Why we celebrate World Health Day

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.

 9. Prepare your food yourself as often as possible

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.