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Heartline Magazine April - June 2004
Eating In
Making the switch to healthier eating habits can yield big
rewards for your blood pressure. But what 1f your new goal to eat healthier is
hobbled by your old grocery shopping and cooking habits?
What if you tend to stock your cupboards. with potato chips
and cookies, or is frying your cooking method of choice and a stick of butter is
only a starting point as you prepare meals?
It doesn't have to be that way. Changing your diet starts
with changing the foods you buy. When you go grocery shopping, think first and
foremost in terms of fresh and unprocessed foods. That means spending more time
in the produce section, where you can stock up on fruits and vegetables.
Make these along with whole grains and low-fat dairy
products, your new staples.
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Make a list - Decide on the meals that you're going to make during the
coming week and include the ingredients you need on your shopping list. Also
think of what you'll need for breakfasts and snacks. As you start eating
more nutritiously, you'll notice fruits, vegetables and whole-grain breads
and cereals' becoming a bigger part of your list. Foods you may have thought
of as side dishes, such as pasta, rice and beans, will figure more
prominently in your weekly grocery trips and daily meals.
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Buy fresh - Fresh foods generally are better than ready-to-eat foods because
you - not the manufacturer - can control the ingredients added in
preparation. Plus, fresh foods often have more flavor, color and
health-promoting vitamins, minerals and fiber than their packaged
counter-parts do. Many fresh foods are also naturally lower in sodium than
those that are processed with added salt.
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Eat before you shop - Acardmal rule of. grocery shopping. Eat before you hit
the aisles. If you stroll into the supermarket when you're hungry you may be
tempted to buy foods you don't need, some of which will be high in fat,
calories and sodium.
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Read nutrition labels - Most foods carry a Nutrition Facts label that can
help you figure out whether a food fits into your new eating plan. These
labels are a little confusing at first, but once you learn how to interpret
them, they make it much easier to shop and plan your meals.
You're more likely to prepare healthy dishes if you have
healthy foods stocked in your pantry or refrigerator all the time.
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