We’ve been talking a lot about the importance of the five food groups and switching out some foods for healthier options, but why is that? Have you heard about sugar, fat, and sodium? These three things are found in so many foods, but they don’t do much to help our bodies function, especially when we consume them in large quantities. Let’s take a look at each of these and see why we should limit our consumption of them and how we can do just that!
Sugar
Sugar is delicious! Who doesn’t love candy, desserts, or ice cream? But sugar is tricky because it’s hidden in so many things. When we talk about limiting sugar consumption, we mean looking out for added sugars that aren’t naturally found in foods like fruits or milk. Beverages are a popular place to find added sugars, but so are breakfast cereals, bars, and jams. Limiting added sugars is important because those extra calories that our bodies don’t need get stored as fat, which negatively impacts heart health.
To limit your consumption of added sugars, think about what your major sources of added sugar are. Substitute out a sugary soda for unsweetened tea or water, or use naturally sweet dates and peanut butter as your new after dinner snack!
Fats
You can find fats in just about any kind of food. There are good fats and bad fats. Good fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Bad fats are mainly trans fats. Saturated fats fall somewhere in the middle, but more closely to the bad fats category. We need some fats in our diet, but too much (mainly of the bad fats) can cause a lot of health issues. Too much of the bad fats can raise your cholesterol levels, clog your arteries, and later on, lead to heart disease.
It’s important that we limit our intake of bad fats. Ideally, you should get no more than 25-30% of your daily calories from fat, and you should limit your saturated fats to less than 10% of your daily calories. Foods that are high in saturated fats include baked goods, fried foods, and fatty/processed meats. To help limit your intake of fat, try replacing red meat with skinless chicken or fish a few times a week! Instead of using solid butter, try using canola or olive oil. Replace the whole fat dairy items in your diet with low or non fat dairy items. These small changes will help you a big deal later on in your life!
Sodium
Have you heard of sodium? I bet you have! Sodium, most commonly known as salt, is that white stuff added as seasoning to dishes. We still need sodium for our bodies to function properly, but just like sugars and fats, we run into trouble when we consume too much of it. The main culprit of high sodium intake isn’t from a heavy dash of salt when we cook, but actually from the pre-packaged and prepared foods that we buy or order. Processed meats (deli meats, sausage, pepperoni), sauces, dressings, and spice packets are just some of the things full of sodium. High sodium intakes are closely linked to increased cardiovascular (heart) diseases and risk of hypertension (otherwise known as high blood pressure). So what should you do to help protect your body? Look at the Nutrition Fact Labels on what you’re picking up in the grocery store. Look for items saying “low-sodium” or “no salt added” to make an easy change. Avoid cured and ready to eat meats. One of the best ways to avoid high amounts of sodium is to cook your own meals, because you can control how much sodium you put into it!
Sources: MyPlate.gov, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Written By: Morgan Felix and Gretchen Blume
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