Packing More Nutrition into the Diet
With all of the information that we are bombarded with concerning nutrition and health, it is very easy to get overwhelmed or confused. Over and over we hear how important good nutrition is for a healthy lifestyle, but how do we pack more nutrients into our daily diet? There are simple steps to follow to have a more nutritious and delicious diet. Even the very busy person can become a nutrition savvy cook and shopper with just a little bit of time and effort.
First and foremost, do not forget the small stuff. This might sound silly, but many people do not get enough vegetables in their diets. We get so busy worrying about making the perfect pot roast that we ignore the delicious and nutritious side dishes. Make vegetables your main dish and place the meat to the side. This means you will have to be adventurous with your vegetable gathering. Try some vegetables that you do not normally buy. Avoid that canned food aisle in the supermarket and head over to the fresh produce section. Select a large butternut squash or an acorn squash. Roasted, squash is really delicious and low in fat and calories. You can easily slice a butternut squash in half, remove the seeds and bake it in the oven until it is soft. Sprinkle the squash with just a pinch of cinnamon and you have a scrumptious center point for a wonderful dinner.
If you can work at trying new vegetables, you will really be amazed at the results. Skip the regular corn and green beans and try some snow peas or fresh greens. Collard greens and kale are tasty when you add them to your corned beef recipe or just drizzle them with olive oil. Increasing your intake of vegetables is the simplest way to lower your caloric intake and decrease the amount of salt and fat in your diet.
Beans are almost as good as meat in many recipes. Try adding some legumes to your diet when you want that extra protein boost. Next time you create the perfect pot of chili, substitute kidney beans for half of the meat. If you like Mexican food, make it at home to avoid the fat and additives that come from restaurant foods. Beans and other legumes are an important part of any diet and are often overlooked when it comes to the average dinner menu.
Second, and also very important, plan your snacks. When a person gets very hungry, they tend to eat anything they can find. This means that those candy bars and snack machines begin to look very good. To avoid eating empty calories and foods that contain little or no nutritional value, plan your snacks ahead of time. Gather foods that are easy to prepare and foods that you enjoy. Fresh fruit is a basic snack that takes little or no preparation time. You can easily peel a banana or eat an apple at your desk. Frozen grapes or frozen orange juice can be a nice alternative to sherbet or ice cream. Snacking options are endless if you can be a little creative.
Switch to olive oil when possible. If you are able to substitute olive oil for any other type of cooking oil, do it. Olive oil is packed with antioxidants and vitamin E. If you must have oil in your diet, make sure that the oil is as healthy as you can possibly make it. Olive oil is wonderful as a substitute for butter in many recipes and it tastes delicious on bread.
Add nuts and seeds to your salads. If your salad is getting boring, add some nuts or seeds. Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chopped walnuts and even peanuts are a delicious addition to almost any salad. Nuts and seeds can also be added to yogurt or cereal or even oatmeal. To make your breakfast filling, add seeds and fruit to your oatmeal or cereal. The added protein and fat (healthy fat) from the nuts or seeds will help to keep you feeling full longer. The crunchy taste of nuts can be an excellent snack option when you are craving something crunchy or even salty. You can purchase nuts that are lightly salted or plain at your local grocery store.
Remember that water should be one of your basic food groups. Substitute water for one other beverage each day. If you normally have 2 sodas during the day, make one of those a water instead. Water is filling and contains no calories. Do not waste your daily calories on sugary drinks. If you can substitute water for all of your usual beverages, you might even have room in your diet for a cookie or two!
Stay away from the processed, bagged, boxed and canned foods. Choose healthy options like whole grain bread and whole wheat pasta when you shop. You can pick wild rice instead of processed rice and you can even make your own french fries. Slice a potato into slivers and toss it with a little salt and olive oil. Pop the potato slices in the oven until crisp and you have a delicious snack or side dish without the guilt. Leave the peels on your potatoes and vegetables as much as you possibly can. Peels often contain a large quantity of a vegetable's nutrients. Even mashed potatoes taste great with the peels left on. If you are feeling adventurous, switch to sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are filled with nutrients, tasted delicious and are low in calories.
To pack more nutrients into your daily diet, take small steps. If on Monday, you skip just 1 soda and have water instead, you have made a good decision for your health. Switch from coffee to green tea and you have added vital nutrients to your daily intake. These tiny adjustments are easy to add to your lifestyle and can make a huge difference in your overall health. Start with a small change and adding nutrients to your diet will be much easier.
Eating healthy snacks, making dieting easy!
At Tavva Kitchen we’re passionate about providing the highest quality products with a focus on simple and easy solutions to create daily healthy eating habits.
We believe that the most important factor in achieving weight-loss success is to find a way to cope with your cravings. Our stainless steel storage containers with silicone lids make easy and fun to portion your healthy snacks for IIFYM, Paleo, Keto or any custom diet plan.
Enjoy your healthy food habits!
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