Society is becoming increasingly health-conscious, as more people are embracing exercise, buying wellness products and quitting smoking. If you’re one of the millions of people making changes to your lifestyle, you will likely want to consume food and drinks that can improve your general health.
To create a happier and more energetic body, read this mini guide to making your food healthier.
Use Less Oil to Slash Calories
Extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil might be good for your heart, but they are loaded with approximately 120 calories per teaspoon. To enjoy all the health benefits without adding unnecessary calories onto your plate, try to use less oil in your cooking. If possible, roast dishes in the oven or fry ingredients on a non-stick, cast-iron, or enamel-coated skillet to decrease the amount of oil you will need.
Add CBD Oil into Your Dishes
Cooking oils aren’t the only oils that offer health benefits. While CBD oil shouldn’t be used as a cooking aid, it is believed to provide the body with many benefits when added to a dish. While additional studies are required, organic CBD oil could ease various health issues, such as anxiety, depression, inflammation, or pain. It is an easy way to maximize the health benefits of a meal without interfering with the flavors or textures.
Prep Salad the Day Before
Did you know you should prepare salad the day before you eat it? Tearing at iceberg or romaine lettuce the day before can reportedly quadruple the antioxidants. Also, a salad will maintain its health benefits if you shred the greens with your fingers. Don’t forget to place a paper towel with the produce in a plastic bag to keep it fresh and delicious.
Don’t Chop Your Carrots Before Cooking
Carrots will retain their nutritious value when raw and whole. If you need to cook carrots for a dish or maybe you want to add them as ingredients to make healthy hamburgers, it is recommended to cook them whole first. Serve whole carrots to ensure you and your loved ones enjoy the many benefits of the vegetable, and you won’t need to compromise on quality or flavor.
Let Garlic Rest for 10 Minutes
As you may know, garlic offers many health benefits, such as anti-cancer properties, vitamin b6, natural antibiotics, and vitamin C. However, don’t chop the nutritious ingredient and throw it straight into a pan or tray. Instead, you must allow it to sit on a cutting board for 10 minutes after chopping, pressing, or mashing, as resting will release more of its medicinal qualities. After 10 minutes, you should then add the garlic into your cooking.
Choose Canned Tomatoes Over Fresh
Believe it or not, canned tomatoes are healthier than fresh alternatives. Canned tomatoes reportedly contain the richest source of lycopene, which may lower a person’s risk of heart disease, macular degeneration, and prostate cancer. If you prefer fresh tomatoes, look for smaller options with a deep red color, as they will add more nutrients to a dish.
Cook Healthy Carbohydrate Sources in Bulk
Large quantities of brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and whole-wheat pasta can be prepared, divided into snap-lock bags, and then frozen in individual servings. In this manner, you will always have something available to include in a meal. You are less likely to choose a less-than-smart carbohydrate between meals if you choose a smart carbohydrate source at a main meal.
Pre-marinate your Meat, Chicken or Fish
When you eat food, you actually enjoy, eating healthfully is much more enjoyable. We can make food more enjoyable by incorporating various flavors and keeping it interesting and varied. Try placing pieces of lamb or chicken along with lemon, garlic, oregano, and olive oil in a container or snap-lock bag and freezing. Then all that is left to do is cook and defrost. You could also try these simple combinations:
- Lemon juice, olive oil, and a Moroccan spice blend
- Ginger, soy sauce, and lime juice.
Make Open-faced Sandwiches
Since the bread holds all of the fillings together, we are aware that it is likely the most crucial component of the sandwich. But why even bother with the top half when the bottom slice can hold everything just fine? Simply toast one slice of bread and top it with all of your preferred sandwich fixings to save a few calories.
Bake Fries
Did you know that one of the best foods to control appetite is a potato? It is real! In addition to the variety of nutrients they can provide, they are a fantastic source of satiety in your diet. However, if your fries are dripping with oil (and probably contain a lot of saturated fat), they aren’t the healthiest option for your body as a whole. It doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t eat fries. Cut the fries into pieces, add a little oil, salt, and pepper, and roast them in the oven. You can still enjoy a satisfying side dish or crispy snack without the excess fat and calories.
Double-up on Veggies
You don’t have to limit yourself to bland salads if you want to eat healthily. You can actually eat some of your favorite foods, including burgers, pizza, and pasta. The secret is to complete your meals by serving a lot of filling vegetables. Stack pizzas and burgers with your favorite vegetable toppings. Combine some pasta with your preferred roasted vegetables. This will not only enrich your meal with a ton of nutrients and fiber, but it will also make you feel satiated.
