In Part One, we looked at the importance of protein and carbohydrates in our everyday diet. Please ask for this handout if you did not receive it!
Today, we take a look at other important dietary matters.
Avoid bad fats. Lard, shortening, butter, meat, poultry, margarine, fried foods, cream, mayonnaise and cheese are not needed and contain harmful fats. Avocado, olives, seeds, and nuts contain healthy fats. Omega 3 fats are very healthy—and are found in walnuts and ground flax seeds.
Fiber is like a scrub brush in your body to keep your digestive system clean and functioning well. Whole plant foods are high in fiber! Meats, milk products, and refined foods have no fiber and tend to clog the digestive system, leading to disease. Research has shown that a high fiber diet decreases the risk of many forms of cancer and heart attacks.
Sodium! Very salty foods such as meat products, pickles, canned foods, baked goods with baking soda or baking powder, and even many breakfast cereals promote high blood pressure and heart disease. Try to limit salt in your diet. But remember – a little salt is good.
CHALLENGE:
- Reduce fats from animal sources and replace with fats from nuts and vegetables!
- Increase fiber intake from fruits, nuts and plant-based foods!
- Cut down on salt intake, by reducing use of processed and canned foods.
We will have the final handout of this series next week – don’t miss it!