1. Remove the skin from chicken: this can cut the fat content by three quarters and the calories by half. Choose the breast instead of the thigh: skinless dark meat has twice as much fat as skinless light meat.
2. Cultivate a taste for buttermilk. It actually contains no butter and usually has very little fat: most buttermilk today is made from nonfat or lowfat (1%) milk. Not just a refreshing beverage, buttermilk is also useful in cooking.
3. Handle ground meats carefully. They are more perishable—and also more likely to cause food poisoning—than other meats. Once ground, the meat has a larger surface area than whole cuts, making it an easier target for bacteria.
4. When your mouth is “on fire” from hot pepper, one way to cool it off is to drink milk (a spoonful of yogurt will also help). Hot pepper’s burning component is capsaicin, which binds to your taste buds. Casein, the principal protein in milk, helps wipe away the fiery compound.
5. Speed up the ripening of most fruits by keeping them in a paper bag for a few days: this traps the ethylene gas produced by the fruit. Apples give off lots of ethylene, so you can speed the ripening of other fruits by placing half an apple in the bag with them; the apple, however, will turn mushy.
6. Try evaporated nonfat milk as a lowfat, lowcalorie substitute in recipes calling for cream. A halfcup of cream has 400 calories, almost all from fat, while evaporated skim milk has about 100 and only a trace of fat.
7. When preparing lean beef, reduce normal cooking time by 20%, since it cooks faster and becomes tough when overcooked. Don’t be fooled by the redness: lean pieces cooked to a medium degree may still look rare.
8. A glass of nearly any orange juice will supply at least the daily RDA for vitamin C. Freshly squeezed juice usually has the most vitamin C, followed by frozen and canned (which retain their vitamin C for months), then by chilled cartons and unrefrigerated “drink boxes.” Always check the “sell before” date. The fresher the juice, the more C.
9. Drink vegetable juice—but don’t expect it to replace whole vegetables in your diet. Vegetable juices are fairly rich in vitamins and minerals but low in calories. For instance, 6 ounces typically contains about 60% of the RDA for vitamin C and nearly half the suggested daily intake of beta carotene. But vegetable juices provide little fiber (about a gram in 6 ounces). Commercial varieties tend to have lots of sodium.
10. Eat at least three servings of whole grains a day to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. These foods include wholegrain cereals and breads, oats, and brown rice.
11. Try to avoid charred grilled meats. Cooked over high heat, fat drips onto the heating element (coals, wood, gas flames, electric coils), forming potentially cancercausing chemicals that are deposited on the meat by the rising smoke. Such substances form whenever meat is charred; this also occurs to some extent when meat is broiled or panfried, especially if it’s cooked until well done.
12. To reduce the risks from grilled meats, pick lowfat cuts, and trim all visible fat. Wrap meat in foil to protect it from the smoke. Don’t place the meat directly over the heat source (push the coals to the sides of the grill once they are hot). Place aluminum foil or a metal pan between the meat and the coals to catch the dripping fat. And scrape off charred parts from the cooked meat.
13. Eat nuts. Many studies have now found that people who regularly eat nuts, especially walnuts or almonds, cut their risk of heart disease by as much as half. Nuts are rich in cholesterollowering unsaturated fats, folate and other B vitamins, hearthealthy minerals, vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid that helps relax blood vessels), fiber, and phytochemicals. The trick is to eat nuts in place of other foods. Since they have 160 to 190 calories per ounce, it is easy to gain weight if you simply add nuts to your daily fare.
14. For a juice that’s high in iron, choose prune juice. One cup provides 30% of the RDA for men, 17% of that for women. Prune juice is also rich in potassium.
15. Highly nutritious foods are often low in cost. Among them are bananas, carrots, potatoes, wholewheat flour, and dried beans—the sort of high fiber foods that nutritionists now recommend. They also tend to come with minimal packaging—an environmental plus.
16. Keep coleslaw lowfat. It is usually more fat than it is cabbage, but you can make it lowfat. Instead of mayonnaise, try a dressing made of H cup plain nonfat yogurt, 3 tablespoons apple juice, and 2 tablespoons vinegar. That’s enough for 1H pounds of shredded cabbage with 2 cups of shredded carrots, 2 shredded celery stalks, B cup raisins, and 1 diced apple. Each onecup serving has just 74 calories and almost no fat.
17. Consume enough vitamin D. Working with calcium, this vitamin helps keep bones strong. In addition, many studies have looked at its potential to reduce the risk of everything from some common cancers and multiple sclerosis to diabetes, hypertension, and agerelated muscle weakness, especially in the lower legs. The RDA is 200 to 600 IU of vitamin D a day, but 800 to 1,000 IU is a better target for everyone. Most people need to take supplements to meet this goal.
18. Read labels on muffins. A bran muffin may not even contain wholewheat flour and may have excessive amounts of eggs, butter, and oil, as well as sugar, honey, and other sweeteners. Some have more than 20 grams of fat—as much as a Big Mac—and more than 500 calories.
