A drastic change in your diet at once can lead
to disaster.
A diet rich in fruits
and vegetables is scientifically proven to provide many health benefits, such
as reducing the risk of multiple chronic diseases and maintaining good health.
However, making major changes to your diet can
sometimes seem overwhelming.
Instead of making big changes, start with some
small changes. In addition, starting with one thing can be easier to manage,
rather than starting everything at once.
This article discusses 25 small changes that
can make a regular diet healthier. Keep in mind that you do not need to try to
do it all at once. Instead, over time, you may want to add these changes to
your life.
1. Slow down
How quickly you eat affects how much you eat,
and how likely you are to gain weight.
In fact, studies comparing different eating
rates have shown that fast-eaters are more likely to eat more and have a higher
body mass index (BMI) than slow-eaters. (1, 2, 3）。
Your appetite, how much you eat, and hormones
control all how much you eat. Whether you are hungry or full, hormones send
signals to your brain.
However, it takes about 20 minutes for your
brain to receive this information. That is why eating more slowly may give your
brain enough time to sense that you are full.
Studies confirm this, showing that eating
slowly may reduce the number of calories you burn during meals and help you
lose weight (4).
Eating slowly has also been linked to more
thorough chewing, which has also been associated with improved weight control (5, 6).
Therefore, simply eating a little slower and
chewing more may help you eat less.
2. Choose whole wheat bread instead of refined bread
By opting for whole wheat bread instead of
traditional refined grain bread, you can easily make your diet healthier.
Refined grains have been linked to many health
problems. Whole grains, on the other hand, have been linked to a variety of
health benefits, including a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
and cancer (7, 8, 9).
They are also a good source for:
- fiber
- B VITAMINS
- Minerals such as zinc, iron,
magnesium and manganese.
There are many varieties of whole wheat bread,
many of which taste even better than refined bread.
Be sure to read the label to make sure your
bread is made only from whole grains and not a mixture of whole grains and
refined grains. Bread preferably contains whole seeds or grains.
3. Add Greek yogurt to your diet
Greek yogurt (or Greek yogurt) is thicker and
creamier than regular yogurt.
It has been filtered to remove excess whey,
which is the watery part of milk. This results in a higher fat and protein
content in the final product than regular yogurt.
In fact, it contains twice as much protein as
the equivalent amount of regular yogurt, or up to 10 grams (10, 11) per 3.5
ounces (100 grams).
Consuming a good source of protein can help
you stay full for a long time, which can help control appetite and reduce food
intake if that is your goal (12).
In addition, since Greek yogurt is already
filtered, it contains fewer carbohydrates and lactose than regular yogurt. This
makes it suitable for people who follow a low-carb diet or are lactose
intolerant.
Simply replace some snacks or regular yogurt
varieties with Greek yogurt to get a lot of protein and nutrients.
Just make sure to choose a normal, tasteless
variety. Flavored yogurt may have added sugar and other less nutritious
ingredients.
4. Don't shop without a checklist
When you go grocery shopping, there are two
important strategies you can use: make your shopping list in advance, and do
not go to the store hungry.
Not knowing exactly what you need will make
room for impulse purchases, and hunger can cause you to throw more low-nutrient
foods into your shopping cart.
That is why the best strategy is to plan and
write down what you need beforehand. By doing so and sticking to your list, you
cannot only buy healthier items to take with you, but you can also save money.
5. Eat eggs, breakfast is the best
Eggs are very healthy, especially if you eat
them in the morning.
They are rich in high-quality protein and many
essential nutrients that people often do not consume enough, such as choline (13).
When looking at studies that compared various
calorie-matching breakfasts, eggs topped the list.
Eating eggs in the morning increases satiety. This
has been shown to cause people to consume fewer calories at dinner. If that is
your goal, it is great for weight loss (14, 15, 16).
For example, a study of 50 people found that
eating breakfast eggs reduced hunger and reduced the amount of calories burned
later in the day compared to breakfast cereal. （16）。
Therefore, simply replacing your current
breakfast with eggs may have significant benefits for your health.
6. Increase protein intake
Protein is often referred to as the king of
nutrition, and it does seem to have some superpowers.
Because of its ability to affect your hunger
and satiety hormones, it is often considered the richest macronutrient (12).
One study showed that eating a high-protein
meal in obese patients lowered auxin-releasing peptide levels of the hunger
hormone compared to a high-carbohydrate meal. （17）。
What's more, protein can help you maintain
muscle mass and can also slightly increase the number of calories you burn each
day (18, 19). This is also important to prevent muscle
mass loss that can occur with weight loss and age (20, 21).
If you want to lose weight, the goal is to add
a protein source to every meal and snack. It will help you feel fuller for
longer, suppress your appetite, and make you less likely to overeat.
Good protein sources include:
- dairy product
- nut
- peanut butter
- egg
- bean
- lean meat
7. Drink enough water
Drinking enough water is important for your
health.
Many studies have shown that drinking water
can increase weight loss and promote weight maintenance, and may even slightly
increase the number of calories you burn per day (22, 23, and 24).
Studies have also shown that drinking water
before meals can reduce appetite and reduce the amount of food eaten after
meals (25, 26).
That said, the most important thing is to
drink water and not other beverages. This may drastically reduce the amount of
sugar and calories you consume (27, 28).
Drinking water regularly may also be
associated with improving dietary quality and can reduce calorie intake from
beverages (29, 30).
8. Bake or grill instead of bake or fry
The way you prepare food can dramatically
change its impact on your health.
Grilling, grilling, frying and frying are all
popular methods of preparing meat and fish.
However, in these types of cooking methods,
several potentially toxic compounds form. These include (31, 32, 33):
- polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons
- late glycosylation end product
- heterocyclic amines
All of these compounds have been linked to a
variety of health conditions, including cancer and heart disease (34, 35, 36).
Healthier cooking methods include:
- roast
- roast
- poaching
- stress cooking
- simmer
- slow cook
- stew
- sous-vide cooking method
These methods do not promote the formation of
these harmful compounds and may make your food healthier (37, 38).
Although you can still enjoy grilled or fried
dishes occasionally, it is best to use these methods with caution.
9. Take omega-3 and vitamin D supplements
Approximately 1 billion people worldwide are
deficient in vitamin D (39).
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is
important for bone health and the proper functioning of the immune system. The
fact that every cell in your body has a vitamin D receptor indicates its
importance (40, 41).
Vitamin d is found in very few foods, but
fatty seafood is usually highest.
Omega-3 fatty acids are another commonly
deficient nutrient found in high-fat seafood. They have many important roles in
the body, including reducing inflammation, maintaining heart health, and
promoting proper brain function. （42）。
The omega-6 fatty acids in the Western diet
are usually very high, which increases inflammation and is associated with many
chronic diseases. （43）。 Omega-3 helps fight this inflammation and
keeps your body in a more balanced state (44).
If you do not eat fatty seafood regularly, you
should consider taking supplements. Omega-3 and vitamin D can often be found in
many supplements.
10. Replace your favorite fast food restaurant
Eating out does not necessarily involve
unhealthy food.
Consider upgrading your favorite fast food
restaurant to one with healthier options.
Many healthy fast food restaurants and fusion
kitchens offer healthy and delicious meals.
They may just be a great alternative to your
favorite burger or pizza. What's more, you can usually get these meals at very
reasonable prices.
11. Try at least one new healthy recipe every week
Deciding what to eat for dinner can be a
constantly frustrating reason, which is why many people tend to use the same
recipes repeatedly. You have probably been cooking the same recipe on autopilot
for years.
Whether these are healthy or unhealthy
recipes, trying something new is a fun way to add more variety to your diet.
Aim to try to make new healthy recipes at
least once a week. This can change your food and nutrient intake, and hopefully
add some new nutritious recipes to your daily routine.
Alternatively, try making healthier favorite
recipes by experimenting with new ingredients, herbs, and spices.
