Nutrition is nothing new. Despite the constant barrage of studies that tout the newest miracle food, humans have been concerned with their health for ages. Health, after all, meant survival. As early as 400 B.C., Hippocrates, who’s commonly referred to as the “Father of Medicine,” recorded the connection
between what we eat and our health when he proclaimed, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” In the 1700s, French scientist Antoine Lavoisier documented the relationship between food and energy metabolism before being beheaded in the French Revolution. Also in the 1700s, Scottish physician Dr. James Lind proved the effectiveness of citrus fruits in treating scurvy in British sailors. While vitamin C wouldn’t be named until years later, Lind’s experiment led to the Royal Navy eventually issuing lemon juice on voyages, earning British sailors the nickname “limeys.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture published its first dietary recommendations to the nation in the late 19th century, which was a precursor to the food pyramid that surfaced in the 1980s. The USDA recommendations were further shaped by the Great Depression and World War II, which aimed to help families deal with food rationing. Simultaneously, scientists were beginning to learn that foods contained micronutrients besides proteins, carbohydrates and fats that were necessary for the functions of the human body. Polish biochemist Frederick Hopkins gave these micronutrients the name “Vitamine”—a combination of the words “vital amine.” By the time it was discovered that not all vitamins were considered part of the same family of amines, the name had already stuck.
Although vitamins had begun to gain sway scientific circles, the idea of essential nutrients hadn’t permeated the American psyche just yet. “Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside,” Mark Twain once stated. Presently, Twain’s tongue-in-cheek diet mantra might seem antiquated, but according to Bellevue Club nutritionist Cherie Valley, many people still aren’t getting the daily nutrition they need. “People are literally not eating enough nutritious foods,” she says. “They’re eating too much of the processed foods like hamburgers and french fries.”
Although busy lifestyles and an abundance of tasty, high-calorie foods may make a truly balanced diet seem unattainable, it might not be as far out of reach as you think. While many use dietary supplements to ensure a sufficient intake of essential nutrients, there are easy ways outside of a capsule to add vitamins and minerals to your day. Check out these easy-to-implement tips that will give you more of the good stuff your body needs, without ever having to twist off a cap.
GO GREEN Going green is not a fad, especially where your diet is concerned. Registered Dietitian Jeanne Cullen at the Overlake Outpatient Clinic sees approximately 20 to 24 patients per week, and one of the shortcomings she regularly observes is a lack of vegetables, especially leafy green ones.
“Most patients that we end up seeing are lacking in greens,” she says. Jeanne meets with a variety of patients, ranging from those fighting heart disease to those with diabetes, but she almost always recommends more veggies—and she’s not just talking about broccoli. Collard greens, kale and Swiss chard are among Jeanne’s favorites. Those vegetables are nutrient powerhouses that many people don’t know how to cook, but you can easily add them to casseroles and soups and they blend right in,” she says. “Besides the obvious vitamins, such as A, C, K, and folic acid, green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium and iron, as well as trace amounts of essential fats. They also provide antioxidants that may protect different tissues in the body from disease.” How to get more in your diet: Hide a serving in pasta dishes or soups, or try adding baby greens or spinach to sandwiches.
FORAGE FOR BERRIES “Everybody can benefit from eating berries,” Jeanne says. High in fiber, vitamin C and disease-preventing flavonoids, berries are a naturally sweet, low-calorie snack that packs considerable health benefits. They also serve as an easy way to get more fruit in your diet. Cherie uses the general rule of looking for “color” on your plate, which berries provide in abundance.
“I always believe that a balanced diet is colorful, and I don’t mean ketchup or mustard,” she says. “That idea usually helps people out, especially those with kids.” As an added bonus, many berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries are grown locally throughout the Northwest—so you don’t have to go far to find fresh produce. How to get more in your diet: “In the winter, I keep frozen berries in the freezer, thaw them out and mix them with plain yogurt,” Jeanne says. Other simple ways to add berries to your diet include topping your cereal or oatmeal with berries or blending frozen berries with yogurt to create a smoothie to go. “A cup of berries per day would be a good rule of thumb,” Jeanne says.
GET ON THE BEAN BANDWAGON Beans are hot right now. And, with a variety of health benefits, why shouldn’t they be? “I always tell people to eat beans,” Jeanne says. “Beans tend to be a good, low-cost source of protein that is high in fiber and low glycemic.” The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommends at least three cups of beans per week as part of a healthy diet, and additional research has shown that diets including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Rich in the soluble fiber that most Americans aren’t getting enough of in their diet, beans also contain vitamins, such as folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, and minerals like calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Naturally fat-free, beans can also have as much as 10 grams of protein per serving. They
provide a great, heart-healthy source of protein for those at risk for heart disease. How to get more in your diet: With many varieties to choose from, adding more beans into your diet isn’t difficult. Add garbanzo beans (chickpeas) to pastas and salads for added protein and texture, or try adding pinto beans to a burrito. “In the wintertime, I tell people to make soups and chili with them,” says Jeanne. “You can eat a variety of different soups with beans and vary the flavor by adding different spices and vegetables. “In the summertime, I tell people to make a healthy chef salad with salmon or beans as the protein component,” she adds. Another favorite recommendation of Jeanne’s is edamame, a dish popular in Japanese restaurants. To make, simply boil edamame soybeans in the pod for a few minutes, let them cool down and squeeze the beans out of the pod. “You can just eat it as a snack,” she says. “It’s even higher in protein than other beans.”
FEEL FABULOUS WITH FIBER “Most people don’t eat enough fiber,” says Jeanne. “A lot of people think they’re eating whole-grain foods and they’re not. A lot of times you’ll see whole-wheat bread on the label, and it only has one gram of fiber per serving.” According to the American Heart Association, when eaten regularly, fiber has been associated with increased diet quality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Fiber also helps with weight control and gastrointestinal health.
How to get more in your diet: “Quinoa is one of the highest-fiber grains you can eat,” Jeanne says. An ancient grain from the Andes in South America, quinoa has approximately 10 grams of fiber per cup and 14 grams of protein—and the best part—it cooks really fast. “You can cook it in 15 to 20 minutes,” says Jeanne. Nowadays, quinoa can usually be found in the bulk foods section or in packaged boxes at most grocery stores. It can be used in a variety of dishes, similar to rice. If you don’t feel like quinoa, try
eating oatmeal or an orange with your breakfast. Beans, peas, rice bran, barley, strawberries and apples are also high in fiber. Jeanne also recommends reading your cereal label to make sure it has at least five grams of fiber per serving, and your whole wheat bread label to make sure it has at least three grams per slice.
FIND OUT IF YOU'RE GETTING ENOUGH FROM YOUR FOOD
If you want to find out whether you’re getting enough essential nutrients in your daily diet, Cherie uses technology at the Club to find out whether clients are actually meeting daily requirements. “I can tell from a software program exactly the nutrients that you’re lacking,” she says. “I produce a sheet with a breakdown of proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals in your daily diet.” From there, Cherie helps create a plan that helps clients formulate diets that meet their nutritional and fitness goals. She uses a comprehensive approach in adapting to a client’s lifestyle, whether that means accompanying them on a shopping trip to the grocery store, checking out the menu of their favorite restaurant, or even visiting their home pantry. “I try to bring people back to balance,” she says. Jeanne at Overlake’s parting advice is simple: “I encourage people to eat around the outside of the grocery store—that’s where the healthier, less-processed foods are.”
