March is National Nutrition Month. To celebrate, I tapped some registered dietitians (RD) for their best nutritional advice. The assignment was simple: what is your number 1 tip for healthy eating that you want everyone to know?
Believe it or not, the answers are incredibly simple and clear. No dietitian recommends dieting or restricting calories! Basically, these tips are about adding more food to your plate and creating balanced meals.
Eat more plants, in whatever way you can
My best nutrition tip is based on my own experience as a dietitian and vegetarian for more than a decade: Add more plants to your plate at every meal, in whatever way you can. Whether that means blending greens into a smoothie, adding black beans to tacos, using chopped mushrooms in your burger, or simply adding a tasty side of corn to your main dish, there are plenty of ways to get plants into your meals.
Plants not only enhance the flavor of most meals, they also provide plenty of health benefits. Research suggests that eating more plant-based foods may play a role in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, cancer, obesity and osteoporosis. That’s no surprise, because plants are the most important source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Change your mind about processed foods
“It’s time to let go of the idea that all processed foods are bad,” says Elizabeth Shaw, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and author of the “Air Fryer Cookbook For Dummies.”
“In fact, processed simply means prepared,” she tells TODAY.com. Many processed foods – such as frozen fruits and vegetables, canned beans, yogurt and soy products, such as tofu and tempeh – are actually quite nutritious.
Shaw says many Americans are missing important nutrients such as fiber, potassium and vitamin D, and many processed foods lack these nutrients. That said, research shows that eating an abundance of ultra-processed foods, such as soft drinks, sugary baked goods and frozen entrees, can increase the risk of many negative health effects, such as respiratory, gastrointestinal, metabolic and mental health problems.
If you’re not sure how to tell the difference between processed and ultra-processed, Shaw says researchers classify ultra-processed foods as foods that consist of multiple ingredients extracted or derived from food, such as oils, fats, sugar, proteins, hydrogenated fats, modified starch, or starch made in a laboratory.
Follow the MyPlate method
Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez, registered dietitians, certified diabetes educators and co-founders of DiabetesDigital.co, have used a simple nutrition tool with thousands of clients: MyPlate.gov.
“The concept is simple: dedicate half your plate to non-starchy vegetables, a quarter to lean protein, and another quarter to whole grains (and don’t forget) to include healthy fats for extra vitamins and satiety,” they say TODAY.com via email: “It’s a brilliant strategy for balancing blood sugar levels, maintaining consistent energy throughout the day, increasing fiber intake and providing a wide range of nutrients in your meals.”
Plus, the MyPlate tool fights against restrictive diets by showing what you can add to a plate instead of taking away.
Don’t overcomplicate the diet
Abby Langer, a registered dietitian, is known for busting nutrition myths on social media and sharing her realistic approach to healthy eating. She believes that nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, and her social media posts often mention people who promote restrictive diets or sell healing supplements. She says the key to nutrition is to “eat as many whole, minimally processed foods as possible, (including) lots of plants, and get enough fiber.” Langer also recommends eating a varied diet, and most importantly, “you should enjoy food.” It’s that simple.
Lose the diet labels
“Your relationship with food is as important to overall well-being as the nutrition in your food,” says Cara Harbstreet, registered dietitian and owner of Street Smart Nutrition. She suggests ditching the diet labels and adopting a more flexible approach to eating. “Instead of strict food rules or temporary fad diets, base your food choices on your lifestyle, taste preferences and budget,” Harbstreet tells TODAY.com.
She explains that nutrition isn’t always black and white and that her favorite expression when it comes to healthy eating is “mostly.” In other words, extreme diets don’t work, and flexibility helps you create a healthy mindset around food.
Consider every meal as a new beginning
“My tip is that you can always add nutrition to any meal or snack,” says Dalina Soto, registered dietitian and founder of Your Latina Nutrition. “I always tell this to my clients because they beat themselves up if they don’t eat fruit or vegetables at mealtime.”
Soto recommends viewing every meal as an opportunity to start fresh and add more nutrition to your day. She also challenges clients to think about nutrition from a culinary perspective. “What fruit or vegetable would take this dish to the next level or make it taste better?” is a common question she asks customers. And she’s a big believer in adding salsa to a dish for another helping of veggies – yum!
Always eat with a table, plate and chair
“Eating all your meals, snacks and desserts from one plate while sitting at the table is a game changer,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietitian and author of “The Superfood Swap.”
“It certainly makes the experience more mindful and joyful than eating in front of the computer, on the couch or in the refrigerator,” she says. Placing your food on a plate also encourages you to eat more slowly and chew the food more thoroughly, which is linked to greater meal enjoyment and a lower risk of obesity.
Beware of deceptive food and nutrition experts (especially on social media)
“So many people are spreading misinformation about food and nutrition, making it seem like any convenience food, anything considered ‘processed’ and anything not ‘approved’ by anyone will lead to the ruin of your health,” says Christy Wilson, registered dietitian and owner of Christy Wilson Nutrition. “Nutrition is a science, not an opinion,” she says.
Wilson recommends obtaining nutritional information from recognized experts, such as registered dietitians, whose education and training focuses specifically on these exact topics. Additionally, beware of anything that promises to make quick drastic changes to your health or body, and of extremist terms, such as “toxic,” Wilson advises.