Make a Roux for Cream-based Dishes
It may sound like a bad idea to eat pasta dishes with cream sauces, but only if you do so. Instead, you can make a roux to lighten it up and then turn it into a thick, creamy sauce. Melt the butter, add the flour, whisk to combine, then slowly add the regular milk (not the cream!) until the sauce is thick. And there you have it—cheese added! a wonderful cream sauce.
Add Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a great source of dietary fiber, did you know that? One of the best nutrients to include in your meals is fiber because it promotes weight loss and prevents autoimmune diseases. Chia seeds are a simple way to add fiber to some of your meals, particularly breakfast foods. For a significant fiber boost, you can add it to yogurt or overnight oats, sprinkle it on a slice of toast with peanut butter, or even make chia seed pudding for breakfast.
Heat Frozen Berries for an Easy Jam
Who doesn’t enjoy a delicious PB&J? Although it’s a traditional dish, if you’re not careful, the sugar content can rise quickly. Instead, stir in 1/2 cup of berries and heat the mixture until the berries are softened. Your toast with peanut butter will taste even better when the berries are heated. An improved PB&J. Oatmeal, pancakes, or muffins are just a few examples of foods you can enjoy with jam if you use this trick.
Freeze Fruit and Kale for Easy Smoothies
Do you have any spoiled fruit in the refrigerator? Freeze it for later before it disappears entirely. Place 1 cup of kale, 1/2 a banana, and 1/2 a cup of your preferred fruit in small freezer bags. Blend the smoothie mix with 1 cup of almond milk, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1 scoop of protein powder when making a smoothie.
Leave the Skins on
Why peel apples, potatoes, or carrots when the skins contain a substantial amount of nutrients? Leave these items’ natural vegetable skins on unless the recipe instructs you to peel them in order to reap their health benefits.
Microwave Garlic for 7 Seconds
One of the most annoying steps when preparing a recipe that calls for garlic is peeling the bulb. Even though you could shake it up in a mason jar, microwaving the garlic cloves will help them come out of the peel much more quickly. The garlic cloves will easily come out of their peels when you grab them after being placed in a small bowl and being microwaved for 7 seconds.
Add a Splash of Milk to Scrambled Eggs
Making fluffy scrambled eggs is simpler than you might think! To get there, though, you don’t have to smother your eggs in cream and cheese. Instead, simply combine two cracked eggs with a splash of milk in a bowl. Combine with a whisk, then cook on the pan with very little butter. Use a rubber spatula to stir continuously until the eggs are almost done cooking, then remove from the pan.
Thicken Sauces with Pasta Water
Don’t worry or add more flour than you need if your roux turned out to be runnier than you had anticipated. Use some of the pasta water that your pasta is cooking in instead. The starch that is released into the water as the pasta boils can be easily used as you cook. Pour one or two tablespoons into the sauce pan and stir. It will thicken on its own.
Cook Shrimp with Shells on
Dried-out shrimp is probably the last thing you want to eat, especially after paying a high price for them. Instead, purchase shrimp that still have their shells on (which is usually less expensive) and cook them in the sauce you are making with those shells. The shrimp becomes even softer and juicier thanks to the shells, which also help to retain all of that juicy flavor.
Let Pancake Batter Sit for 15 Minutes
The most common ingredient for pancake recipes is baking powder, a leavening agent. The secret to making fluffy pancakes as opposed to flat pancakes is baking powder. However, if you don’t give your pancake batter enough time to sit, the baking powder won’t have a chance to fully dissolve and create fluffy pancake batter. Therefore, after mixing the batter (but not too much, as those lumps create wonderful air pockets for the pancake! ), set it aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the pan and the toppings. This means that if the pancakes are fluffier, you’ll probably eat fewer of them and fewer of the flat, calorie-dense flapjacks.
Conclusion
Healthy living is a way of life, not just a diet. Combine smart habits, regular exercise, and eating well. Adults need to exercise for at least 150 minutes a week at a moderate intensity. Every day, kids and teenagers should exercise for at least 60 minutes. You should stop smoking if you do. You should also consume alcohol in moderation. There shouldn’t be more than one drink per day for women. Men should limit their daily alcohol intake to two drinks. If you need assistance quitting alcohol or smoking, speak with your doctor.
By committing to a healthy lifestyle, you can lower your risk of developing certain diseases. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are a few of these. If you’re concerned, try gradually altering your diet with small changes. If you have any questions, consult a dietitian or your family physician.