The American Heart Association reports that over 50% of daily calories in the average U.S. diet come from ultraprocessed foods.
National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
But when our schedules are overloaded, how do we keep our plates from being that way too?
If you’re listening to this in the car, you might also be eating in the car, or thinking about what will be the most convenient on your way home. If you are hitting the drive-thru, you can boost the nutrition in all types of sandwiches by adding tomato, lettuce, peppers or other vegetables. In place of fries or chips, choose a side salad, fruit or baked potato. Or, share a regular order of fries. If you are grabbing dinner at the supermarket, select rotisserie chicken, salad-in-a-bag and freshly baked bread. PBS reported that a recent study showed when participants ate fewer ultraprocessed foods, they naturally consumed fewer calories and lost weight, including total and abdominal body fat. Beyond weight loss, they also showed meaningful improvements in insulin sensitivity, healthier cholesterol levels, fewer signs of inflammation and favorable changes in hormones that help regulate appetite and metabolism.
Resources:
