(Radio Iowa) – It’s summertime and Iowans are grilling out more hamburgers, hot dogs and brats, but those aren’t always the healthiest choices, according to Clara Williams, a registered dietician at Emplify Health by Gundersen. Williams says a federal panel recently issued a new Dietary Guidelines for Americans Report, along with a series of recommendations. Williams says, “The committee advised people to reduce their intake of saturated fat, red meat, processed meat, refined grains and then any sugar-sweetened food or fluids.” Pursuing more of a Mediterranean diet does -not- mean becoming vegetarian or vegan, but simply introducing more plants into the menu and fewer meats and dairy products.

“It focuses more on things like lean proteins, so boneless, skinless chicken breast, fish, other seafood that’s lower in fat,” Williams says, “and then proteins from things like nuts, seeds, beans, more of a plant-based approach.” Eating healthier can mean losing weight, along with a lower risk of heart disease and various forms of cancer. “Plant-based products are lower in cholesterol. Usually they don’t have any cholesterol at all, which means they’re lower in calories, and sometimes they’re lower in sodium, depending on how processed they are,” Williams says. “It can be cheaper for the average American. I would encourage people to examine the prices of a bag of lentils at their grocery store versus a piece of meat at the deli.”

Mediterranean diet (Image from AARP)

She says even small changes in diet can lead to positive changes in one’s health over time. Williams suggests if a product’s ingredient list includes multiple things you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it. Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

https://www.gundersenhealth.org/
https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/