Additional Foods to Round Out Your Diet
8 photos of Additional Foods To Round Out Your Diet
By
Susan Feliciano
@frenchtutor
1
It would be nice if we could live on just these 8 foods, but then we would be missing some mighty good options, both nutritionally and in a culinary vein. No one wants to give up turkey, beef, cheese, fish, eggs, or bacon. Here are some tips for making these foods work for your health instead of against it.
Ingredients
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START WITH A HEALTHY PROTEIN SOURCE
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·fish - all kinds, but especially salmon, halibut, and tuna
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·poultry, including chicken, turkey, cornish hen, game fowl
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·lean beef, lean pork
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·uncured bacon and ham
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·eggs and lower fat cheeses
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·game meats - venison, boar, quail, rabbit, wild duck
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·soy products
How to Make Additional Foods to Round Out Your Diet
- Seafood
Seafood is an excellent source of protein because it's usually low in fat. Fish such as salmon is a little higher in fat, but it is the heart-healthy kind: omega-3 fatty acids.
Choose wild-caught seafood whenever possible. Farmed fish are generally lacking in natural nutrients. - White-Meat Poultry
Stick to the white meat of poultry for excellent, lean protein. Dark meat is a little higher in fat. The skin is loaded with saturated fat, so remove skin before cooking.
Choose free-range poultry for optimal health, safety, and flavor. - Pork Tenderloin
This great and versatile white meat is 31% leaner than 20 years ago.
Lean Beef
Lean beef has only one more gram of saturated fat than a skinless chicken breast. Lean beef is also an excellent source of zinc, iron, and vitamin B12.
Game Meat
Venison, boar, quail, rabbit - if you have a source of natural wild meat, it offers great health benefits as well as culinary delights. - Eggs
Eggs are one of the least expensive forms of protein. The American Heart Association says normal healthy adults can safely enjoy an egg a day. Choose eggs from free-range hens. - Milk, Cheese, and Yogurt
Not only are dairy foods -- like milk, cheese, and yogurt -- excellent sources of protein but they also contain valuable calcium, and many are fortified with vitamin D. Choose skim or low fat dairy to keep bones and teeth strong and prevent osteoporosis. Look for organic and natural cheese, milk, and cream to avoid some of the pollutants found in commercial dairy products. - The USDA defines bacon as cured pork bellies with added synthetic nitrates or nitrites, so bacon without added chemicals is considered uncured.
Nitrates and nitrites are known carcinogens, so if you wish to enjoy bacon or lunch meats, look for brands that have no nitrates or nitrites added. - Soy Foods
The real health benefits of soy might lie in its nutritional content and the fact that people often use soy foods as a replacement for less-healthy foods. Soy foods are a great source of protein and contain other important nutrients, such as fiber, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Foods containing soy protein are also a healthy alternative to meats and other animal products that contain cholesterol and saturated fat.
