New Dorothy Lane Market tours focus on healthy eating
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on nutrition are alarming, to say the least.
Americans eat less than the recommended amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products and oils, while the typical American diets exceed the recommended intake levels in four categories: calories from solid fats and added sugars; refined grains; sodium; and saturated fat.
About 90 percent of Americans eat more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet. Reducing the sodium Americans eat by 1,200 mg per day could save up to $20 billion a year in medical costs. That statistics on sugar, fat, calories and other categories are just as shocking.
It’s an issue that Lori Kelch, a nutrition and wellness educator, is familiar with and working to inform the public on. In addition to serving as an adjunct instructor at Antioch University Midwest teaching “Health and Nutrition within the Family” and “Exercise and Fitness through the Lifespan,” and working as the Holistic Nutrition educator at the Institute of Holistic Leadership in Centerville, Kelch is leading people on free tours that Dorothy Lane Market launched in April called DLM Eat Healthy Tours.
“The DLM Eat Healthy Tours was an idea the director of the Healthy Living Department, Joy Kemp, had after reading an article about a doctor in California that was at a grocery store helping customers make choose healthier food options and answering questions they may have. The DLM tours offer customers an opportunity to optimize their nutrition by learning how to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families.
“It has been my experience that nutrition information available is often confusing, incomplete and sometimes just plain wrong. Participants can have their questions answered while learning about the nutrition/ health properties of whole foods and how to properly read products labels,” Kelch said. The DLM Eat Healthy Tour is structured to help educate customers about their food choices when shopping including information on reading labels, comparing products and cooking tips as well. Kelch says to focus on the perimeter of the store where most whole foods will be located.
“The closer the food is to its natural form, the more nutrients will be provided. Whole food provide a synergy of nutrients created by nature that cannot be duplicated in processed foods. Processed foods are often stripped of naturally occurring nutrients, and the product is then fortified with synthetic nutrients. Processed foods often contain added sugars, trans fats, and chemical additives that can impair our health,” Kelch said.
“One big tip I continuously emphasize: Our culture tends to vilify fat, and we have come to believe that low-fat options are the healthiest — and that is not necessarily the case. It is
IF YOU GO
Dorothy Lane Market Eat Healthy Tours Various DLM locations The tours are done once a month at each store on different Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. Tours are limited to seven people. Springboro July 8; Oakwood July 15; Washington Square July 22. Springboro Aug. 12; Oakwood Aug. 19; Washington Square Aug. 26. Customers may sign up online at www.dorothylane.com by clicking on “Be Healthy” and then “Events”, or call the store of their choice. important that we have an understanding that fat supplies essential fat soluble nutrients that our bodies need to function optimally. Naturally occurring fats should be a part of our diet, and reduced fat or low fat versions of real fat foods (like cultured dairy for example) lose those valuable nutrients and often add chemicals and/or sugar as replacements.”
When dining out, restaurants Kelch says the main thing is to choose food that is served in its whole form.
“Baking, broiling, and grilling — though not charring — meats are better options than frying. Fish is always a good option. Skip the fried potatoes, chips, etc. and opt for added vegetables or a side salad. Skip the sauces and gravies. Have dressing served on the side of a salad.
“That said, if someone wants to splurge on their favorite comfort food or whatever, it isn’t necessary to deny ourselves that. We just need to make it a special occasion — not an everyday occurrence … Many restaurants serve very large portions, so taking home leftovers for another meal is encouraged. Meat portions should be about the size of the palm of our hand.
“I do think more restaurants are offering healthier dishes because they know that this is what their patrons want. Vegetable based entrees are more often at the center of the plate than in the past, rather than being relegated to the side of a large piece of meat,” said Kelch.
Focus on veggies
Vegetables are one of Kelch’s favorite topics on the DLM tours.
“It is assumed that vegetables are the healthiest in their raw form. That is a big misconception. Vegetables with bright pigments — orange, red, purple, deep green — should actually be lightly cooked for the body to take advantage of the nutrients. The nutrients that provide those colors are often fat soluble, and the vegetable must be heated to release the protein bonds that bind those nutrients.
“We know, for example, that cooked tomato products provide more antioxidant activity than eating them raw. And preparing them with a little fat (olive oil, butter, coconut oil) allow the body to transport those valuable fat soluble nutrients. There’s nothing wrong with eating a raw veggies with a salad, but lightly cooking packs a better nutritional punch,” said Kelch.
Other suggestions for healthy eating that she shares on a handout to those taking the tour:
Drink plenty of fresh water
the day. chew well. throughout
Lightly cook vegetables
with a small amount of fat for maximum absorption of the fat-soluble nutrients.
Avoid cooking with vegetable oils at high heat.
Fats stable at higher temperatures include coconut oil, butter, lard, grape seed oil, and walnut oil. Avoid hydrogenated oils.
Avoid low-fat versions
Avoid processed foods made with enriched flours,
of real fat foods.
sugars, and artificial chemicals, as well as sugary beverages and those made with artificial sweeteners.
Do not skip meals.
Eating a combination of protein, fat, and carbohydrates will help maintain adequate blood sugar stability.
Be mindful of eating habits.
Eat slowly,
Keep moving!
“We are bombarded by chemicals in our environment that we cannot control, but we can control what we eat,” Kelch said. “Our food choices will directly influence our health status and help us prevent chronic and age-related diseases. Investing in our health through our food, is the best insurance policy around. If we don’t do it know, it will cost us later. If we want optimum physical and mental health and well-being, we should begin with our food choices.”
Based on the latest data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it’s really good advice.