Healthy Diet Tips from the WATCH Clinic

There is no doubt that eating a healthy diet can be beneficial both for weight loss and for improving long-term health. However, nutrition is a tricky thing. With new diets and "salvation" foods popping up all the time, it's hard to know what to eat, what to avoid and who to believe. When it comes to your child's eating habits, the situation often becomes even more confusing. The good news is that what's good for your child also is good for you. Here are some guidelines from the doctors and nutritionists at UCSF Children's Hospital to help you navigate your family's nutritional needs.

Fruits and Veggies

Children and adults should eat between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Not only are most fruits and vegetables low in fat and calories, but they also are full of essential vitamins and minerals, fiber and other substances that promote good health. In addition, studies have found that diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of certain cancers and other diseases.

Each day, you and your children should eat:

• Two to four servings of fruit
• Three to five servings of vegetables

Grains

Grains such as bread, cereal and pasta account for most of the carbohydrates many people eat. Some people refer to these foods as "carbs." These starches can be made from whole grain flours or from refined flours. Whole grain flours contain the fiber, vitamins and minerals that are lost when flour is refined. Therefore, whole grains are a better choice. The basic guideline for this group of foods is to decrease starches made from refined flour and increase those made from whole grains.

• Refined Flour Starches ("White Fluffies") -- These are quickly broken down into sugar and absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, causing glucose levels to rise. Refined flour has had the husk, or brown part of the grain, stripped away. This leaves the flour looking white. Some examples of refined starches are white bread, white rice or pasta, cookies and other junk foods.

• Whole Grains ("Brown Crunchies") -- These are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream than refined starches. Some examples include whole grain bread, brown rice, barley and whole grain cereals. Whole wheat does not mean the same thing as Whole Grain. The Whole Grain foods have the bran surrounding the starch, which slows sugar absorption from the intestine and reduces your risk for obesity.

You and your children should eat at least three servings of whole grains per day. Some examples of serving sizes include:

• ½ cup cooked brown rice, whole wheat pasta or steel-cut oatmeal
• 1 slice of 100 percent whole grain bread
• 1 six-inch whole wheat tortilla
• ¾ cup whole grain cereal, such as Kashi

Nonfat and Low-fat Dairy

Dairy products contain calcium, an important mineral for growing bones in children and keeping bones strong through one's lifetime. The Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Americans suggest that people choose low-fat or non-fat dairy products such as non-fat or 1 percent milk, non-fat or low-fat cheese and yogurt. Look at food labels on yogurt containers to check for added sugar.