People often think of nutrition as boring. The fact is that eating well doesn’t need to be a miserable experience. Exploring nutrition can give you an entirely new outlook on food. Try to look at the food that you eat as nourishment by applying these simple tricks to help achieve a healthier body.
Salad dressing is what really can make a salad unhealthy for you. Creamy dressings can add fat and calories to an otherwise healthy meal. Opt for a healthy vinagrette for your salad, or better yet, make your own using olive oil and a high-quality vinegar. Adding healthy toppings to a salad (like cranberries or walnuts) will also improve their benefits.
For optimal nutrition, choose foods that are in their natural state. You can significantly lower your intake of unhealthy fats and other toxic substances by opting for foods that are fresh and have not been preserved or processed.
Check the package labels on prepared foods. Double check all foods because some foods that are labeled “reduced-fat” are actually higher in salt, sugar and a variety of other unhealthy additives. Foods that have been highly processed are not good to eat when weight loss is the goal. The healthiest items at the grocery store will have a list of ingredients you recognize. Labels with a lot of ingredients – particularly artificial ingredients – are a red flag.
Consume whole grains as part of your daily diet. When you eat whole grains you will be in better health, refined carbs are bad for you. Make sure that the items you choose are made with 100% whole grains and are not just “enriched” with them. Your digestive tract will thank you for eating whole grains by functioning well. Whole grains also provide a steadier energy supply. Refined carbohydrates give a quick burst of energy and a spike in glucose levels, but this is followed by a quick decline in energy.
Ground Turkey
Eat ground turkey rather than ground beef. Ground turkey meat does not have as many calories or as much saturated fat as beef. Be sure to choose ground turkey breast. The reason for this is that dark meat turkey is very similar to ground beef nutritionally speaking. Certain ground turkey has both dark meat and breast, meaning there is still saturated fat.
Try replacing some of the white flour in your baked goods with whole wheat flour to boost their nutritional content. Using 100% whole wheat flour will boost the fiber, protein and iron content of your foods.
As you can see, eating a balanced, nutritious diet is easy and fun. There is a lot of room for creativity in the world of food, so it is a wonderful way to enhance your quality of life without limiting yourself. These tips are only the beginning to a new, healthier you!
