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These 8 practical tips cover the basics of healthy eating and can help you make healthier choices. The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are so you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use.
- Fish and Shellfish
A healthy, balanced diet should include at least 2 portions...
- Eating a balanced diet
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of...
- The Eatwell Guide
Food guidelines and food labels. The Eatwell Guide shows how...
- Fish and Shellfish
- Overview
- Plating and pacing your meals
- Grocery shopping, meal planning, and fast food
- Foods to add to your overall diet
- Swaps and substitutions to consider
- Water intake, supplements, and other lifestyle changes
- The bottom line
You can eat healthier by making a few swaps, such as choosing whole grains over refined grains and eating more protein.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been scientifically proven to provide numerous health benefits, such as reducing your risk of several chronic diseases and strengthening your immune system.
Making major changes to your diet can sometimes seem very overwhelming. It may be more manageable to start with just one thing — like eating more of your favorite fruit — rather than all of them at once.
This article discusses 25 ways to make your usual diet slightly healthier over time.
Eat from smaller plates
The size of your dinnerware can affect how much you eat. Eating from a large plate can make your portion look smaller, while eating from a small plate can make it look bigger. According to one 2017 study, eating from a smaller plate was associated with increased feelings of satiety and reduced energy intake among participants with a moderate body weight. Also, if you don’t realize you’re eating less than usual, you won’t compensate by eating more at the next meal. By eating from smaller dinnerware, you can trick your brain into thinking that you’re eating more, making yourself less likely to overeat.
Eat your greens first
A good way to ensure you eat your greens is to enjoy them as a starter. By doing so, you’ll most likely finish all of your greens while you’re at your hungriest. This may cause you to eat fewer, perhaps less nutritious, meal components later. It may lead you to eat fewer calories overall, which could result in weight loss. Plus, eating vegetables before a carb-rich meal has been shown to benefit blood sugar levels. It slows the speed at which carbs are absorbed into the bloodstream and may benefit short- and long-term blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
Keep dressing, dips, and condiments on the side
Getting to the point of being able to order a salad at a restaurant is a great achievement for many. However, not all salads are equally nutritious. In fact, some salads are smothered in high calorie dressings, which may make the salads even higher in calories than other items on the menu. Asking for the dressing on the side makes it a lot easier to control the portion size and amount of calories that you consume.
Don’t shop without a list
There are two important strategies to employ when you go grocery shopping: Make your shopping list ahead of time and don’t go to the store hungry. Not knowing exactly what you need makes room for impulse buying, while hunger can cause you to toss even more low-nutrient foods into your shopping cart. That’s why the best strategy is to plan ahead and write down what you need beforehand. By doing this and sticking to your list, you’ll not only buy healthier items to keep around the house, but you’ll also save money.
Stay away from “diet” foods
So-called diet foods can be very deceiving. They have usually had their fat content reduced dramatically and are often labeled “fat-free,” “low fat,” “fat-reduced,” or “low calorie.” However, to compensate for the lost flavor and texture from fat, sugar, and other ingredients are often added. So, many diet foods contain more sugar and sometimes even more calories than their full-fat counterparts. Instead, opt for whole foods like fruits and vegetables.
Cook at home more often
Try to make a habit of cooking at home most nights rather than eating out. For one, it’s often easier on your budget. Second, by cooking your food yourself, you’ll know exactly what’s in it. You won’t have to wonder about any hidden ingredients. Also, by cooking large servings, you’ll have leftovers for the next day, ensuring a satisfying meal then, too. Finally, cooking at home has been associated with a lower risk of obesity and improved diet quality, especially among children.
Increase your protein intake
Protein is often referred to as the king of nutrients, and it does seem to have some superpowers. Due to its ability to affect your hunger and satiety hormones, it’s often considered the most filling of the macronutrients. One 2018 study showed that eating a high-protein meal decreased levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, more than a high carb meal in people with obesity. What’s more, protein helps you retain muscle mass and may also slightly increase the number of calories you burn per day. It’s also important for preventing the loss of muscle mass that can occur with weight loss and as you age. If you’re trying to lose weight, aim to add a source of protein to each meal and snack. It will help you feel fuller for longer, curb cravings, and make you less likely to overeat. Good sources of protein include: •dairy products •nuts •peanut butter •eggs •beans •lean meat
Add Greek yogurt to your diet
Greek yogurt (or Greek-style yogurt) is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt. It has been strained to remove its excess whey, which is the watery part of milk. This produces a final product with higher fat and protein than regular yogurt. Eating a good source of protein can help you feel fuller for longer, which can help manage your appetite and reduce your food intake if that’s your goal. Plus, since Greek yogurt has been strained, it contains fewer carbs and less lactose than regular yogurt. This makes it suitable for people who follow a low carb diet or are lactose intolerant. Just make sure to pick the plain, unflavored varieties. Flavored yogurts may be packed with added sugar and other less nutritious ingredients.
