I won’t leave you high and dry here – you know, just talking about benefits of eating healthy diet and don’t give you a clue as to how to cook one such diet…….
I don’t blame you if you kind of thinking that healthy diet is B-O-R-I-N-G and blend and complicated. That’s because you haven’t got the hang yet – the smart way to “mix and match” your food……..
I want to say this – learn to prepare healthy meals in simple ways. Don’t complicate the whole thing by stressing so much on the “calories”. You won’t enjoy and savor the food anymore, that is.
Hey, eating food is a pleasure to enjoy, not a hard, complicated chore to suffer…….
Let’s talk first about food that you can eat raw and fresh.
What comes to your mind?
Of course, fruits, right? And some types of vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, celeries, salad greens…….
I eat raw and fresh fruits and vegetables because this is the only way to eat them in as close to their natural state as possible, to get the maximum goodness.
I eat 2 apples, 1 banana and 1 sweet potato for breakfast in the morning.
I call this a “wake up” menu as it provides vitamins, minerals, potassium, complex carbohydrates and fiber. A wonderful “feel-full” meal that can last me until lunch time, I rarely need to snack in between.
If I’ve the hunger pang, I dig into my tomatoes, carrots and wholemeal bread.
Fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. They don’t have cholesterol.
Next, vegetables are fantastic in controlling body weight. They’re rich in fiber, don’t have too many calories and are pretty filling.
5 portions of vegetables in various colors give me sufficient nutrients and a wide range of nutrients. They’re also high in phytochemicals.
If you’re innovative enough, you can cook vegetables in so many ways (boil, stir fry, steam….) that can turn the most unpalatable greens to some tempting dishes.
I love to just easy-boil the vegetables, with a pinch of salt…….Whoa, I get to taste the real juicy original flavor.
Sometimes, I stir-fry them lightly in sunflower oil or steam them for 3 minutes. Mmmmm….delicious!
I eat these vegetables raw and fresh: carrots, tomatoes, celeries…. In raw and fresh forms, they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain anti-oxidants and fibre.
That’s why the more colorful your diet is, the more phytochemicals your body gets. When you eat sizeable portions of these regularly, you delay aging and also reduce your tendency to develop cancer.
I love whole grains and you should too. These foods (oat, barley, wheat, brown rice…..) are supreb sources of fiber.
Instead of going for high carb foods like white bread, pasta and pastries/biscuits, I choose wholemeal bread, multi-grain bread, wheat bread……They’re so good to eat!
Whoa! Benefits of eating healthy diet get better and better!
I go for lean protein (i.e. lean meat) wherever I can. And I always take away the skin and fat before I eat meat – chicken, beef, lamb, fish…….I also eat meat baked, grilled and boiled rather than fried.
I cut back on these extra fats, such as butter or margarine on bread, sour cream on baked potatoes, rich, creamy salad dressings and gravies.
These are famous sources of “hidden fats” which you think aren’t “there” and not a lot. Hey, you’d be surprised at the amount of fat thrown in to make these stuffs.
I drink more than 8 glasses of water daily, to help cleanse my internal sytem, to flush out toxins and waste.
And mind you, I rarely touch alcoholic drinks, sugary beverages and juices and sodas. These’re rich in sugar and high in calories as well.
I’m careful with my salt intake as well since high doses of salt increase risk of high blood pressure, which in turn can affect my brain…eyes and…..heart…
I also cut down on unnecessary sugar. If I feel the pang for sweetness, I go for fruits, veggies or a high protein snack rather than sweets, which actually rob my body of energy.
You might think I’m crazy to be so careful with food but I think I can’t afford not to, simply because my health’s at stake and benefits of eating healthy diet far, far outweigh the unhealthy one……