It’s not difficult to eat healthier. Just making simple changes to your diet can ramp up the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients you’re getting. And better nutrition quickly spells better health. To make it easier for you, 30 simple ways to supercharge your diet.
1. Use avocado instead of butter on your sandwiches, buns, or on veggies.
2. Use naturally-sweet stevia instead of sugar. Be wary of powdered stevia that contain other sweeteners though. Stevia tastes sweet but doesn’t contain any form of sugar like glucose, fructose, maltose, etc. so it doesn’t impact blood sugar levels.
4. Choose brown rice pasta instead of white pasta. Better yet, use kelp noodles if you can find them.
5. The same is true of rice. Choose brown rice instead of white rice.
6. Use stock instead of bouillon to make soup. It’s really easy to do if you add vegetables and water to a slow cooker and allow them to cook for at least 4 to 6 hours to extract the nutrients. Strain the vegetables out and use the liquid as the base for soup. Bouillon is notorious for containing the harmful neurotoxin monosodium glutamate (MSG).
7. Add a can of beans to a pot of homemade soup. It immediately ramps up the protein and fiber and helps you feel full longer so you’re less likely to crave unhealthy snacks.
8. Make your own salad dressings. They take a minute to make and help you obtain important fats. Use the 3:1 ratio: three parts oil (like olive or walnut oil) to one part acid (like lemon or lime juice, or apple cider vinegar). Add herbs and a little unrefined sea salt and maybe a teaspoon of honey (if desired). Shake in a jar or blend with a hand blender.
9. Switch from peanut butter to raw, organic almond butter. Peanuts are vulnerable to molds called aflatoxins which are highly inflammatory. Almonds are less vulnerable.
10. Eat kale chips instead of potato chips. You can purchase them ready-made or you can make your own by tossing kale in a little olive oil and unrefined sea salt, then bake at 275 until light and crispy (usually 15 to 25 minutes).
11. Switch from sports energy drinks to coconut water. Sports drinks are loaded with sugar, colors, and frequently preservatives. Pure coconut water replenishes electrolytes without all the junk.
12. Throw a handful of sprouts on your salads and sandwiches and in your wraps. They are packed with protein, fiber, and enzymes.
13. Switch from baked or mashed potato to baked or mashed sweet potato for the extra beta carotene blast.
14. Top baked sweet potatoes with flax oil or add while mashing sweet potatoes to get more Omega 3s.
15. Eat a bowl of frozen blueberries in place of ice cream. Blueberries are anti-inflammatory and potent brain boosters.
16. Satisfy a sweet tooth with a delicious red, blue, or purple fruit like pomegranate, mixed berries, or cherries. They are packed with anthocyanidins that are anti-inflammatory and great for heart health.
17. Choose 100% whole grain instead of multi-grain or “whole wheat” bread. Multigrain or “whole wheat” bread usually contains mostly white flour with a handful of grains or whole wheat flour thrown in to make it look natural.
18. Choose organic produce as much as possible. Study-after-study shows that organic is more nutritious than conventional produce.
19. Buy direct from farmers at local farmers’ markets. Most of the nutrients are lost when foods are shipped long distances and stored for long periods of time.
20. Eat fish or beans instead of meat. Fish contains beneficial fats along with protein and beans contain protein, fiber, and lots of vitamins.
21. Start every day with a large glass of pure water with freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Lemons contain over 20 anti-cancer compounds.
22. Switch from lattes to green tea. Green tea helps regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation, balance cholesterol, fight cancer, and regulate blood sugar.
23. Add fresh spices to your meals for added flavor and nutrition. Spices like rosemary, basil, cayenne, and oregano are high in antioxidants and are natural antibiotics.
24. Make homemade muffins with grated carrots or zucchini, or add pumpkin or sweet potato puree in place of some of the liquid and sugar.
25. Make meat the background not the main dish if you eat it.
26. Eat a large, raw salad every day. Top it with grated beets or carrots, fresh strawberries, chopped mint, slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds.
27. Snack on raw, unsalted pumpkin or sesame seeds or nuts like walnuts or almonds. Packed with fatty acids to boost immunity and moisturize your skin, these foods also contain lots of protein and fiber to stabilize blood sugar levels.
28. Eat an apple a day, preferably an organic one. Apples contain pectin that binds to extra cholesterol in the bloodstream and malic acid that helps reduce fibromyalgia pain.
29. Switch from milk to almond milk in your baking or smoothies. Milk is extremely mucus-forming and has been linked to arthritis and other conditions. Almond milk also contains calcium, along with magnesium and many other nutrients.
30. Try to get a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil every day. Cook with it on low to medium heat (under 300 degrees Fahrenheit), use it for salad dressings, or top dips like hummus with a splash. Research shows it reduces the risk of dying prematurely by 26%.
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