Health & Fitness

Change Your Diet: What You Should Be Eating More and Less Of

Focusing on healthier foods doesn't mean cutting out guilty pleasures, just adjusting your portion size

By Wellness Matters /

Add fibre to your diet with more whole grains

Make a few adjustments to your diet for a healthy boost

You are what you eat, which is why eating poorly is so damaging to your health. Healthy eating doesn’t mean total abstinence from the occasional treat. It just means focusing on eating more of the healthy foods.

Eat More Of

  • Fruits and vegetables: Cover half your plate with vegetables at most meals. Tip: Eat more kale, collards, Swiss chard and berries.
  • Whole grains: Choose brown rice and whole-grain breads to get the most nutrients and fibre. Tip: Try quinoa – a highly nutritious ancient grain.
  • Fish: Aim for 3 servings per week for health-enhancing omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Legumes and nuts: They provide protein and nutrients with far less saturated fat than red meats.
  • Low-fat dairy: Aim for 2 servings every day. It’s a key source of bone-building calcium.
  • Quality fats: Choose canola, olive or walnut oils, nuts, seeds and flax.

Eat Fewer

  • Desserts and sweets: Stick to the 80-20 approach, where these foods represent 20% or less of your food choices.
  • Deep-fried foods: Fast food, french fries, donuts or anything cooked in a deep fryer is negatively altered by the high cooking temperatures.
  • Liquid calories: Avoid pop, fruit drinks, alcohol or even coffee with sugar.
  • Bacon and deli meats: Many of these meats are high in fat, salt and nitrates that can form nitrosamines – linked to some cancers.

Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.