A key to good nutrition is eating in moderation, Kathy McEwan said Monday afternoon at Iola Public Library.
“There are no good or bad foods,” McEwan, K-State extension agent for family and consumer sciences, observed, but if the choice is to eat foods high in fat and sugar, then smaller proportions is a must.
McEwan suggested substituting tasty fruits and vegetables for less healthy pastries and the like. She used the tutorial “Put More Plants on Your Plate,”to emphasize the benefits of fresh foods. The guidelines are based on MyPlate, a new food guidelines chart that departs from the iconic food pyramid.
Just as importantly as limiting portion sizes is to “stop eating when you feel satisfied,” McEwan said, and for parents to understand that children are better judges of when they are full.
“It’s not good to encourage a child to eat when he (or she) is full,” she said. “Don’t say, ‘Just finish’ this or that. Let kids listen to their bodies. They know when they’re full and don’t want any more to eat.”
Also, McEwan said a good practice was to introduce children to healthy food, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and non-fatty foods, at a young age. When her children, Molly and Robert, were toddlers she had them drinking skim milk, which prompted reproaches from grandmothers who thought whole milk was better. The only thing missing in skim milk was fat, she said.
Frequenting fast-food restaurants isn’t bad, McEwan allowed, but should be done in moderation to limit intake of fat and excess sodium.
At home, she suggested using smaller plates and following dietary guidelines.
However, she said one size does not fit all.
Meal portions should be tailored to an individual’s age, level of activity and gender.
Men, she noted, are larger than women and have a higher
metabolic rate, which means their bodies demand more caloric intake.
McEWAN dispelled several myths.
— You have to starve to lose weight. That is true if a diet is heavy on refined foods, such as doughnuts, white breads and soda pop. Not true if fruits and vegetables, naturally low in calories and fat and high in nutrients, are an integral part.
— You have to avoid “bad” foods. All foods have a place, with moderation the key when eating those high in calories and fat.
— Healthy food doesn’t taste good. Also not true. Few things have better taste than fresh fruits and vegetables.
— You have to train yourself to like healthy foods. Somewhat true. It’s also true a person not accustomed to eating foods laced with fats and sugar and high in calories has to train himself to like them.
McEwan said most people would find skim milk bland when accustomed to drinking whole milk, but could wean themselves onto the non-fat variety by going to 2 percent and then 1 percent before finally adopting skim milk.
