Be good to yourself; try a colorful array of food

New ideas on eating for health are direct, easy to follow

By Susan M. SELASKY

Detroit Free Press

Shake the salt habit, especially in processed foods.

Eat more seafood, fruits and vegetables, and choose fat-free or low-fat dairy.

And please, get moving.

These are nuggets from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. The guidelines have consumer-friendly but straight-to-the-point messages, such as “enjoy your food, but eat less.”

“It’s more on weight management and balancing calories” to manage weight, says Bethany Thayer, a registered dietitian and wellness manager at Henry Ford Health System and national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

The guidelines, released every five years, offer nutritional help to promote health and healthy lifestyles.

So, how are you measuring up?

Are you eating your two cups of fruits and 21/2 cups of vegetables a day? Have you curbed your sodium intake, keeping it below 2,300 milligrams (1,500 if you’re 51 or older, African-American or have hypertension)?

Do you include more seafood as a lean source of protein?

March is deemed National Nutrition Month by the American Dietetic Association. So it’s a fine time to spring into action with nutrition advice on reaching the guideline goals from metro Detroit registered dietitians.

The ADA’s main message for National Nutrition Month is “Eat Right with Color.” The focus is on learning how to meet dietary needs by grouping healthy foods by color and knowing their nutritional value.

For example, green fruits such as avocados, apples, grapes and kiwis have antioxidant properties that may help promote healthy vision and reduce some cancer risks. You can find more examples from the ADA of eating the right colors at www.eatright.org.

“A rainbow of foods provides a variety of different nutrients with health benefits,” Thayer says. “And it makes your plate more colorful, and it’s fun and prettier to look at.”

SALMON WITH WILTED WATERCRESS AND BALSAMIC DRIZZLE

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

The warm, sweet balsamic dressing tenderizes the peppery watercress to make a bed for the seared salmon.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon confectioner’s sugar

Nonstick cooking spray

4 salmon fillets (5 to 6 ounces each, about 1-inch thick), skinned

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

8 cups trimmed watercress (about 8 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar and sugar; bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup (about 7 minutes).

Place the mixture in a large bowl and let it cool slightly.

While the vinegar mixture cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat it with nonstick cooking spray.

Sprinkle the fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the fish to the preheated skillet; cook 4 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Add a pinch of salt, the watercress and the pepper to the vinegar mixture; toss to coat.

Place about 11/2 cups of the watercress mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 fillet.

From Cooking Light Magazine, August 2004 issue. Tested by Cooking Light.

297 calories (39 percent from fat), 13 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 3 grams carbohydrates, 41 grams protein, 263 milligrams sodium, 111 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber.