Canned beans

Not just the “musical fruit,” beans provide complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. In fact, a one-cup serving provides one-third of your day’s protein needs, half your fiber needs, and 65% of your folate needs (an important B-complex vitamin that helps prevent osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, anemia, and homocysteine buildup in the blood). For less than a dollar a can, you can-not go wrong! Try cannelini beans, black beans, kidney beans, lentils and black-eyed peas. You can buy them with no salt added, low sodium, or rinse them before use to remove about half the salt.

Recipe ideas: add to salads, home-made bean dip, three bean chili, and breakfast burritos.

Frozen fruits and veggies

I’d love to highlight one particular fruit or vegetable, but the bottom line is they are all good choices! Frozen fruits and veggies are picked and minimally processed at their peak freshness. Freezing does not diminish the nutrition quality. Fruits and vegetables are “very good to excellent” sources of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber that help keep your body healthy. They are very low in calories too, so they help you lose weight without having to eat tiny portions. One cup of most fruits and veggies have less than 50 calories! Think about that, how full are you going to get from two cups of fruit and veggies versus the “100 calorie packs?” There’s no comparison.

Just glance at the nutrition facts label and ingredients list. Look for frozen fruits with no sugar added and look for veggies with little to no salt added. There are some great frozen veggies that come with a light sauce, just make sure the fat and sodium don’t diminish the health benefits.

Recipe ideas: thaw frozen corn and mix with canned beans and canned diced tomatoes for a quick side dish, steam broccoli and top with lemon zest, make breakfast or dessert smoothies with a cup of frozen fruit and a half-cup of low-fat milk or plain yogurt.

Canned fish

Canned fish is a low cost way to gain a lot of heart-healthy nutrition. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week because it’s a good source of protein and low in saturated fat. Fatty fish, including trout, sardines, tuna, and salmon, are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Recipe ideas: toss canned salmon in with scrambled eggs and serve over half a whole wheat English muffin with a side of fruit for a balanced breakfast, mix canned tuna with low-fat plain yogurt, celery, and onion for a quick and low-fat tuna salad served in a pita with tomato.

What are some of YOUR favorite canned and frozen food finds and how do you use them to eat healthier and manage your weight?

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Soy (soy nuts, edamame, tofu)

• May help reduce calories, saturated fat and cholesterol when substituted for meat.
• Provides your body with isoflavones that have been proven to work wonders on your body and health

Try these:

• Soy milk, but check that it’s fortified with calcium and B vitamins
• Tofu, use this spongy soy product in stir-fry dishes or scramble it like an egg.
• Roasted soy nuts taste similar to peanuts.
• Soy burger, looks and tastes similar to ground beef.

Beans and Legumes (black, lima, black-eyed peas, lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans)

• Low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium.
• Are among the most versatile and nutritious foods available.
• Many stores carry a wide variety of legumes (dried and canned).

Try these ways to incorporate more legumes into your meals and snacks:

• Instead of chips or crackers, snack on a handful of soy nuts.
• Use pureed beans as the base for dips and spreads.
• Add chickpeas, black beans, or any canned bean to salads.

Nuts

• The healthiest choices are walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans. These have shown to be heart healthy and contain high amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• Keep in mind, you don’t want to eat the nuts covered with chocolate, sugar or salt, which could end up canceling out the heart-healthy benefits.
• Because nuts are high in fat (although it’s a healthy fat) and calories, it’s recommended to consume a small handful of nuts a day (1 to 2 ounces).

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