19. If you’re susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs), try cranberry juice. A study at Harvard showed that women who drank 10 ounces of cranberry juice cocktail daily significantly reduced infection rates over a six month period. The researchers noted that cranberry juice should be used as an adjunct to medical treatment—not a substitute for it. If a UTI is serious enough to cause symptoms, it requires medical attention.
20. If you have frequent headaches, look at what you eat. Foods and beverages may play a role in some headaches, especially migraines. Most of the suspects, such as chocolate, ripe cheeses, and freshly baked yeast products, contain a naturally occurring chemical called tyramine, which may constrict or dilate blood vessels in the brain.
21. Keep bacteria out of your food. Wash your hands before starting to prepare any meal. Between steps, wash all equipment that comes in contact with food—especially raw meats— including the cutting board and countertop. Don’t let cooked or refrigerated foods sit around at room temperature. Reheat foods to at least 165° F. to be sure that any harmful microorganisms are destroyed. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator, in cold running water, or in a microwave oven.
22. Microwaving tends to destroy fewer vitamins than conventional cooking methods. To get the most from microwaving, add as little water as possible to the food: a teaspoonful may be enough to prevent burning. Always cover foods while microwaving; this reduces cooking time and thus nutrient loss.
23. To get the most nutrients from your baked potato, eat the potato skin. Ounce for ounce, the skin has far more fiber, iron, potassium, and B vitamins than the flesh. The only reason to avoid the skin is if the potato has a greenish tinge. That’s chlorophyll, a sign that the potato has been exposed to too much light after harvest. It’s also an indication that solanine (a naturally occurring toxin) may be present in increased amounts, especially in the skin. This might cause cramps and diarrhea.
24. Try barley. It is the best source of beta glucan, a soluble fiber known to lower cholesterol. It also contains another soluble fiber called pectin, along with iron, selenium, zinc, and some B vitamins. Look for hulled barley, which retains its nutrient and fiberrich bran. Though its bran has been removed, pearled barley is still a good source of beta glucan.
25. Highfiber foods can help you lose a little weight. Not only are they filling and nutritious, but their fiber reduces the number of calories your body absorbs from the meal. A USDA study found that women who double their daily fiber intake from 12 to 24 grams absorb about 90 fewer calories a day from fat and protein, on average; men going from 18 to 36 grams of fiber absorb about 130 fewer calories. Nutritionists recommend at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily.
26. When you buy salt, choose iodized. Iodine is essential for proper thyroid functioning and for mental development. Iodine was once lacking in the American diet, especially in the Great Lakes region, where deficiency diseases such as goiter (enlarged thyroid) were once common. The introduction of iodized salt in 1922 did much to correct this. There’s no need to take iodine supplements.
27. Check out broccoli. It’s a powerhouse of nutrition. One cup of chopped broccoli supplies the daily requirement of vitamin C, plus beta carotene (and other carotenoids), niacin, calcium, thiamin, vitamin E, and 25% of your daily fiber needs. Not only that, but other substances in broccoli, such as sulforaphane, may also protect against cancer. All this for only 30 calories. And don’t forget other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
28. Rounding out the top 10 nutrition allstars among fruits and vegetables, along with broccoli and kale, are cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes, pumpkin, red bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, and sweet potato.
29. To get less mercury from canned tuna, choose chunk light tuna instead of albacore (solid white) this is especially important for pregnant women and children. Albacore has, on average, about four times more mercury than chunk light, and some cans of albacore exceed the maximum mercury levels set for women of childbearing age. Most light tuna, which actually is darker than albacore, comes from smaller varieties, and smaller fish tend to have less mercury.
30. To ward off strokes, eat more fruits. A large Danish study found that people who ate the most fruit had a 40% lower risk of ischemic stroke, the most common type, compared to those who ate little fruit. Citrus fruits were most protective. The likely protective elements in these foods are vitamin C and flavonoid pigments, plus an array of other antioxidants and phytochemicals.
31. Add onions and garlic to your tomato sauce. Such allium vegetables, which also include leeks and scallions, may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men who eat them frequently. Scallions seem to be the most protective.
32. Eat magnesiumrich foods: they may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a Swedish study. Good sources of magnesium include nuts, beans, some fish, whole grains, spinach and other leafy greens, and dark chocolate.
33. When cooking hamburgers, don’t judge doneness by the color inside. Burgers that look brown in the center may not be cooked through and thus may be unsafe to eat. Cook burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
34. Choose dark salad greens. Romaine lettuce, for instance, not only has six times as much vitamin C and eight times as much beta carotene as iceberg lettuce, but also has more than twice as much folate, a B vitamin that is especially important for women of childbearing age. Spinach, watercress, arugula, and chicory are other nutritious salad greens.