12. Choose baked potatoes instead of French fries
Potatoes are full and are common to many
dishes (45). That is, the method of their preparation
largely determines their impact on health.
First, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of baked
potatoes contain 93 calories, while the same number of French fries contains
more than 3 times (333 calories) (46, 47).
In addition, fried French fries often contain
harmful compounds such as aldehydes and Trans fats (48, 49).
Replacing French fries with roasted or boiled
potatoes is a great way to reduce calories and avoid these unhealthy compounds.
13. Eat vegetables first
A good way to make sure you eat vegetables is
to enjoy them as appetizers.
By doing so, you will most likely finish all
the greens when you are hungriest. This may cause you to eat less of other
dietary ingredients that may not be healthy later on.
It may cause you to consume fewer and
healthier calories overall, which can lead to weight loss.
In addition, eating vegetables before a
carbohydrate-rich diet has been shown to be beneficial for blood sugar levels.
It slows down the rate at which carbohydrates are
absorbed into the bloodstream and may favor short- and long-term glycemic
control in people with diabetes. （50, 51）。
14. Eat your fruits instead of drinking them
Fruits are rich in water, fiber, vitamins and
antioxidants.
Studies have repeatedly linked eating fruit to
a lower risk of multiple health conditions such as heart disease, type 2
diabetes and cancer. （52, 53）。
Because fruits contain fiber and various plant
compounds, their natural sugars are usually digested very slowly and do not
cause blood sugar levels to rise significantly.
However, this also does not apply to juices.
Many juices are not even made from real fruit,
but from concentrates and sugar. Some varieties may even contain as much sugar
as sugary soft drinks (54, 55).
Even real juices lack the fiber and chew
ability that a complete fruit provides. This makes it more likely that juice
will send your blood sugar levels soaring, resulting in you consuming too much
at once.
15. Cook at home often
Try to get into the habit of cooking at home
most nights instead of eating out.
On the one hand, your budget is easier.
Secondly, by cooking your own food, you will
know exactly what is inside. You do not have to suspect any hidden unhealthy or
high-calorie ingredients.
In addition, by cooking large portions, you
can also eat leftovers the next day, thus ensuring a healthy meal.
Finally, cooking at home has been linked to
reducing the risk of obesity and improving the quality of diet, especially in
children. （56, 57）。
16. become more active
Good nutrition and exercise often go hand in
hand. Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and reduce feelings of
depression, anxiety, and stress (58, 59, 60).
These are exactly the exact feelings that are
most likely to lead to emotionalization and overeating (61, 62).
In addition to strengthening muscles and
bones, exercise can also help you (63, 64, 65):
- weight loss
- increase your energy levels
- reduces the risk of chronic
diseases
- improves sleep
the goal is to do about 30 minutes of moderate
to high-intensity exercise a day, or to take stairs and short walks as simply
as possible.
17. Replace sugary drinks with soda
Sugary drinks are probably the unhealthiest
thing you can drink.
They are rich in added sugars, which have been
linked to a number of diseases, including (66):
- heart disease
- corpulent
- type 2 diabetes
In addition, the sugar added to these drinks
does not affect appetite like regular foods. This means that you will not
compensate for the calories you consume by eating less (67).
A 16-ounce (492 ml) sugary soda contains
approximately 207 calories (55).
Try replacing sugary drinks with sugar-free
drinks, or simply opt for still water or soda. Doing so reduces unhelpful
calories and reduces excess sugar intake.
18. Stay away from "slimming" foods
So-called slimming foods can be very
deceptive. Their fat content is usually significantly reduced and are often labeled
as "fat-free," "low-fat," "fat-reducing," or
"low-calorie."
However, to compensate for the loss of flavor
and texture of fat, sugar and other ingredients are often added.
As a result, many diet foods end up containing
more sugar; sometimes even more calories than full-fat foods (68).
Instead, choose whole foods, such as fruits
and vegetables.
19. Get a good night's sleep
The importance of good sleep cannot be
overemphasized.
