Making Better Choices From all the Different Food Groups

When shopping for groceries, aim for a wide variety of foods, choosing products from all the major food groups!

Grains, Cereals, and Bread: You should choose whole-grain varieties, which are naturally low in fat and high in B vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

- Some refined foods, such as pasta, are enriched with calcium, iron, and B vitamins, making them healthy choices. Although traditionally made from refined grain, whole-grain versions that boost fiber intake are your best choices.
- Brown rice is best nutritionally, since it has not had its bran coating removed.

Vegetables: Buy firm, brightly colored, blemish-free vegetables. Discard any damaged ones since bruises and nicks attract mold, which can lead to spoilage of an entire bagful.

- Leaves or greens should be crisp and free of wilting.
- Buy only what you can use within a few days or a week, since long storage times diminish nutrient levels and taste.
- Fresh and frozen vegetables are best. Canned vegetables are a useful standby, but select those without added salt.

Fruit: For the best flavor and price, buy fruits in season. Some fruits, such as bananas and pears, should be bought before they are completely ripe, so that they do not spoil quickly.

- Choose fruits with good color and smooth skin, and avoid any that have blemishes or insect holes.
- Keep in mind that dried fruits are a concentrated source of dietary fiber, but higher in calories than fresh fruit.

Dairy: Wherever possible, choose low or fat-free dairy products.

- Cheese is milk in concentrated form, so it has far more fat than milk, and the fat is highly saturated. Avoid full-fat cheese. Choose cheeses such as low-fat ricotta, part-skim mozzarella, or the many varieties of reduced-fat cheese on the market today.

Eggs: Available in many different sizes and types. Check expiration dates and always open the container to check for broken or cracked eggs.

Poultry: Select poultry that looks moist and supple. The younger the bird, the more tender. Avoid poultry with signs of drying, discoloration, blemishes, or bruising.

- The leanest choice is the white meat from the breast of chicken or turkey.
- Although skinless dark meat is also lean, it has almost twice the fat calories of white meat.
- When buying ground chicken or turkey, choose ground breast meat, rather than a mixture of dark and white.

Meat: Choose lean cuts (from the round or loin), and avoid meat that is heavily marbled with fat.

- Look for moisture and bright color - a pink color shows freshness, although vacuum-packed meats may look purplish due to lack of exposure to air.
- Check for labels on ground meat for fat content. Look for extra-lean.

Fish and Shellfish: You should always purchase the freshest fish possible: scales, skin, or shell should be moist and bright, with a clean smell.

- If you are buying fillets or steaks, they should not have brown edges.
- Frozen fish should be completely frozen rather than partially defrosted, be odorless, and show no discoloration.

Legumes: Look for legumes of bright color and uniform size. Buying in bulk is the cheapest option, but to ensure freshness buy from a source with a rapid turnover on produce.


Via: Nutrition For Life