Health News
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- Federal Dietary Guidelines Recommend Cutting Back On Red And Processed Meat, Sugar And Refined Grains
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- Salt Sense
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Health News
Smart Supermarket Shopping: Limit Processed Foods
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
I?m often asked about the ?best? healthy foods to look for at the supermarket. One of my favorite universal tips is what to limit: processed foods ? almost always found in cans, packages, and boxes. Processed foods are modified for convenience, as well as to guarantee a long shelf life, taste, and safety. Most processed foods are loaded with hidden salt, sugar, and fat. And regular consumption of these foods has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
I like to keep things simple! Here are three simple steps to follow while you?re in the grocery store. These will really help you to make healthier choices for yourself and your family:
· Shop the perimeter of the store, where most fresh foods are found. The center aisles are loaded with items in cans, boxes, and packages, so don?t spend much time there!
· Looking for processed food replacements? Try fresh fruits and vegetables, or choose frozen fruits and veggies for out-of-season produce (make sure to skip the added sauces!).
· Read the nutrition information on the back or side of package labels. This is the best way to compare sugar, fat, and/or salt content. And remember to pay close attention to serving size, not the size of the whole package!
It?s tough to avoid all processed foods, as most of us don?t have the time to cook from scratch every day. So, when choosing processed foods, look for low or reduced sodium products (especially for soups), and those lower in fat and added sugars.
- Cut Back On Sugar-sweetened Beverages, Eat Natural Foods And Read Labels To Decrease The Added Sugar In Your Kids' Diet
A greater awareness about added sugars in food products has led many parents to make healthy food swaps for their children, granola bars for cookies, yogurt for ice cream, but what they probably don't realize is that they have likely swapped one source...
- Study Finds Nutritious Food Costs More In Poor, Rural Areas, Suggests That Snap (food Stamp) Policies Be Changed
A study has found that nutritious foods are more expensive in impoverished rural counties than in urban counties, a phenomenon that doesn't help public health officials who teach healthy eating as a proven, effective strategy to prevent chronic diseases...
- Federal Dietary Guidelines Recommend Cutting Back On Red And Processed Meat, Sugar And Refined Grains
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services have released proposed 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines, released every five years, "provide authoritative advice about consuming fewer calories, making...
- Salt Sense
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might be surprised to know that most of the salt we consume every day doesn?t come from the salt shaker ? it comes from processed foods. These are the conveniently packaged, boxed, and canned products that don?t taste particularly...
- Check Your Freezer To Save Money, Eat Healthy
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Food prices are soaring, and it?s not your imagination that the cost of healthy foods seems to be rising by the day. Fresh fruits and vegetables are especially out of control. Even the usual ways to cut costs don?t seem to work...