Eat eggs, preferably for breakfast
When studying various types of calorie-matched breakfasts, eggs come out on top. Eggs are rich in high quality protein and many essential nutrients that people often don’t get enough of, such as choline. Eating eggs in the morning increases feelings of fullness. This has been shown to cause people to consume fewer calories at later meals. It can be quite helpful for weight loss if that’s your goal. For example, one 2020 study of 50 people found that eating an egg-based breakfast reduced feelings of hunger and decreased the amount of calories consumed later in the day than a breakfast of cereal.
Replace sugary drinks with sparkling water
Sugary beverages are loaded with added sugar, which has been linked to numerous diseases, including: •heart disease •obesity •type 2 diabetes Plus, the added sugar found in these drinks doesn’t impact appetite the same way that nutrient-rich food does. Unlike meal replacement drinks, which are rich in essential nutrients, sugary beverages are usually made up of “empty calories” that are unlikely to leave you satiated. Try replacing your sugary beverage with either a sugar-free alternative or choose still or sparkling water instead. Doing so will shave off the non-beneficial calories and reduce excess sugar intake.
Drink your coffee black from time to time
Coffee is rich in antioxidants and has been linked to many health benefits, such as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, and chronic liver disease. However, many commercial varieties of coffee contain lots of additional ingredients, such as sugar, syrup, heavy cream, and sweeteners. Drinking these varieties quickly negates all of coffee’s health benefits and instead adds lots of extra sugar and calories. Instead, try drinking your coffee black or adding a small amount of milk or cream instead of sugar.
Eat your fruits instead of drinking them
Studies have repeatedly linked eating fruit to a reduced risk of several health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Because fruits contain fiber and various plant compounds, their natural sugars are generally digested very slowly and don’t cause major spikes in blood sugar levels. However, the same doesn’t apply to fruit juices. Many fruit juices aren’t even made from real fruit but rather concentrate and sugar. Some varieties may contain as much sugar as a sugary soft drink. Even real fruit juices lack the fiber and chewing resistance of whole fruits. This makes fruit juice much more likely to spike your blood sugar levels, leading you to consume too much in a single sitting.
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. It may even slightly increase the number of calories you burn daily. Studies also show that drinking water before meals can reduce your appetite and food intake during the following meal. That said, the most important thing is to drink water instead of other beverages. This may drastically reduce your intake of sugar and calories.
Take omega-3 and vitamin D supplements
Approximately 1 billion people around the globe are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s very important for bone health and the proper functioning of your immune system. In fact, every cell in your body has a receptor for vitamin D, indicating its importance. Vitamin D is found in very few foods, but fatty seafood generally contains the highest amounts. Omega-3 fatty acids are another commonly lacking nutrient that’s found in fatty seafood. These have many important bodily roles, including reducing inflammation, maintaining heart health, and promoting proper brain function. If you don’t eat fatty seafood regularly, you should consider taking a supplement. Omega-3s and vitamin D can often be found together in many supplements.
Become more active
Good nutrition and exercise often go hand in hand. Exercise has been shown to improve your mood, as well as decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. These are the exact feelings that are most likely to contribute to emotional and binge eating. Aside from strengthening your muscles and bones, exercise may help you: •lose weight •increase your energy levels •reduce your risk of chronic diseases •improve your sleep Aim to do about 30 minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise each day, or take the stairs and take short walks whenever possible.
Completely overhauling your diet or lifestyle all at once can be a recipe for disaster. Instead, try incorporating some of the changes listed above one or two at a time to gradually improve your diet.
Some of these tips will help you keep your portion sizes in check, while others will help you add nutrients or adapt to something new.
- More of the right things. Eating more may seem strange if you’re trying to lose weight, but eating at regular intervals (three nutritious meals a day, plus snacks if needed) and eating more of the right things can help.
- Fill up on fruit and veg. Having at least five portions of fruits and vegetables each day can help protect your heart and reduce your risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke.
- Whole lot of grains. Wholegrain foods such as bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta are a source of fibre, so choose them over white varieties to keep your digestive system healthy.
- Go for fish. Aim to have two portions of fish a week and make one of these an oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout or fresh tuna (not tinned). Oily fish is a source of protein and provides omega-3 fatty acids, associated with reducing your risk of heart and circulatory disease.
- Food groups in your diet. The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to: eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day (see 5 A Day)
- Fruit and vegetables: are you getting your 5 A Day? Fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals and fibre, and should make up just over a third of the food you eat each day.
- Starchy foods in your diet. Starchy foods should make up just over a third of everything you eat. This means your meals should be based on these foods. Choose wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of starchy foods, such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, and brown, wholemeal or higher fibre white bread.
- Milk and dairy foods (and alternatives) Milk and dairy foods, such as cheese and yoghurt, are good sources of protein. They also contain calcium, which helps keep your bones healthy.
Food guidelines and food labels. The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week. Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day.
Nov 1, 2022 · Starting a healthy eating journey can be daunting. But these 10 tips from registered dietitians are simple enough to incorporate into daily life.
Based on a solid foundation of current nutrition science, Harvard’s Special Health Report Healthy Eating: A guide to the new nutrition describes how to eat for optimum health. Eat real food. That’s the essence of today’s nutrition message.
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