Volume 16, No. 2, Spring 2008
By Debra Gibbons, R.D.
Ever hear anyone say “if it tastes good it must be bad for you?”
Most of the time they are talking about a food or meal that is high in either fat or salt, which are the lazy ways to season food. Many people have gotten used to eating salty foods at restaurants and from eating a lot of convenience foods. Now take into consideration that there is ever-growing evidence that highly processed foods are contributing to many health problems. So isn’t it time to start making changes in what you plan and prepare to feed yourself and your family and friends.
If you’re seeking the right guidelines to help you eat healthier, look no more. The DASH eating plan, which is the result of a National Institute of Health study, can help you lower your sodium intake while increasing your potassium, magnesium, calcium and fiber intake.
DASH stands for Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension and it can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
The DASH eating plan recommends limiting your intake of sodium to 2,300 mg daily, which is almost half the amount most Americans consume. The basic plan provides 2,100 calories and recommends consuming two to three servings of fat free or low fat milk or milk products such as cheese or yogurt; six ounces of lean meats, poultry or fish; four or five servings of nuts, seeds or legumes; lots of whole grains; plus four or five servings each of fruit and vegetables. At the same time, limit your saturated fats and concentrated sweets.
Of course, the number of servings would vary with the calorie level, particularly the amounts of fat and sweets.
You probably will need to make some changes in your current food choices. For instance, you may have noticed that this plan is abundant in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Check out what fruits and vegetables are in season and gradually increase your intake of them and drink adequate fluids.
Learning to season your food while limiting the amount of saturated fat and sodium will take some experimenting. Be creative. Using fresh herbs and spices along with various salt-free seasoning blends is an easy way to enhance the flavor of a food. And it’s far better for you than adding a lot of salt and high fat cheese to jazz up a dish.
The DASH plan has some interesting recipes to start you in the right direction as well as sample meals and snacks.
To get more details go to www.nhlib.nih.gov and click on health information and publications and scroll down to DASH eating plan or call 301-592-8573 to order the booklet.
(Ms. Gibbons, a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator, provides outpatient nutrition medical therapy at Cape Cod Hospital.)