Making a shopping list prior to heading to your local grocery store can better ensure that you go home with a healthy mix of foods, particularly if you're aiming to lose weight. Stick to the list as you make your way through the aisles --- and eat before you go, so you avoid impulse buys, such as the Danish, doughnut or ice cream that always seems to end up in your cart. Grocery-shop with a healthy game plan, and you will find yourself one step closer to meeting your weight-loss goals. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet.
Fresh Produce
Start your weekly grocery list with a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. In "The No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss," the American Heart Association suggests being "adventurous and [trying] new fruits and vegetables often." The AHA recommends at least five servings daily of fruits and vegetables for weight loss and overall health. Shop the color spectrum, from dark green spinach and broccoli, to orange-hued carrots, sweet potatoes and oranges, yellow-toned winter squash and red-fleshed tomatoes, bell peppers and strawberries.
Whole Grains
Include heart-healthy whole grains on your shopping list to help you shed excess weight and keep it off. The American Heart Association suggests looking for breads and rolls that contain 100-percent whole grains. As you need to consume four or more daily servings of grains and other starches, also look for whole-grain pastas, cereals and snack foods. The AHA recommends wild and brown rice, for example, as healthy options that are "much more nutritious and flavorful" than processed counterparts.
Organic Meats
Reduce your intake of unhealthy animal fats by adding lean, organic meats to your grocery list. Jordan Rubin and Joseph Brasco, in "The Great Physician's Rx for Weight Loss," explain that organic meats, such as grass-fed beef and wild fish, are sources of lean protein, as well as excellent sources of heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acids and essential amino acids. Healthy meat options for your list, as suggested by the American Heart Association, include salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey and pork, as well as lean cuts of red meat, like sirloin steak and tenderloin.
Organic Dairy
Choose the healthiest forms of dairy products available. In "Food As Medicine: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices, and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life," Dharma Singh Khalsa explains that organic dairy products help you to avoid the hormones, antibiotics and pesticides present in most non-organic dairy items. The American Heart Association recommends consuming three or more servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products daily. Healthy organic dairy options include low-fat or fat-free milk, cottage cheese and yogurt.
References
- "The No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss"; American Heart Association; 2005
- "The Great Physician's Rx for Weight Loss"; Jordan Rubin, Joseph Brasco; 2006
- "Food As Medicine: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life"; Dharma Sing Khalsa; 2002
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