Getting Back to Basics

Spring has sprung! It is time to think about abiding to those New Year’s resolutions as the temperatures rise this season. Don’t let your goals falter. Now is the perfect time to update the importance of incorporating lean protein, like pork, into a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. Who knew sticking to New Year’s resolutions could be so simple?

Below you will find tips and recipes on how to incorporate nutrient-rich foods into quick, easy and tasty meals so you can make sticking to healthy eating effortless throughout the year!

Positive Pork: Choosing Nutrient-Rich Foods for the Most Nutrition

For years many Americans have struggled with what we should or should not be consuming; what foods to avoid or nutrients to consume? With all the mixed messages circulating, sometimes this is a very difficult question to answer. As a result, most Americans are overweight yet undernourished. Nutrients of concern and commonly under-consumed include: calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, potassium, B-12, folate, choline, iron and phosphorus. It is time to change our views on food and focus on choosing the foods that provide the most nutrients per calorie. Think of it as getting the most bang for your nutritional buck! The new approach helps to build healthier meals and continue down the right track towards optimal health and wellness.

Choosing nutrient-rich foods at meals emphasizes foods based on their total nutrient package, including vitamins and minerals. It helps consumers focus on what to eat, NOT what to avoid. It is a positive way to help build overall healthier eating habits and meet individualized nutrient needs over a lifespan. Pork, for example, is a nutrient-rich food. Pork packs a nutrient punch in every lean serving. A three ounce serving of pork tenderloin, for example, is an “excellent” source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, selenium and niacin, and a “good” source of potassium, riboflavin, choline and zinc, yet contributes only 6% of calories to a 2,000 calorie diet. Six of the most common cuts of pork have, on average, 16% less fat and 27% less saturated fat than 18 years ago. Many may not realize the pork tenderloin is just as lean as a skinless chicken breast.¹

Getting Back to Basics:

Choosing nutrient-rich foods, like pork, is a positive first step to think about eating and focusing on foods that you enjoy, not ones you have to avoid. Nutrient-rich foods are common, familiar and easy to find throughout grocery stores. Shopping, eating and preparing meals with a variety of nutrients adds balance to the overall diet.

Nutrient-rich foods are based on the five food groups we have come to know so well.

• Brightly colored fruits or 100% fruit juice
• Vibrantly colored vegetables and potatoes
• Whole, fortified and fiber rich grains
• Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt
• Lean meats such as pork tenderloin, loin roast or loin chop

Tips to Add Nutrient Rich Foods to Your Everyday Meals:

For hectic schedules, plan ahead and eat protein-packed, nutrient-rich breakfasts to stave off the urge to overeat later in the day. Add a piece of lean Canadian bacon as a complement to your steel cut oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts.

Another breakfast option is: Baked Egg with Canadian Bacon, Tomato and Potatoes (pictured above). With Canadian bacon in this baked egg dish, here’s a healthy option to start off your morning. Serve with whole grain toast and a piece of fruit.

• For a power-packed lunch create sandwiches on 100% whole wheat or rye bread or tortillas. Add sliced ham or leftover tenderloin from the night before for a protein punch, pile on the veggies like avocado, tomato, spinach, cucumber and peppers, add a piece of fresh fruit and fat-free milk and, viola, a nutrient-rich lunch!

Another lunch option is: Pork Tenderloin Fajitas Use warm whole-wheat flour tortillas, sautéed onions and bell peppers and serve with fresh salsa.

When eating on the go or dining out look for nutrient-rich deep green salads with low-fat dressings on the side that contain grilled proteins, like sliced pork tenderloins and fresh and/or steamed vegetables. Instead of topping potatoes with butter and sour cream try salsa and low-fat cheese and grilled veggies. If you have a sweet tooth, for dessert, try low-fat or fat-free yogurt with nuts and berries on top!

Other options include: Asian Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Serve meals that pack multiple nutrient-rich foods in one dish. Stir-fry up seasonal vegetables such as broccoli, pea pods, and red and green bell peppers with sliced pork strips and a light ginger sauce. Hearty, broth based soups full of colorful vegetables, beans and lean pork is a great complement to any meal. Try pork chili with a dab of fat-free sour cream or yogurt served with whole wheat bread or rolls, fresh fruit and fat-free milk and you are on your nutrient-rich way!

A bright flavorful accent to grilled pork tenderloin. Chef Su-Mei Yu livens up Asian-inspired marinated pork tenderloin with grilled pineapple and steamed green beans.

Brazilian Pork Salad with Tangerine Vinaigrette Kale is used in this salad, which makes it as pretty as it is flavorful. The mild cabbage flavor contrasts nicely with the citrus and pineapple. All the ingredients, especially the dressing, can be ready ahead of time. Stir fry pork at the last minute and toss all together just before serving. Serve as part of a light dinner or luncheon with a whole-wheat breadstick and fat-free milk.

Serve meals that pack multiple nutrient-rich foods in one dish. Stir-fry up seasonal vegetables such as broccoli, pea pods, and red and green bell peppers with sliced pork strips and a light ginger sauce. Hearty, broth based soups full of colorful vegetables, beans and lean pork is a great complement to any meal. Try pork chili with a dab of fat-free sour cream or yogurt served with whole wheat bread or rolls, fresh fruit and fat-free milk and you are on your nutrient-rich way!

Ginger-Sesame Stir-Fry with Vegetables Combine convenience frozen stir-fry vegetables with ham strips for this tasty dish.

Gingered Pork-Vegetable Soup with Wonton Noodles This easy-to-make pork soup is even easier to prepare if you stop at the supermarket’s salad bar. You’ll only have to purchase a small amount of each vegetable and, as a bonus; the vegetable will already be cut up.

Food For Thought: Eat Lean Save Green in a Tough Economy:

With tough economical times still looming, it is imperative to understand how to maximize nutrients while minimizing cost. According to the “Affordable Meals Survey” conducted by the National Pork Board, 70% of Americans say they are eating out less to save money. Similarly, 64% say they plan to look for low-cost meal options.² By steering towards low-cost, nutrient-rich foods, you will help ensure you do not let your calorie budgets overflow or leave your wallets empty. Pound for pound, pork is one of the best and leanest values in the meat case today. Online resources like TheOtherWhiteMeat.com can assist you in the search to find lean, flavorful recipes that do not break the bank. You can also find the basics of pork cooking at TheOtherWhiteMeat.com. For additional information on nutrient-rich foods visit the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition at www.NutrientRichFoods.org.

¹ U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service, 2009.
² The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1,093 mothers aged 18+ with a child/children in the home-all members of the Impulse Research propriety online panel. The Impulse Research propriety online panel has been carefully selected to closely match US population demographics and the respondents are representative of American woman 18+. Research was conducted in December 2008. The overall sampling error for this survey is +/-3% at the 35% level of confidence.