With the weather warming up, students might be looking for ways to slim down. However, students should not turn to crash diets that could have negative health impacts. Find a more permanent solution by eating healthy.
MSU nutrition experts Ronda Bokram, Won Song and Patricia Thurston gave tips on how to get needed nutrients.
Protein
Thurston said protein is essential because it is needed in cell structures to help them function.
Meat, poultry, seafood, nuts and beans are strong sources of protein.
Thurston said the ideal amount of protein per day is about five ounces. When planning an average meal, however, students should try to portion about three ounces of protein, which is roughly the size of a deck of cards.
Bokram added that many people are not aware that grains contain protein too.
A large bagel can have almost as much protein as an ounce of meat, Bokram said.
Calcium
Calcium is an electrolyte for cells in the body and it is also the main mineral in bones and teeth, Thurston said.
Milk is one of the strongest sources of calcium. Song said this is a main reason why mothers feed their children milk as they are developing.
Thurston recommended three servings of milk a day for an average young adult. This can vary based on dietary needs.
Thurston said calcium also is available in greens like kale, spinach and broccoli.
Antioxidants
Vitamins A and C are two crucial antioxidants.
Antioxidants protect cells during oxidation, a naturally occurring process that damages cells in the body. The damage has the potential to lead to diseases like cancer.
Song said to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in order to get all the needed antioxidants.
Something to look for with fruits is how deep the color is — the deeper, the better, Bokram said.
Thurston recommended eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Carbohydrates
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Carbohydrates often have a bad reputation.
However, they are an important nutrient that provides vitamins, minerals and fiber, Thurston said.
Many good sources for carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which contain fibers that are beneficial to the body.
Thurston said carbohydrates are broken up into two categories.
There are positive carbohydrates that deliver nutrients in a dense form and there are simple carbohydrates that deliver empty calories. Simple carbohydrates are foods such as candy and sweetened beverages.
There is no set serving size for carbs, Thurston said. This is because it is in many of the foods that people eat on a regular basis. It is important to be aware of what type of carbs are being consumed.
“We have to be careful with (simple carbohydrates), we don’t want to over consume that or we may not get enough vitamins and minerals in our diet,” Thurston said.
