Many of us automatically think about restricting what we eat when we hear the word ‘diet,’ but healthy eating doesn’t have to mean giving up all the foods you love.
The main aim of changing your diet should be to enhance nutrition so that your body gets all the goodness it needs. In this guide, we’ll highlight some easy ways to make your diet more nutritious.
Upgrade your diet
Keep a food diary
Keeping a food diary is a simple, quick way to track what you eat and make sure that you’re getting the nutrients you need. Use an app to analyze your diet and identify areas for improvement. You may be surprised at how much sugar you eat in an average week, or your diet may lack protein or fiber, for example. Use your app to help you make changes so that you hit recommended daily targets for key nutrients.
Vary your menu
Many of us get bored of eating the same dishes over and over again, but it can be difficult to find the time and energy to experiment. The good news is that it’s never been easier to find inspiration for healthy, quick meals and snacks.
Using the Internet, you can search for recipes and filter results based on the ingredients you have, how much time you want to spend preparing and cooking the meal, and what kind of meal you’re looking to create. If you tend to gravitate towards sandwiches every lunchtime, or you’re bored of the same old dishes for dinner, why not switch things up with vibrant, nutritious options like a Mediterranean quinoa bowl?
Take ideas from TV cooking shows, social media, books and food blogs and forums and vary your menu to include a wide range of ingredients. Even the smallest changes, like trying a different sauce with fresh pasta, or swapping the type of meat or fish you eat can help you make your diet more varied.
Add fruit and vegetables
Health experts usually recommend eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. If you struggle to hit this target, there are some very easy ways to boost your daily total.
Make a breakfast smoothie or a homemade juice using fruit and vegetables, add a side of salad or vegetables to your lunch and dinner and swap snacks like crisps and cookies for a piece of fruit or some raw vegetables like carrot or celery sticks. You can also add extra vegetables to soups and sauces.
Swap to whole grains
Whole grains contain less sugar and more fiber and they are beneficial for heart health. Next time you go to the store, try to swap white bread, pasta and rice for whole-grain versions, including wholemeal bread and brown pasta and rice.
Healthy eating is incredibly beneficial for your body and mind. If you’re looking to improve your nutrition, you don’t have to overhaul your weekly menu or give up all the foods you love. Simple changes, such as increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat, adding whole-grain foods, varying your diet and using a food diary can help you to boost your health and create delicious, homemade meals.
