Even when you try your best to eat well, it’s difficult to know everything about nutrition. I often talk with clients who believe they are making good choices and don’t realize that little oversights stand in their way of optimal health. Here’s a top 10 list of common but easy-to-repair nutrition mistakes.
1. You
add Whole Flaxseeds to your Breakfast
Flaxseeds
are filled with omega-3 fats, fiber and lignans (antioxidants), which all
benefit heart health. But whole flaxseeds may pass through the intestines
undigested, which means you’ll miss out on the health benefits inside the seed.
Buy ground flax seeds instead, or put them in a coffee or spice grinder.
2. You
Blend a Nutritious Smoothie, but It’s a Calorie Bomb
It’s
easy to toss a combination of superfoods into a blender. Blueberries, cashew
butter, chia, kale, bananas and coconut milk sound like a dreamy breakfast
elixir, but these concoctions can quickly become calorie bombs. Keep smoothies
in the 300-calorie range by serving smaller portions (about 8-12 ounces), using
more vegetables than fruit, and by going easy on the high-calorie nuts and
seeds.
3. You
Take your Supplements with Coffee
Caffeine
from coffee can hinder your body’s ability to absorb some of the vitamins and
minerals in your supplements, including calcium, iron, B-vitamins and vitamin
D. And it’s not just coffee — beverages such as tea and cola contain caffeine,
too. Enjoy your coffee about an hour before taking your supplements, and
swallow pills with water instead.
4. You
Use Regular Canned Beans for Your Meatless Meals
Beans
are an amazing source of fiber and protein, but canned varieties may have close
to 1,000 mg of sodium per cup — that’s two-thirds of what you need in an entire
day! Look for cans that say “no-salt-added” or “low-sodium.” If you can’t find
them, drain and rinse your canned beans, which will eliminate about 40 percent
of the sodium.
5.
To cut back on sugar,
you cut out fruit
The top
source of sugar in the American diet is sweetened beverages, not fruit. Sugary
soft drinks have no beneficial nutrients, while fruit has fiber, vitamins and
protective antioxidants. Plus, we don’t tend to over eat fruit, but do tend to
drink too much soda. Consider how much easier it is to down a 20-ounce soda, as
opposed to eating six bananas at one time. Both pack 16 teaspoons of sugar.
Choose fruit and skip the soda.
6.
You trust claims like
‘low-fat’ and ‘sugar-free’
For
many years, we’ve relied on label claims that tell us what our food doesn’t
contain – fat, sugar, gluten.It’s more important to look at what the food does
contain. Ultra-processed foods may be fat-free or sugar-free, but also loaded
with preservatives or refined ingredients. Read ingredient lists and choose
foods that are as close to nature as possible.
7.
You drink almond milk
for calcium but don’t shake the carton first
Milk
alternatives made from soy, almonds, cashews, rice, etc. are often fortified
with calcium and vitamin D. But the added nutrients don’t stay in the liquid
very well, and tend to sink to the bottom of the container. If you drink
without shaking first, you can’t reap the benefits of the added vitamins and
minerals. Shake well before serving.
8.
You skip the dressing
on salad
Vegetables
contain fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K, and a host of antioxidants that
require fat to be absorbed. If you skip the oil and vinegar, you miss out on
key nutrients from the salad. Serve your greens with oil-based dressing, nuts,
seeds or avocado to dramatically boost your body’s ability to soak up the
veggies’ beneficial nutrients .
9.
You miss out on
probiotics by buying the wrong type of yogurt
Yogurt
is fermented milk, and fermented foods contain probiotics. So, logic would
dictate that all yogurts are probiotic-rich, but unfortunately that’s not the
case. If yogurt has been heated or pasteurized, probiotics are destroyed and
may not be added back in. Look for the words “live active cultures,” or check
ingredient lists for names of specific probiotics (lactobacillus acidophilus, L
bulgaricus, etc.) to ensure you’re getting these beneficial bacteria, which aid
digestion and support the immune system.
10. You refuel with sports drinks
10. You refuel with sports drinks
Sports
drinks are meant to replace fluid and electrolytes that are lost when you sweat
excessively, and are suitable after endurance sports like a soccer game or
marathon. But the extra sugar and salt in sports drinks are not needed for
casual exercise with minimal perspiration. After a stroll, hydrating with water
is the best choice.
