Local dietitian combines March Madness bracketology with food groups
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Crafting the perfect basketball bracket in March has never been done before but creating a food groups bracket can be easy.
Local Hy-Vee Dietitian Jessica Smith has a way to make sticking to a diet more enticing during National Nutrition Month.
“The big way we relate it, because you need your fuel, to help you do your games to be energized for life. We focus on the five main food groups,” Smith said. “These food groups would be like your starting five.”
Protein, dairy, grains, fruits and vegetables make up a team or plate. Each “team” is different based on which foods are selected.
“You don’t love every vegetable or anything like that so you have those picks that you’re going to pick in there,” She said. “They all come together to make that winning team or that winning plate.”
Typical servings for each food group can differentiate between people. Generally having five servings of fruits and vegetables combined and three servings of dairy is ideal. For grains, make sure half of the servings are whole grains.
“Protein is really focused on building and maintaining your muscles, which is really important for games,” Smith said. “Lean meats are great options but, there’s others, whether it’s eggs, meat alternative, you can find other sources of protein that can help you no matter what your diet or lifestyle is.”
Benefits for dairy include; Vitamin D, Calcium and Protein. Whole grains will give fiber and help with digestion and heart health.
Making an achievable goal of having three to five food groups in each meal, three to five days of the week is a good place to start.
“Say you don’t get your fruits and vegetables or fruits in the morning then it’s important to have a snack or another meal that will include those and get that missed serving of them,” Smith said.
