Some Tips to Eat Healthier in 2025

Every time you turn on the TV, there are ads for all kinds of foods and supplements.  Not everyone provides reliable information based on scientific facts. If your goal is to eat healthier in 2025, what are some easy tips to start with?    

1.      Start a heart-healthy diet plan.

Want a heart-healthy diet that is good for your heart and helps lower blood pressure?  Then look at the DASH diet.  It stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  Much like the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy (real dairy), poultry, fish, and beans.  (For more information see:  Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 .)

2.       No need to skip the seed oils.

I just finished reading Good Energy by Casey Means, MD.  She provides a lot of good advice except perhaps for her recommendation to avoid seed oils.  As the New York Times points out, these oils are not “toxic” as so many now claim.  Rather, plant-based oils including canola, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, and grapeseed oils have long been linked to reducing heart disease risk.  In fact, the American Heart Association states, There’s no reason to avoid seed oils and plenty of reason to eat them .  On the other hand, Cleveland Clinic notes Americans are getting too many seed oils, especially in highly processed foods.   

3.     Don’t skip the sweet potatoes.

So many people think all potatoes are fattening.  Mostly it is what people put on the potatoes that is fattening like a potato loaded with butter, sour cream, bacon bits, and cheese.  One potato you do want in your diet is sweet potatoes.  Sweet potatoes are loaded with good nutrition including lots of potassium, carotene for vitamin A, fiber which is good for your gut, and healthy antioxidants.  And unlike sweets, sweet potatoes won’t spike your blood sugar as the fiber slows absorption.  (See:  Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes )

4.      Skip the Ultraprocessed Food and Focus on Whole Foods  

As I previously noted, I had a student who focused on eating foods as close to the land as possible.  Thus, he would choose an apple over applesauce.  He ate an orange instead of drinking 100% orange juice.  One doesn’t have to go to this extreme to eat healthier.  Some foods are so processed they have little resemblance to any real food.  Cheetos would be an example.  But one can enjoy snack foods and not have to give up taste.  There are many whole grain chips, popcorn is healthy as it is whole grain.  Whole grain crackers are a healthy choice.  (See:  Is your favorite snack an ultra-processed food? )

5.      Cut back on foods high in added sugar  

Many Americans “drink” their added sugar, by consuming sugar sweetened beverages like soda, flavored coffee drinks, or sports drinks.  Our bodies need sugar but we can get all the “sugar” we need from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  In the article, The sweet danger of sugar , Harvard notes all this added sugar not only leads to weight gain and diabetes, but also heart health.  “... people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumer 8% of their calories as added sugar.”  (Also see:  Is hidden sugar sneaking into your diet? ) 

6.       Eat more whole grains

Many of the students in my class not only had no whole grains in their diets, they really didn’t know which foods were made from whole grains, nor could they name any whole grains.  Most people can name whole wheat and oatmeal.  But there are many different whole grains.  As noted above, popcorn is whole grain and a snack like SkinnyPop would be a healthy choice.  Many other grains are whole grain including barley, quinoa, farro, millet, brown rice, and wild rice.  We make our pancakes with whole grain

7.      What are some dietitian-approved tips for eating healthier in 2025?

·        Always eat breakfast

·        Include a fruit and/or vegetable at every meal

·        Focus on whole grains

·        Eat some high quality protein at every meal (See:  How can you add some high-quality protein foods to your day?

·        Choose healthier snacks – nuts, fruit, popcorn, whole grain crackers, whole grain chips

·        Focus on home-cooked meals vs store bought – for example, make your own PB&J and skip the Uncrustables

·        Read food labels, especially the ingredient list to see what chemicals may be creeping into your diet

In conclusion, adopting healthier eating habits in 2025 doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming.  By focusing on heart-healthy diets, incorporating seed oils, enjoying nutrient-rich sweet potatoes, opting for whole foods over ultraprocessed options, reducing added sugars, and increasing your intake of whole grains, you can take significant strides toward better health.  Additionally, following dietitian-approved tips such as eating breakfast, including fruits or vegetables at every meal, consuming high-quality proteins, choosing healthier snacks, and preparing home-cooked meals can further support your journey to a healthier lifestyle.

Remember, small, consistent changes can lead to big improvements over time.  Here is to a healthier and happier you in 2025!

Sources:  tips , Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 , points , There’s no reason to avoid seed oils and plenty of reason to eat them , Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes , Is your favorite snack an ultra-processed food? , The sweet danger of sugar , Is hidden sugar sneaking into your diet? , SkinnyPop , dietitian-approved tips , How can you add some high-quality protein foods to your day? , Uncrustables    Images:   Healthy New Year , Ultraprocessed food , Seed oils