A healthy diet can help in regulating many natural bodily functions and in preventing several chronic diseases as well. The health benefits include reducing the risk of diabetes, heart problems and even cancer. However, it is also suggested not to make any major diet changes in your routine as it can also have a negative impact on your body. Make small alterations and that too very slowly, so that your body can adapt them positively. You can even try including atleast one new healthy recipe in your schedule every week. This will not only play a role in maintaining your diet but also make the process more interesting. Along with all the healthy diet ways, you also need to stay active and have a regular workout routine and take good sleep too. Read further to know about some tips to make your diet healthier.
Tips to make diet healthier
There are many different ways to make you follow a healthy lifestyle. Foods such as yogurt, whole grain bread and eggs play a crucial role in your diet plan. So, here are 9 simple tips to make your diet healthier:
1. Add Greek yogurt in your diet
Green yogurt is thicker, heavier and creamier as compared to the normal yogurt. It is the result of straining the watery part of milk. Greek yogurt has high amounts of protein and fat. Moreover, including Greek yogurt in your diet will keep you full for longer hours as it contains up to three times the amount of protein found in the same amount of regular yogurt and is a low calorie food. It also has less carbohydrates and lactose than regular yogurt. You just have to use Greek yogurt as an alternative for normal yogurt in your meals and different snacks. Remember to buy only non flavoured greek yogurt as it should not have any added sugars.
2. Eggs for breakfast
When you need a healthy, filling and nutritious meal, you can count on any variety of eggs. They can fulfil your body's protein requirement and add many other nutrients to your plate. And, you can have eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well, because they are versatile and easily affordable. However, it is considered best if you have eggs for breakfast. They are also a rich source of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids, due to which you can make them a part of your healthy diet. There are many different ways to prepare and consume eggs at home. You can have scrambled, hard-boiled, egg curry, sunny side up, omelette and poached eggs in your breakfast meal.
3. Eat slowly
Another healthy diet tip is that you should habituate yourself to eat slowly in order to maintain intervals between your meals and to consume less quantity of foods. Try and enjoy each and every bite of your food slowly. Having your meals slowly fills your stomach early and makes you not binge snacks unnecessarily. Avoid distracting yourself with TV, mobile phones, etc and focus on your meal in a proper time frame. Eating slowly is the key to make your diet healthier.
Also read: 11 Nutrition Tips For Better Health And Longevity
4. Do not drink your fruits
You can see people choosing juices and smoothies over eating a whole fruit. These options are not at all healthy and can increase the sugar content in your body. Therefore, try eating a fruit whenever you feel hungry or want to have fruits during the day. High calorie drinks are not included in a healthy diet and can lead to significant weight gain. Having an apple, orange and banana everyday is considered good for the body. Fruits are extremely healthy and contain all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals necessary for your body.
5. Roast or bake your food instead of frying
There is always an option to choose baked chips and crackers over fried french fries or chips. Fried food can increase the cholesterol in your body and become harmful. It is not healthy to consume fried munchies all the time. You should prefer having baked or roasted food as a replacement. The method of cooking your food greatly determines the health effects. Therefore, try and reduce the calorie count by avoiding fried food and having roasted or baked food instead, even if it is chicken.
6. Have whole grain bread
Eating more fiber and dairy products can help with the functioning of your intestines. Fruits, vegetables and whole grain bread are rich in fiber and can also help in keeping your stomach full for a long period of time as compared to other foods. Whole grain bread is a rich source of fiber, B vitamins and many other minerals, such as zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese. There are various types of whole-grain breads available in the market and some of them even taste better than refined bread. So, you can easily make your diet healthier by replacing refined bread with whole grain bread.
Also read: Ghee Vs Vegetable Oil- Which Is Good For Your Heart, An Insight By Dietitian Swati Bathwal
7. Eat green vegetables first
Another good way to make sure of a healthy diet is by having as much green vegetables as possible. Even if you have a plate of food in front of you, it is best to have the green leafy vegetables first. Prefer eating them as your starter. This way, you will be able to eat less of other foods and have the advantage of the nutrients in veggies getting into your body first. The healthy components in green vegetables may help in low calorie intake, which can even play a major role in losing weight. And, consuming even a small vegetables before a high carbohydrate meal has been shown to have a positive impact on blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is also considered to be good for diabetics.
8. Drink enough water
Keep your body well hydrated with plenty of water and not aerated drinks, sodas, juices and milkshakes. Drinking enough water can contribute towards the proper functioning of many bodily functions and can even increase the number of calories you burn everyday. Drinking atleast 8-10 glasses of water is beneficial for the human body. You can manage weight and take care of your overall health by drinking good amounts of water.
Also read: Eat These 8 Foods To Boost Your Stamina
9. Prefer home cooked food
Consumption of home cooked food is also advised by many experts for weight management. Try to get into a habit of cooking your meals at home, instead of just going out to eat. Cooking food at home is economically effective and can easily fall into your budget too. And, you can keep a track of the quantity and quality of ingredients going into your food. You can easily put healthy and low calorie ingredients instead of unhealthy items. According to many studies, home cooked food has shows better results in losing weight as compared to outside food, especially among children. You should also use healthy oils to cook your meals.
These healthy diet tips can help you in maintaining a decent lifestyle as well. With life threatening health problems such as high blood pressure, heart and kidney diseases, snack smartly and protect yourself from various diseases. Just take care of the above mentioned tips of maintaining a healthy diet. You can even take your dietician's guidance about following these ways and incorporating some foods in your diet. A combination of healthy diet and physical workout can help in preventing many health problems!
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