Citrus pear was founded on the principles of healthy eating, but what does that mean? As a registered dietitian, founder McKenzie Rockwood, was seeing a common trend: people were confused about what to eat and how much. When you say that out loud, it sounds silly. Eating is one of the most natural things our body should know how to do, and it does, but our natural intuitions have been clouded by media messages, marketing strategies, and social media experts. So what are we supposed to eat and how much? Here are 6 tips to help you navigate the ongoing noise and headlines.

‍Start simple

‍Remember the food pyramid? This tool, created by the USDA, showed us what foods we should eat most of (on the bottom of the pyramid) to those we should eat the least of (shown on the top of the pyramid). It was a great concept but wasn’t a big help when it came to portion sizes. How much is one serving of vegetables, dairy, etc? Welcome, MyPlate. MyPlate is a visual reminder to make healthy choices, and how much, from each of the five groups.  (Insert image). The overall message is simple: Fill your plate according to the image, half with fruits and vegetables, the remaining half split (60/40) between whole grains and protein, with a side of low fat dairy. This is a super basic tool to help visualize portions and variety when sitting down at the dinner table.
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‍Eat a rainbow 🌈

And we don’t mean skittles. Did you know that the variety of nutrients found in fruits and vegetables is reflected by their color? For example, orange vegetables, like carrots and sweet potatoes, are high in vitamin A. Green vegetables, like spinach and broccoli, are high in vitamin K. Red berries, like raspberries and strawberries, are high in antioxidants. The overall message: eating a variety of fruits and vegetables (a colorful “rainbow”) gives our body the wide range of nutrients it needs.

‍Fuel up with whole grains 🌾

Whole grains have the entire grain kernel, which includes the bran, germ, and endosperm. Some whole-grain examples are whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, and brown rice.

Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life. But it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, corn grits, white bread, and white rice.

Whole grains keep us feeling fuller longer, stabilize blood sugars, keep our bowels regular, contain more protein, and the list goes on. Aim to make half of your daily intake from grains whole grains.

‍Lean and mean with protein 🥜🍗

Protein is essential to build and maintain muscle and recover from illness or injury. Protein includes all foods made from seafood; meat, poultry, and eggs; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products. Eat a variety of protein foods to get more of the nutrients your body needs. Meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat, like 93% lean ground beef, pork loin, and skinless chicken breasts. Choose seafood options that are higher in healthy fatty acids (omega-3s) like salmon and trout.

Many Americans get the right amount of protein needed from meat, poultry, and eggs, but do not meet the recommendations for seafood or nuts, seeds, and soy products. Incorporating these can increase the amount of key nutrients your body needs, like unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and vitamin D. Doing so also helps limit the amount of sodium and saturated fats you get from processed meat and poultry.

How much protein we need is a hot topic and varies from person to person based on age, gender, activity level, etc. Visit this website to see how much protein you need.

‍Dairy light, keep it right 🥛

The dairy group includes milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk and fortified soy milk and yogurt. Recommendations say to switch to low-fat or fat-free dairy milk or yogurt (or lactose-free dairy or fortified soy versions).Dairy foods contain calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein which help build and maintain strong bones, maintain blood pressure, and prevent injury as we age.

Fortified soy milk and yogurt with added calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D are a part of the Dairy Group. This is because their nutrition content is like dairy milk and yogurt. Other products sold as “milks” but made from plants like almond, rice, coconut, oat, and hemp “milks” may have calcium. But, they are not a part of the Dairy Group because their nutrition content is not like dairy milk and fortified soy milk.

‍Boost your bites! 🫐🍓

Many people feel limited to food choices based on “what’s allowed” and what we “should eat”. Rather than feeling like you have to cut certain things out of your diet to “be healthy”, change your mindset to, “What can I add to my plate to feel better?” Adding more veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains will leave you feeling satisfied, stronger, and smarter about your food choices. In time, you will evolve to naturally making better food choices and eating will hopefully be a little more intuitive and satisfying!

At Citrus Pear we strive to support balanced eating and foster healthy relationships with food. Our meals contain lean proteins, a variety of vegetables, and are recommended to be served with whole grains. We believe that by incorporating these foods into your weekly meal plan, you will feel stronger, healthier, and have a little less stress when you get the question, “What’s for dinner??”