice vinegar on cucumbers and radishes!
- Herbs: Perfect for seasoning meat, vegetables, grain, and bean dishes to add a serious zing. Chop or cut fresh herbs into very fine pieces to make sure their flavor is distributed throughout a dish. Crush dried herbs with your fingers before adding them to a dish to release more of their flavor. Add herbs towards the end of cooking to preserve flavor.
- Spices: There is a huge variety of spices available, so experiment with unusual spices from different cultures or different combinations to create new tastes. There is a typical rule of thumb when it comes to adding spices to a dish: if you are adding the spice during cooking, it is best to choose a dried version; if you are using a fresh spice, adding it as the meal is done cooking will help it retain its flavor. Most spices have strong, concentrated flavors. When you are experimenting with seasonings, add small amounts of spices at first so you don’t overpower the flavor of your food.
- Italian seasonings – Oregano, Basil, Garlic
- Indian seasonings – Curry Powder, Ginger
- Mexican seasoning – Cilantro
- Seafood seasonings – Lemon Pepper, Tarragon
- Seasoning vegetables: Onions, garlic, and celery add intense flavor. Flavor can also come from heat and a little can go a long way. Try toasting or roasting peppers for extra zip. Add seasoning vegetables to meats, vegetables, grains, and legumes to intensify flavors.
- Marinades: Infuse meat, fish or vegetables with flavor before cooking and make a big difference to the final product.
These are only a few fun ways to add taste to create delicious, healthy meals. For more tips on healthful, tasty eating, visit www.EatRight.org/nnm.
Take Time to Make Positive Changes
National Nutrition Month is an excellent annual reminder to take the time to evaluate your diet and make positive changes you can sustain long-term. Take steps to “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right” and start down the road to great health!
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator
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