It's National Nutrition Month, a good time to re-evaluate your eating habits, as well as those of your loved ones.
The good news? Research by Laura Dixon, a Caring.com editor, shows that regardless of your age, keeping key food guidelines in mind can boost your health. The guidelines include these.
1. Choose whole foods over processed foods. They generally are composed of one ingredient, have been refined as little as possible, and don't include added salt, carbohydrates or fat. Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
2. Get more of your food from plants. Eating plant-based foods and limiting meat can boost health outcomes and possibly add years to your life. Fruits and vegetables are associated with a lower risk for heart disease and cancer, and they help you stay full longer. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who ate meat less than once a week had a significantly lower risk of death over time than those who ate it more often. Cutting back on red meat can cut your risk of dying early, the National Cancer Institute has found.
4. Slash sugar. It may be one of the best things you can do for your health. The American Heart Association recommends no more than nine teaspoons a day for men and six for women.
4. Eat nuts. They are one of the best snacks. In one study, participants who ate a handful of nuts daily were less likely to die for any reason over a three-decade period.
Registered dieticians and nutritionists recommend nuts as part of a diet for a longer life, according to a 2013 New England Journal of Medicine study.
5. Water, coffee, tea and red wine are fine. The vast majority of the long-living people were found to drink these liquids. Voluminous research has shown the health benefits of drinking plenty of water, especially as you age, when it's easier to become dehydrated. Meanwhile, coffee is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are linked to lower rates of diseases and conditions.
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