If you think that improving your diet means switching from steaks to salads in one fell swoop, think again. It turns out that many changes are actually easier than you think, but can have a profound effect on the way your body functions.
Here are some ideas:
Switch To Brown Pasta
Be honest with yourself: can you really tell the difference between brown and white pasta when they’re covered in marinara sauce? Probably not.
Brown pasta is different from white pasta. It also contains the bran and the germ from the wheat kernel, along with the endosperm. These nutrient-rich, fibre-containing parts of brown pasta confer benefits that you simply don’t get when you stick with white.
Use Date Sugar
Did you know that you could get something called date sugar? Essentially, it’s ground up, dessicated dates and looks like a golden-brown powder.
Date sugar is one of the few healthy caloric sweeteners. That’s because it still contains all of the fibre and phytonutrients of regular dates. You can sprinkle it on your porridge, use it for baking and make healthy condiments, like ketchup, using it.
Yes – it’s a little grittier than regular sugar and it won’t dissolve in water – but it won’t rot your teeth either.
Drink Honey-Sweetened Beverages Instead
Many people love sugar-sweetened beverages but, as we all know, they aren’t ideal for our diet. Over time, they invariably lead to weight gain. However, that’s not true when it comes to honey. Honey water benefits include better digestion, lower inflammation and feelings of energy. Honey is different from sugar because it contains natural factors collected by bees. During their honey-making activities, these become concentrated in the honey, conferring health benefits to you.
Use Nut Butters In Salad Dressings, Instead Of Oils
Traditionally, we use oils in salad dressings. And there’s nothing wrong with that now and again. But if you really want maximum nutrition and health benefits, you should be thinking about using nut butters instead.
Why? Well, not only do they taste better, but they also help make a good diet and help you maintain a healthy weight. That’s because nut consumption promotes feelings of fullness. When you eat nuts with a salad, you’re much less likely to over-eat at the following meal.
Fill Up On Porridge In The Morning
Oats have a fibre compound in them called beta glucan. This substance forms a kind of gel when it mixes with liquid. You’ve probably seen this if you’ve ever prepared gloopy porridge.
Here’s the kicker: this gel lines your stomach, pressing against pressure receptors in the wall. This pressure, in turn, makes you feel super full all day long. Eating as much porridge as you can in the morning is, therefore, a powerful approach to starting your day. It gives you sustained energy and prevents you from reaching for mid-morning snacks, such as cakes.
Replace Cheese With Avocado
If you like putting cheese on your food, you’re not alone. In many recipes, you can replace it with avocado and it will taste just as good. Try it for yourself on burgers, salads and pasta.
