”Spring” Foods that are easy to digest
Pack a snack of unsalted nuts.
When you’re feeling hunger pangs, bite into a handful of healthy unsalted walnuts, almonds or pecans. Nuts contain healthy fats to gratify your deep-down craving.
Fill up on non-starchy vegetables.
Non-starchy vegetables come in a rainbow of colors. They’re moist and juicy, full of flavor and nutrients. They contain “complex” carbohydrates, so they’re less likely to affect your blood sugar level. Some examples include: asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, okra, onions, peppers, green beans, spinach, turnips, and many others. Rainbow vegetables are scrumptious in home-made soups and stews.
Dig into dark green leafy vegetables.
Enjoy a bottomless bowl of kale, collards and spinach. These emerald-green jewels are low in carbohydrates and rich in nutrients, so you can never eat too much.
Live it up with legumes and beans.
A half-cup of beans or lentils gives you as much protein as an ounce of meat— without the saturated fat. So help yourself to red, white, black and brown beans or a variety of legumes. They’re delicious with peppers and onions.
Round out your meal with sweet potatoes.
When you crave starch, choose this sweet tuber. It’s packed with Vitamin A and fiber, and it has less effect on your blood sugar level that regular potatoes.
Top it off with tomatoes.
These red beauties go with every meal. Fresh, cooked or in sauce, they add Vitamins C and E to your menu, and they taste scrumptious.
Baked, broiled or grilled, fish like salmon and lean meats like poultry can delight your taste buds and keep your heart healthy. Try new recipes every week, but don’t fry. You’ll find hundreds of healthy ways to prepare delectable fish and lean poultry.
Hold out for whole grains.
Start your morning with oatmeal or another whole grain cereal. Choose whole grain breads and pastas. Whole grains give you fiber, minerals and healthy fat, plus richer crunchier taste!
Slake your sweet tooth with citrus fruit.
You can meet your daily needs for Vitamin C and soluble fiber with grapefruit, oranges, lemons and limes. They’re so refreshing!
Be merry with berries.
Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries—add a spoonful of low-fat yogurt and a packet of sugar substitute, and you’ve got a mouth-watering dessert. Plus, berries have antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Yum!
Love your low-fat dairy foods.
Milk and yogurt provide calcium to strengthen your bones and teeth, plus essential Vitamin D. Just choose reduced-fat versions, and enjoy these taste-pleasers every day.