For Your Health

We want to share with you some tips for boosting the nutrition on your plate so you can finish the year strong despite the tempting goodies that come with the holidays. There are several healthy, widely accessible foods we can add to our plates, says dietitian Christine Byrne, MPH, RD, in her article “7 Foods We Should Be Eating More of in 2022” on the Food Network’s Healthy Eats website. She points out that you don’t need superfoods but rather foods with nutritious content that can be found almost anyplace.

The first food Byrne discusses in the piece is legumes, which includes beans, peas, and lentils. She’s not the only one who extols the virtues of legumes, either. In addition to being incredibly economical, accessible, and environmentally friendly, chickpeas are also jam-packed with nutrients and are incredibly flexible, according to dietitian and food blogger Chelsea Jackle, MFN, RDN. Try them as a roasted crispy snack, toss them in salads, or add them to soup for some extra fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Other beans can also be used in this way. Hummus is always a fast and simple plant-based choice that may be used as a dip, a sandwich spread, or a healthy alternative to mayonnaise in salads.

Vitamin D is a substance that is important for human health but is not present in many foods. Along with boosting the immune system, vitamin D aids in maintaining healthy bones and muscles. along come the UV-treated mushrooms. Before packaging, several food companies have started exposing their mushrooms to UV light, considerably raising the amount of vitamin D in the finished product. Half of your daily requirement can be met with just a half cup of UV-treated mushrooms. That is truly excellent in our eyes! “Mushrooms are a budget-friendly way to add more plant-based foods to the diet and also a great substitute for meat in some recipes because they are similar in texture,” says Brynn McDowell, RD, owner of The Domestic Dietitian. “I love using finely chopped mushrooms in burgers to replace some of the ground beef, and my family can’t even tell the difference.”

Fruits that are canned, frozen, or freeze-dried are another excellent quick and easy source of nourishment. It’s convenient to have long-lasting options when in quarantine. Dietitian Abby Chan, MS, RD, says that canned fruit is extremely digestible for people with sensitive intestines, shelf-stable, and packed with nutrients. They are not only more affordable than fresh fruits, but they are also equally healthy and even more practical. Win-win! Not to mention that “freeze-dried fruits, like strawberries, are a shelf-stable fruit option and a nutrient-rich snack option for busy kids (plus a mess-free choice for on-the-go schedules),” according to Emily Schiller, RD, a registered dietitian nutritionist who favors plants and families.

Along with the other items discussed in the article, including the vegetarian “chicken,” seaweed, and home-made fermented foods, seeds are another widely available, nutrient-dense food that we should all work to include more of in our diets. After all, Nicole Stefanow, MS, RD, and nutritionist, adds that seeds make a terrific family-friendly on-the-go snack. Not only are seeds nutritious, but they are also adaptable.

Original Article: https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/foods-to-eat-more-of-in-2022

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