Addition—not subtraction.
Healthy eating is all about what you add to your plate, not what you take away.
I’ve had the privilege of chatting with a lot of amazing registered dietitians. I feel like I’ve essentially had dozens of mini free consultations, receiving little nuggets of wisdom in each and every interview. One of the pieces of advice that tends to keep coming up over and over is the idea that when it comes to nutritious eating, you should focus on what you are adding to your plate—not what you are taking away.
We know toxic diet culture perpetuates the idea of taking away all of the foods you enjoy, labeling them as “bad” while calling others “good.” However, medical experts actually say this is an unhealthy practice when it comes to learning how to properly eat, and it’s actually better to include all foods into your diet to avoid ugly cycles of yo-yo dieting down the line.
Instead, dietitians commonly advise focusing on foods that you can be adding to your plate—particularly the nutrient-dense ones. This is due to the fact that nutrient-dense foods (full of both the important macro and micronutrients) are known to be more satiating. Particularly foods that are high in fiber and protein.
This brings me back to my discussion with Sydney Greene, who commented on how the quality of our foods does matter in terms of keeping us full and satisfied. She makes a point that you shouldn’t cut out the foods you love, but instead, simply add in other nutrient-dense foods to help keep you full while still enjoying your favorites. One example she gave was having slices of cheese on the side with popcorn to promote fullness from the protein and fat in dairy.
So what are nutrient-dense foods? They are the kinds of foods that will provide your body with natural nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids (from fatty fish and nuts), fiber (from complex carbohydrates like legumes, fruits, whole grains), calcium (dairy foods), vitamin D (eggs, fish)...and the list clearly goes on.
Now it can be easy to hop into that micro-managing mindset where we try to evaluate how much of each nutrient we need in a day. We’ve been trained to think that tracking every morsel of food you eat is essential for good health—but we know that can be a slippery slope. So what’s a person to do?
I’ll share my advice—although I will caveat by saying I’m not a registered dietitian nor a doctor. Just someone who has found balance with her food after years of yo-yo dieting and restriction...with a plethora of knowledge on the subject matter because of it.
Instead of focusing on how much of each nutrient I’m getting, I instead like to focus on how many plants I’m getting in a week.
This is in reference to a study I recently covered published in the journal Microogranisms which found that people who consumed 30 different kinds of plants in a week had a more diverse gut microbiome. Keeping a diverse microbiome has been linked to numerous health benefits including improved mental and cognitive health, as well as a stronger immune system.
Thirty may sound like a lot, but it doesn’t specify just vegetables and fruits. “Plants” can mean all sorts of things—like legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and more. At the end of each day, either while I’m doing dishes or brushing my teeth, I think about the plants I consumed, and find myself reaching at least 10 per day. Plus, it motivates me to try adding in other plants the following day to get to 30 by the end of the week.
Second, I like to follow the motto always add a side salad. If you’re piling up half your plate with some kind of side salad, you’re likely getting a lot of nutrients that will fill you up so you A) feel satisfied, B) don’t overeat, and C) slowly bring down your blood sugar, which helps reduce sugar cravings. Especially if your salad has good sources of fiber.
Your side salad could include a leafy green salad (I love to toss a bed of arugula with white balsamic vinaigrette, which goes with pretty much every meal—even eggs!), but could also include a fruit salad as well. Heck, even potato salad is a great option—potatoes are full of fiber!
This is an easy way to ensure that yes, you can absolutely still enjoy that quesadilla or that mac and cheese, while also getting in a lot of nutrients as well. You’ll find yourself feeling full and satisfied without feeling bloated and sluggish, and your health will be thankful for it in the long term.
So instead of worrying about what you “should” be taking away, what can you add to your meals this week that will give you a plethora of healthy nutrients?
Frittatas are an easy way to get more plants in!
Spring Green Onion & Asparagus Frittata
Quite honestly, I just followed the same formula from my other frittata recipe—but slightly smaller portions to fit in my 10” cast-iron skillet. This recipe makes for the perfect meal for two—or slice into four and enjoy with lots of sides, like roasted veggies and a thick slice of sourdough bread. It’s the ideal brunch food…or lunch food…or heck, even dinner food. I feel like frittatas work for essentially any time of day. It all depends on the type of sides you serve it with.
The only difference in this recipe is roasting the asparagus first. Typically for a frittata, you have to preheat the pan before pouring in the eggs (makes for an even cook). But instead of preheating the pan with the oven, you’ll actually roast the asparagus in the pan for 10 minutes first. Then, with the asparagus prepped and the pan hot and ready to go, it’ll be all ready for frittata time.