Diet: How To Make Every Meal More Nutritious? Follow These Tips To Make Your Food Healthier

You can prevent chronic diseases and maintain excellent health by eating a range of healthful foods. Healthy eating doesn't need you to give up your favourite dishes. You can make long-lasting, healthful improvements to your diet with a few straightforward modifications and some forward planning.

It may seem tough in the beginning but slowly and gradually you can make the right steps towards improving the quality of your diet and life. Let us understand ways in which you may be able to make these positive changes toward a better diet. 

Here are tips to help you make your diet healthier:

1. Opt for healthier fats

To reduce hidden fats, consider lean meats, and low-fat dairy products, and avoid processed foods. Because they include the necessary long-chain fatty acids and other beneficial elements, nuts, seeds, seafood, soy, olives, and avocados are all better choices. Use healthier oils, such as olive and canola oil, if you decide to add fat to your cooking.

2. Don't overcook and kill nutrients 

Vitamins that are water-soluble are sensitive and readily lost during preparation and cooking. Vegetables should be scrubbed rather than peeled because many nutrients are contained near the skin. Instead of boiling veggies, steam or microwave them. Use a modest amount of water when boiling veggies and be careful not to overcook them. Increase your consumption of stir-fry recipes. Vegetables that are stir-fried are cooked fast to preserve their crispness and vital nutrients.

3. Reduce salt intake

Many of our foods include salt that is concealed, yet eating a lot of salt can cause a number of health issues, including hypertension. Since canned and pickled veggies frequently contain salt in the packaging, choose fresh or frozen vegetables instead. Limit your intake of processed meats that are high in salts, such as ham and salami. Various sauces and condiments may also be high in sodium and should be avoided. 

4. Eat more herbs & spices 

Without using salt or oil, great flavours can be added by using herbs and spices. Fresh herbs have a delicate flavour, so add them to your food just before serving. Bread, mustard, salad dressing, vinegar, sweets, and beverages can all benefit from the addition of herbs and spices. Make a quick, nutritious, and delicious stir-fry with vegetables by adding coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli, and lemongrass.

5. Eat more fresh produce

The majority of individuals frequently skip the veggie at breakfast in favour of fruit. They will also eat veggies at dinner and lunch but never for breakfast. To make sure you obtain your recommended daily servings, it's advisable to incorporate both options at every meal and snack. Fruit choices include a couple of berries or half an apple. A tasty option to include a vegetable in your breakfast is to add some spinach to your eggs or breakfast sandwich.

6. Eat whole foods instead of refined

Choose whole grains instead of the conventional white options whether choosing breakfast cereal, tortillas for a wrap, or bread for a sandwich. White bread and flours are less nutrient-dense and less effective sources of fibre than whole grains. You'll get a healthy dosage of vitamins and minerals while being satisfied for longer.

7. Eat at home

You have much more influence over what you're consuming in your body when you prepare your own food at home. It might be challenging to identify the healthiest menu options at restaurants. A restaurant salad that seems healthy to you may be packed with sodium and have more calories than you require from the dressing.

Following these tips will ensure you have a healthier diet which can gradually lead to a healthy lifestyle and overall health. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.