Guide to Shopping for Healthier Foods

Expert Shopping Tips for Healthier Choices

When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, men need to pay attention to the foods they consume. While it’s common for men to stick to their favorite foods, it’s crucial to ensure that their dietary choices include a variety of whole foods and are mindful of certain substances. Here’s a comprehensive guide to shopping for healthier foods based on expert advice from Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Importance of Whole Foods

• Incorporating Whole Foods: It’s essential to include plenty of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains in your diet.
• Limiting Processed Foods: It’s advisable to avoid high amounts of processed foods for a healthier diet.

Sodium Intake

• Recommended Sodium Levels: The FDA recommends a daily sodium intake of no more than 2,300 milligrams, with a lower limit of 1,500 milligrams for individuals with prehypertension and hypertension.
• Impact of Excess Sodium: Consuming excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
• Shopping Tip: Opt for low-salt versions of packaged foods and choose items with 150 mg or less of sodium per serving. Additionally, select unsalted nuts to manage sodium intake effectively.

Fiber Consumption

• Benefits of High-Fiber Diet: A high-fiber diet helps in weight management, lowers LDL cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Recommended Daily Fiber Intake: Men over 50 should aim for 30 grams of fiber per day, yet most people consume only about half of that amount.
• Shopping Tip: Focus on consuming both insoluble and soluble fiber by including whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains in your diet.

Understanding Added Sugars

• Identification of Added Sugars: Added sugars are listed on a product’s ingredient label and can be identified by various names.
• Impact of Added Sugars: Increased intake of added sugars is linked with obesity and cardiovascular disease.
• Shopping Tip: Pay attention to the amount of added sugars in seemingly innocent items such as tomato sauce, yogurt, granola bars, and breakfast cereals. Check the total sugar content and look for added sugars under this category on food labels. Additionally, be mindful of the number of grams of added sugar per serving and the serving size to accurately gauge your intake.

Reading Food Labels

• Identifying Added Sugars: When reading food labels, look for multiple forms of sugar or a sugar listed among the first three ingredients, and choose products with minimal added sugars.
• Awareness of Sugar Content: Keep in mind that one teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 grams, making it easier to assess the amount of added sugar in a product.

In conclusion, being mindful of sodium intake, prioritizing fiber-rich foods, and understanding and monitoring added sugars are essential aspects of shopping for healthier foods. By following these expert recommendations, men can make informed choices to improve their overall dietary habits and promote better health.

Source:

Matthew Solan (2024). How to shop for healthier foods. https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/how-to-shop-for-healthier-foods. Accessed March 26, 2024.