ST. CLOUD -- March is National Nutrition Month and CentraCare Health in St. Cloud is offering tips on how to improve your diet.

Registered Dietitian Danny Armbrust says the best thing is to not drastically change your diet overnight.

"We recommend that people make gradual changes," Armbrust says. "So that they are hopefully habits that they can stick to."

Armbrust says they like to start by focusing on people's fruit and vegetable intake.

"Most people don't get the five to nine servings [of fruits and vegetables] a day, so trying to make a goal of eating more fruits and veggies throughout the day is a really good place to start."

Grains tend to get a bad rap because of their high level of carbohydrates, but Armbrust says bread is not the enemy.

"Some people think that all grains are bad -- but those would be more of the starchy foods (potatoes, rice, pasta)," Armbrust says. "The thing with the starches is we tend to eat too much of it and overdo it in that category."

When it comes to other food groups, Armbrust says to opt for low-fat dairy products like yogurt and leaner meats and beans for protein.

"[We] encourage people to try to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups," Armbrust says. "Don't feel like your diet has to be perfect -- any little changes you can make are going to be great."

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