When it comes to food, the common saying is, you are what you eat. It goes to show you just how much food plays a vital role in your life. If you have been struggling with eating healthy, chances are you have no idea which food options are available to you. Here are the meal options you can use if you have diet concerns.
1. Include Starchier Carbohydrates in Your Diet
Even though starch should form a third of your diet, many people do not take the right starch. If you want to make the most of the starchy carbs, go for whole foods like brown rice and potatoes with their skin on. Refined white food is not good for you since they have very little fiber content and may lead to you constipating. It is recommended to have starchy food with every meal since fiber and starch are good for your body. Without starch, your body will eat into the fat reserves in your body and will lead to your muscles wasting away faster.
2. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
If you realize that you are getting more infections like the flu, chances are you do not have enough vitamins in your body. Including supplements in your diet is a great way of adding more nutrients to your meals. For your vegetable, ensure you do not overcook them as that kills off the vitamins in them.
Eating a raw vegetable salad would help since it comes packed with all the nutrients you need in your body. If you do not want to eat your fruits and veggies as is, you can blend them up and take them in your smoothie. While you do not have to eat them with every meal, ensure you have at least a portion of fruits daily.
3. Cut Down on Saturated Fats and Sugars
Many people are obese because they consume way too much saturated fats and sugars in their diets. You might be eating the recommended meals but how you prepare them is what will matter. For instance, if you eat all your meals fried, you end up with a lot of cholesterol in your system, which will lead to heart disease. These are things to cut from your diet to lose weight. A healthier option, in this case, would be to have this food baked or roasted since it will not use so much fat.
Many of the drinks you take have a lot of added sugar in them, and taking them daily might lead to an insulin imbalance in your body. Instead of eating cakes and biscuits all the time, switch to healthier filling snacks like granola. You can also switch to water instead of fizzy and alcoholic drinks. You will notice a drop in your insulin levels which is what you want, especially if you have diabetes.
4. Cut Down on Your Salt Intake
Other than sugar, too much salt is also not good for your health. Salt is known to increase your blood pressure which is a risk disease. Whether you have issues with your blood pressure or not, you need to work on reducing it before it becomes unmanageable.
Aside from cutting it from your meals at home, take the time and read through the label on the food you buy. It will help you when it comes to choosing food that has low sodium content. For younger children, ensure you reduce their salt intake to less than 6g a day.
5. Stay Hydrated
Another important thing you need to ensure you do is to stay hydrated. Doctors recommend taking 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. It does not matter if you have taken other fluids during the day. Even though you could do nonalcoholic drinks, the best way to hydrate is by taking water, low-fat milk, or coconut water. Sugary and alcoholic drinks do you more harm than good, so they do not count. You might want to take in more water if you exercise since you sweat more than average.
Your diet will determine the kind of lifestyle you live. Many people are battling lifestyle diseases because of the food they eat. The good thing is, most of these lifestyle diseases are reversible if you change your diet. The ideas above will act as a guide as you change your eating habits for the better.
Author’s Bio:
McKenzie is your typical Midwestern gal. When she is not writing or reading, she can be found training for her next half-marathon, baking something sweet, playing her guitar, or cuddling up with her golden retriever, Cooper. She loves watching football, fall weather, and long road trips. To maintain health it is recommended that you get longevity supplements as you increase your fruits and vegetable intake.
