A healthy diet starts with healthy food
You’ve heard it before, but you can’t hear it enough: Eating healthy is important. But what does that mean? How do you know what’s healthy and what isn’t? The fact of the matter is that healthy food isn’t just about nutrients and calories, though those are certainly important.
The most popular ways to eat healthier
Eating a balanced diet is one of the easiest ways to eat healthier. To start, try adding more fruits and vegetables to your plate. They’re low calorie and high in fiber and nutrients like vitamins A, C, K, E, B6, folate, calcium, and iron. If you’re craving something more substantial than a salad for lunch or dinner, add beans (chickpeas), tofu (soybean curd), lentils, or peas to your meal for protein.
Add Nutrient Dense Foods
A balanced diet includes nutrient-dense foods. These foods provide a lot of vitamins and minerals without a lot of calories or unhealthy fats. Nutrient-dense foods include vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Protein-rich foods such as fish, poultry, beans, and eggs can also be included in the diet for added health benefits. The daily recommended intake for a balanced diet is five servings of fruit and veggies, six servings from the grain group (which includes cereals, etc.), two to three servings from the dairy group (including milk products), four to five servings from the protein-rich food group (fish, poultry beans, etc) and two tablespoons of oil or fat.
Remove Processed Foods
Processed foods are easy to find and inexpensive, and many can be found in grocery stores near fresh produce. However, processed foods are often loaded with hidden sugars and unhealthy fats. The food industry is also notorious for creating products that taste good but don’t provide long-term health benefits. One suggestion is to limit your intake of processed foods as much as possible. Some examples of processed foods include: Store-bought baked goods such as cookies or doughnuts, Packaged snacks such as chips or crackers, Frozen meals or dinners, Canned soups or sauces, and Boxed macaroni, and cheese.
Eat Protein at Every Meal
Protein is one of the most important foods for building muscle mass and staying full throughout the day. Studies have shown that protein can increase satiety, slowing the rate at which your stomach empties after a meal and making you feel fuller for longer periods of time. Protein also helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeping your energy levels stable.
Pre-Plan Your Meals
If you want to start eating healthier but don’t know where to start, try pre-planning your meals! Plan three days of meals and write down everything you need for each dish. You can do this by thinking about what you like and what is available in your kitchen. Write the list on a piece of paper and stick it next to your fridge or pantry so you can easily refer to it when you’re cooking.
Shake Up Your Routine - Variety is Key
Variety is key when it comes to a healthy diet. It’s important to eat a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, and not just the same old fruits and vegetables. Be creative, try new things, and if you don’t like it that much, don’t worry about it – there are plenty of other options out there for you!
Be Patient
It’s a well-known fact that junk food is bad for you. But it’s not just the lack of nutrients and high levels of fat and sugar that make it unhealthy – it’s also the way your brain reacts to these foods. Every time you eat a donut, your brain releases dopamine, which makes you feel good. This is because in evolutionary terms, these foods were scarce and so our brains associate them with survival (even though they’re plentiful now). When we eat such foods regularly, the dopamine release becomes less intense – this is why people get addicted to junk food. It can take months to break free from this addiction by slowly switching to healthier options like vegetables and protein shakes.
Next Post