3 small differences in your meals to elevate your diet
Do you want to eat more healthfully but don’t have the time to make big changes to your diet? According to the CDC’s most recent Dietary Guidelines, “a healthy diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk products, includes a variety of protein foods, and is low in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.” And guess what, the best side is that it’s not as difficult as you think. Here are 3 changes you can easily make that will elevate your diet.
Switch to whole grains
“Cut out carbs!” This is what I used to hear very commonly as a solution to eating more healthfully and maintaining weight. However, an introduction to nutrition class I am currently taking at UC Berkeley taught me otherwise. Carbohydrates are healthy. They are the main source of energy for our body, which makes them crucial for us to be energized. Pasta, bread, and cereals are perhaps things we eat every single day. Switching out your ordinary carbs to whole grain carbs, such as whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, and brown pasta will be very beneficial for your diet. Whole grains contain dietary fibers that have many health benefits, such as healthy digestion, reduced risk for heart disease, obesity, etc. These whole grains are also very easy to substitute in your diet. This will create a big difference in health benefits and only a small difference in taste, especially with your favorite pasta sauce or your favorite spread for bread.
Add lemon to your water
Adults are recommended to drink between 2.7–3.7 liters of water, depending on gender. Drinking water during the day might be a hassle in between your busy schedule. Also, when you don’t spread out your water intake throughout the day, the recommended amount is difficult to consume in a short period of time. There are also many people who do not prefer the taste of water. But not to worry — there is a quick fix. Adding a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice or simply dropping a lemon slice in your water will both add flavor to your water, making it easier and more enjoyable to drink, and will be a great source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is commonly under-consumed and it is highly beneficial in boosting immunity, reducing the risk of heart disease, etc. This quick change in your diet will motivate you to reach your target amount of water and provide you with a great source of vitamin C.
Eat more fruits
Fruits are your best friend in a diet. Besides being an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they are very tasty and have varieties that can satisfy anyone. A healthy diet limits foods that are higher in added sugars and saturated fat. When we look for snacks, many of us tend to satisfy our cravings for sugar and chocolate. Our quick snacks end up being very unhealthy. Fruit as a quick snack is both a healthy option to substitute in place of sugary snacks and also a tasty, satisfying one. One other way to eat more fruits could be to add them to your meals. For example, you could add peaches, strawberries, pomegranates, or oranges to your salads to make them more enjoyable to eat.
To find out more about successfully incorporating these changes into your diet, check out Insumo, where you can track your healthy eating habits and more!
