CAPE CORAL, Fla. — While the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are getting ready to hit the field, most football fans are getting ready to indulge some of those iconic game finger foods.
Super Bowl Sunday is considered to be the second day of the year where Americans consume that most food.
Nutritionist Erika Graziani shares some tips to help you stay healthy during Super Bowl LIV.
“By rule of thumb, if you just take your time and aim to chew 20 times with each bite, and put the fork down in-between bites, that can really slow down the process and allow the stomach and brain to communicate,” said Graziani, Outpatient Nutrient Program Coordinator with Lee Health.
Graziani says this helps people know when they're beginning to get full.
"It’s really about being mindful to avoid senseless eating during the game," said Graziani.
While the average person can feel better by simply moving around after overeating, people with medical conditions should be more cautious.
“As the metabolism is trying to adjust, it increases to break all this food down, which can cause your heart rate to increase, so if you have some medical problems, I can see where that could scale into some problems such as heart attacks,” said Graziani.
“If you get nauseated, vomiting, stomach pains, chest pains, or anything like that, you definitely want to seek medical help to make sure it’s not something more serious.”
For people who still want to enjoy some of those Super Bowl food staples like pizza and wings, Graziani says alternatives can make a significant difference.
“Maybe you could make your own pizza using a whole grain crust, and backing off some of those processed high salt meats like pepperoni and stick more with the vegetables or even grilled chicken,” said Graziani.
Other small changes include swapping out regular dressings for yogurt-based dressings.