Lack of sleep can disrupt appetite regulation
and often lead to increased appetite. This leads to increased calorie intake
and weight gain (69).
In fact, people who sleep too little tend to
weigh more than those who get enough sleep (69, 70).
Sleep deprivation can also negatively affect
attention, productivity, athletic performance, glucose metabolism, and immune
function. （71, 72, 73, 74, 75）。
What's more, it increases your risk of
developing a variety of diseases, including inflammation and heart disease (76, 77).
That is why it is important to try to get
enough quality sleep, preferably done all at once.
20. Eat fresh berries instead of dried berries
Berries are very healthy and rich in
nutrients, fiber and antioxidants. Most varieties can be purchased fresh,
frozen or dried.
Although all types are relatively healthy,
dried varieties are a more concentrated source of calories and sugars because
all the moisture has been removed.
A 3.5-ounce (100-g) serving of fresh or frozen
strawberries contains 31-35 calories, while a 3.5-ounce (100-g) serving of
dried strawberries contains up to 375 calories (78, 79).
Dried varieties are also often covered with
sugar, further increasing the sugar content.
By choosing a fresh variety, you get a juicy
snack that has less sugar and fewer calories.
21. Choose popcorn instead of fries
Popcorn is a whole grain rich in nutrients and
fiber, which can come as a surprise.
A 3.5-ounce (100-g) serving of air popcorn
contains 387 calories and 15 grams of fiber, while the same number of potato
chips contains 532 calories and only 3 grams of fiber (80, 81).
Whole grain-rich diets have been linked to
health benefits, such as reduced risk of inflammation and heart disease. （82, 83）。
For a healthy snack, try making your own
popcorn at home (not a microwave popcorn variety) or buy air popcorn.
Many commercial varieties make popcorn out of
fat, sugar, and salt, making it no healthier than potato chips.
22. Choose a healthy oil
Unfortunately, over the past few decades,
highly processed seed and vegetable oils have become staple foods in the
household.
Examples include soybean oil, cottonseed oil,
sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil.
These oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids but
low in omega-3 fatty acids for heart health.
A high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can lead to
inflammation and has been linked to chronic diseases such as heart disease,
cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disorders (43, 44).
Swap these oils for healthier alternatives,
such as:
- extra virgin olive oil
- avocado oil
- coconut oil
23. Eat from a small plate
It turns out that the size of the cutlery
affects how much you eat.
Eating on a large plate can make your portion
look smaller, while eating it on a small plate can make it look bigger (84, 85).
According to one study, eating on smaller
plates was associated with increased satiety and reduced energy intake in
participants with healthy weight. （86）。
In addition, if you do not realize you are
eating more than usual, you will not make up for it by eating less at your next
meal (87). By eating with smaller utensils, you can
make your brain think you are eating more, reducing the likelihood that you
will eat too much.
24. set aside the salad dressing
For many, being able to order a salad at a restaurant
is an amazing achievement.
However, not all salads are equally healthy. In
fact, some salads are smothered by high-calorie condiments, which can make the
salads calories higher than other items on the menu.
Asking for a dressing on the side makes it
easier to control the size and amount of calories you burn.
25. Drink black coffee
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in
the world and is very healthy.
In fact, it is a major source of antioxidants
and has been linked to many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of type 2
diabetes, mental decline, and liver disease. （88, 89, 90）。
However, many commercial varieties of coffee
contain many additional ingredients such as sugar, syrups, thick cream, and
sweeteners.
Drinking these varieties quickly cancels out
all the health benefits of coffee, which instead adds a lot of extra sugar and
calories.
Instead, try drinking black coffee or adding
only a small amount of milk or cream instead of sugar.
Bottom
line
A
drastic change in your diet at once can lead to disaster.
Instead, try combining some of the small
changes listed above to make your diet healthier.
Some of these tips will help you maintain
reasonable portion sizes; while others will help, you add nutrients or adjust
to something new.
Together, they will have a significant impact
on making your overall diet healthier and more sustainable, without your habits
changing dramatically.