16 cheap and easy ways to eat more healthy foods
Eating well
is one of the most important things you should try to do every day, no matter
what your goals are. And while it can sometimes be difficult and even expensive
to make healthy choices, it's not necessary. We've put together a simple list
of 16 tips to make eating healthier and easier.
Shopping
and food storage
1. Don't go
hungry shopping
Even if you
have a pre-prepared list of what to buy for the week, if your stomach breaks,
it's easy to get tempted and eat bad food. Therefore, before heading to the
supermarket, eat something saturated and healthy. This will certainly help you
avoid impulse purchases, which you may later regret.
2. Choose
fresh or frozen products instead of canned ones
This applies
to both vegetables and fruits, legumes and soups. If you avoid canned foods,
you will reduce a lot of sodium (and sugar if we talk about fruits). In
addition, fresh produce is always tastier and often cheaper.
3. Don't
eat it if you can't grow it (in theory)
Monosodium
glutamate does not grow on trees. Nor can you get some fructose syrup or
colorings. By contrast, such ingredients are found in many (if not most)
products in the store - from chips to juice. In addition, studies have linked
them to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, liver damage, and more.
So you
better return to the shelf everything from a shopping cart that you
theoretically cannot grow on your own. It is always better to buy real potatoes
and boil them than to reach for a box of mashed potatoes. Or cook oatmeal with
fruit, replacing the sugar-filled cereal.
4. Choose
whole grains
After the
cereals undergo processing to produce, for example, white flour, two important
components of the grains are removed - the sheath and the embryo. The problem
is, they contain most of the health-giving substances, including vitamin E,
B-group vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein and healthy fats. So choose
whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice.
5.
Avoid sweet drinks
Is
there any sugar added, delete it. Not only do sugary foods contain too many
extra calories, but they also increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and
obesity. Replace sweetened beverages (even dietary variants) with water (may be
naturally sweetened with fruits), tea, other useful beverages and fresh fruits.
6. Go
to the edges of the store
Exteriors
of supermarkets are usually places where fruits and vegetables, bread, meat and
dairy products are stored, while in the interior are products that have
undergone serious processing and are filled with too much sugar and sodium. Of
course there are always exceptions, but try to stick to the 80:20 rule - fill
80% of the cart with products from outside stands and up to 20% with products
from inside stands.
7.
Prepare light snacks in advance
If
you are hungry for office, you will easily be tempted by waffles and croissants
at a nearby cafe. The solution? Prepare easy to store and carry snacks in
advance, divided into small portions. For example, dried fruits and nuts are a
good option.
8.
Keep healthy foods in front of the refrigerator
Make
sure that when you open the fridge, healthy foods come first. If the remaining
piece of cake is at the bottom, the chance of picking fruit for dessert is
greatly increased. You can also leave unhealthy foods in sealed containers and
envelopes so that they are not as tempting as the useful options may be in
clear packages.
It's not
about giving up eating completely. But cooking as much of your own food as you
can is the easiest way to control what you eat. However, keep in mind that
cooking at home may be healthy, but not necessarily. So pay special attention
to the portions, cooking methods and ingredients used.
10.
Diversify your spices in your kitchen
Spices are
a great way to make your food more tasty and useful and eliminate excessive
consumption of salt and oil. And there are spices that fight inflammation in
the body. In this regard, you can learn from people in the Middle East and
India.
11. Add
vegetables to everything.
Are you
preparing your scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs? A little chopped vegetables
will not hurt. They go as an excellent addition even to pizza or pasta sauce.
You can add vegetables to just about anything you can think of.
12. Stop
counting calories
At the very
least, it's really annoying to constantly keep track of the labels. Instead,
try to build your menu around colorful and fresh foods. This makes it much
easier to make your diet healthy.
13. Start
your day with a healthy breakfast
The day is
known in the morning. You heard it, didn't you? Therefore, it is a good idea to
get a healthy and satisfying breakfast. According to a study from the
University of Kansas Hospital, your morning menu is best served with a lot of
protein. So it looks like an omelet really is a great option (just remember
your vegetables too).
14. Control
portions
Not only do
you reduce your portions, you also get smaller plates. Otherwise, your brain
perceives the empty space on the plate (especially if it is white) as a food
shortage. Also, when eating, make sure you do not leave the tray or saucepan
close to you. When you eat your portion, wait a little while and if you are
still hungry, then go for extra. Keep in mind that it takes about 20 minutes
for the brain to receive a signal that you are full and do not need more food.
15. Replace
the dessert with fruit
This is a
great way to satisfy your appetite for something sweet without the side effects
of refined sugar. And also get extra fiber and vitamins. In addition, you will
avoid a drop in blood sugar levels, which can make you very sleepy. If you
can't do without dessert, at least add fruit to it.
16. Turn
off the TV, computer and phone
Being
distracted with something while eating is almost a surefire way to overeat. In
addition, according to a study by the University of Liverpool, TV ads are
pushing us to make worse food choices.
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