35. Reconsider canned corn. The heat processing used to prepare canned corn actually boosts levels of antioxidants and other healthful phytochemicals in sweet corn. Heating corn, whether on the cob or in the can, has a similar effect. The same is true of carrots and tomatoes: processing and cooking make carotenoids in them, notably beta carotene and lycopene, more readily available.
36. To reduce the calories and saturated fat in your hamburger, substitute beans (such as mashed black beans) or grains (such as cooked bulgur or rice) for some of the chopped meat. The beans and grains are not just extenders: they also enhance the flavor and boost the fiber content.
37. Here’s a highfiber alternative to tomato or cream sauces on pasta: toss the cooked pasta with canned or homemade lentil or other bean soup. This is a quick version of the nutritious pastaandbean dishes popular in Italy. Or purée the soup before adding it to the pasta.
38. Don’t microwave an egg in its shell, not even to reheat a hardboiled egg. Pressure can build up inside, causing the egg to explode in the oven—or even worse, after you take it out, in which case it can cause burns and serious eye injury.
39. Opt for 1% or nonfat milk. Lowfat milks are not created equal. A cup of 2% milk contains 5 grams of fat and thus derives 35% of its calories from fat. A cup of 1% milk contains less than 3 grams of fat and gets 22% of its calories from fat. Whole milk contains about 3.5% fat by weight, yet this fat supplies 50% of its calories. Nonfat milk, of course, has virtually no fat, and contains just as much calcium as whole milk.
40. Eat walnuts and flaxseed. They reduce levels of Creactive protein (a marker for inflammation associated with heart disease) in the body, as well as LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides. These foods are rich in an omega3 fat called alphalinolenic acid; canola oil is another source. Studies have shown that alphalinolenic acid (as well as the other omega3s in fish) helps reduce the risk of heart disease.
41. Add a sprinkling of poppy seeds to your green salad to give it a rich, nutty flavor. One teaspoon of poppy seeds has only 15 calories, healthy fats, and even some calcium and iron.
42. Use canned pumpkin: it’s as nutritious as fresh, and that’s very nutritious. A half cup has more beta carotene than a standard supplement (15,000 IU), plus a good amount of fiber, iron, and other minerals, but just 40 calories. Besides pies, you can use canned pumpkin in soups, pancakes, bread, muffins, and cookies. Or try mixing it into applesauce or plain lowfat yogurt, along with some sugar or honey.
43. Keep garlicinoil combinations refrigerated, whether commercial or homemade. Garlic can pick up the bacterium that causes botulism from the soil. Immersing the garlic in oil gives the spores the oxygenfree environment they need to germinate, if left at room temperature. The resulting toxin cannot be detected by taste or smell. Be equally careful with flavored oils containing herbs.
44. Try frozen fruits and vegetables as tasty, nutritious snacks. Frozen bananas, strawberries, and blueberries are delicious, and kids who won’t eat cooked peas may like them straight from the freezer.
45. If you find that nonfat milk tastes watery, add a tablespoon or two of nonfat dried milk to each cup. This will help make the milk thicker and richer tasting, and also boost the calcium and protein content.
46. Choose a roast beef sandwich instead of a hamburger at fastfood restaurants. Roast beef usually contains less saturated fat and fewer calories.
47. When shopping for wholegrain, highfiber bread, read the label carefully. Unless the label lists whole wheat or another whole grain as the first ingredient, it’s mostly refined white flour. The following terms or phrases usually mean little on a bread label: multigrain; made with 3 natural brans; wheatberry; cracked wheat; wheat (simply white flour); stone ground (not an issue); oatmeal (usually not much); rye (ditto); sprouted wheat; unbleached (but still refined flour); or unbromated (not treated with potassium bromate—but not necessarily whole grain). Commercial rye and pumpernickel usually contain mostly white flour.
48. Compare labels on packaged deli meats. A oneounce slice of turkey breast is almost fatfree—0.2 grams of fat in about 35 calories. Turkey bologna, on the other hand, contains 55 calories and 4 grams of fat in a oneounce slice, which means that more than 60% its calories come from fat. One ounce of lean ham (labeled “95% fatfree” by weight) gets about onethird of its 37 calories from 1.4 grams of fat. In contrast, regular ham is 11% fat by weight, so about half the 52 calories in a oneounce slice come from its 3 grams of fat.
49. If you like sausage but not its extremely high fat content, try one of the meatless sausage products available in healthfood stores and specialty shops. These are made from vegetables, beans, grains, and aromatic herbs and spices. Besides breakfast fare, the lowfat, nocholesterol “sausage” can be used in casseroles, pasta dishes, stuffing, or pizza. Check the label—not all vegetarian products are low in fat and calories.
50. Gradually increase the amount of highfiber foods you eat. Don’t give up on fiberrich grains and produce if they give you gas or cause bloating. Fiber’s health benefits are many, including a reduced risk of colon cancer and constipation. Also, try a variety of fiberrich foods until you find some that do not cause digestive problems. And it’s important to drink plenty of water when increasing your fiber intake.
