Groceries got you down?

W ith one week’ worth of traditional Ramadan meals left to prepare, you may find yourself making unhealthy choices in the kitchen. Making sure your family is eating well is a process that begins in the supermarket, however, so read on for the top expert shopping tips.

Choose your fats carefully

Your intake of fats should be limited. Unsaturated fats like vegetable oil, raw nuts and avocados are preferred over saturated fats, such as margarine and butter. Try grilling instead of frying and try to choose low fat dairy products and low fat meats.

Beware of processed and canned foods

These foods often contain high amounts of sodium, sugars and fats. They are often less nutritious than frozen or fresh foods. Just as author Michael Pollan writes in his book, “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual,” “Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”

Keep an eye on your carbohydrate

Wholegrain carbohydrates are always a winner. They contain more fibers and do not cause peaks in blood sugar levels because they get absorbed more slowly. Whole wheat bread, brown rice and bran are great options for iftar sandwiches, biriyani dishes and snacks, as opposed to refined carbohydrates like white bread and commercial cereals that are very high in sugars.

Chomp away on fruits and vegetables

Spend the maximum amount of time in the fresh produce aisle and try to choose options that are in season, or even locally grown. Failing that, frozen and sun-dried fruits are an option, while canned fruits should remain strictly off the shopping list due to the syrupy, sugary liquid in which they are stored.

Cut salt and sugar

Salt and sugar are considered white poison in the world of nutrition. Your intake of simple sugars should be limited to less than five percent of your total daily intake of food. As for salt, it should be iodized and you should not consume more than 1500 mg per day.

Read food labels carefully

The serving information on food labels tells you the size of a recommended single serving and the total number of servings per package. Be aware of how many servings you are consuming and choose foods with more fibers, proteins, vitamins and minerals and less sodium, sugars and trans-fats.