Welcome to the 2nd issue of Quick Bites, my New Nutrition Newsletter! Today I will give you a couple tools to make healthier food choices. Let’s dig in! - Trilety

TOOL #1: The 50/20 Rule!

Food Labels are confusing! So let the "% Daily Value" be your quick guide to understanding food labels!

Choose 5% Daily Value (DV) or less for nutrients you want to consume less of (ie saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, added sugars)

Choose 20% Daily Value (DV) or more for nutrients you want to consume more of (fiber, calcium, iron, protein, vitamins, etc)

This article gives more information on how to use this rule!

Check out these two labels from dinners in our freezer. After applying the 50/20 Rule, which dinner would you choose as the healthier option? Both are delicious by the way, and when I asked Jim which he prefers, he answered "They're both good and they both have their place." Ha!

TOOL #2: Nutrient Density & Energy Density:

Want to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to food choices? Understanding the energy and nutrient densities of your foods will help you do just that.

Energy Density is the measure of energy (calories) a food provides relative to the weight of the food, so foods with high energy density deliver more calories than foods with low energy density.
Nutrient Density is the measure of the nutrients a food provides relative to the energy (calories) it provides. The more nutrients and the fewer calories, the higher nutrient density.

So aim for Low Energy Density and High Nutrient Density foods! Eating in this way will help you meet your nutrient needs with fewer calories.

Here’s an example from our house:

Breakfast #1: slice of sprouted grain bread, 1 egg fried with non-stick spray, non-fat Greek yogurt, and fresh blueberries,

Breakfast #2: Little Debbie Honey Bun pastry and fresh blueberries (Jim usually microwaves it and then adds sliced strawberries but we only had blueberries in the frig this weekend!)

Both meals are almost comparable in calories (#1 is 241 calories and #2 is 251 calories) but that's where the similarities stop.

Guess which breakfast will leave you feeling fuller and with more of your nutrient needs met? For vegans (aka Megan!), consider substituting natural peanut butter for the egg, and chia seeds and calcium fortified soy/almond milk to substitute for the yogurt.

#3: Black Women's Health Study: Remember in last week's newsletter when we learned about the dominance of white bodies in medical illustrations? Well as many of you already know, lack of diversity reaches even deeper into healthcare and medical research, which is why in 1995 a long term observational study of 59,000 black women began at Boston University. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health, and "gathers information on many conditions that affect Black women — breast cancer, lupus, premature birth, hypertension, colon cancer, diabetes, uterine fibroids — the list is long. The BWHS is a 'follow-up' study, following the 59,000 women who enrolled in 1995 over time. When the participants entered the study, they provided information on factors that might influence health and disease, such as contraceptive use, cigarette smoking, and diet. At regular intervals, participants provide updated information on these factors and on any illnesses they develop."

Check out the BWHS website link above and sign up for their newsletter!

Until next week, read your food labels, choose nutrient dense foods, and feel free to email me with any questions or to be removed from this list! In the voice of Jack Horkheimer, "Keep Eating Right!"

Thanks so much for reading, and send in your recipes!

~ Trilety, the Aspiring Nutritionist

Quick Bites Nutrition • Issue 2

Quick Bites Nutrition • Issue 3

Quick Bites Nutrition • Issue 1