Changing your eating habits is easier than it sounds. Once you have these tips and tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be on to a healthier daily diet in no time. Also, don’t forget to have Mangia on speed dial for fresh and easy meals, even on your busiest days.
1. Buy Whole-Grain Bread
There are tons of bread products in bread kiosks and supermarket departments that look similar and do not differ too much in price. But they are different in nutritional characteristics.
Wheat flour, from which standard loaves and rolls are made, loses up to 90% of vitamins and almost all fiber contained in the original raw material once processed. But whole grain bread, on the contrary, retains these valuable compounds.
Elaine Magee, MD, author for WebMD, writes about the power of whole grains: “Simply replacing regular baked goods with whole grains will bring you about a dozen health benefits. From increased life expectancy to weight loss to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.”
2. Get A Nice Water Bottle
Go out and get a water bottle that will be pleasant to carry with you; something compact, stylish, and comfortable. And naturally, fill it with drinking water. Having water on hand will be a massive step towards healthy eating for at least three reasons:
You will stop overeating. We often eat food simply because we confuse thirst with hunger. Try taking a few sips from the bottle and listening to your feelings whenever you feel the need to eat something.
It will be easier for you to give up high-calorie drinks. Soda and packaged juices are bad for you. Studies show that frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can lead to obesity and diseases associated with it, including diabetes, gout, and cardiovascular disorders.
You are simply protecting yourself from dehydration, which is definitely a healthy solution.
3. Replace Mayonnaise With Mustard
Adding mayonnaise to sandwiches and salads is an understandable habit (it gives the dish an exciting taste and adds satiety). But it is harmful, as the mayonnaise contains an abundance of calories and fat. Instead, try brushing your sandwich bread with mustard.
Each sandwich made with a teaspoon of mustard instead of a tablespoon of mayonnaise will save you 100 extra calories and 11 grams of fat, including 1.5 grams of saturated fat. In salads, mayonnaise can be replaced with lighter sauces that contain more flavor.
4. Add Flaxseed to Salads and Yogurt
Flax seeds contain a massive amount of nutrients, from fiber and vitamins to trace elements and essential fatty acids. Two tablespoons of this product in ground form is enough to get an additional 4 g of fiber, 2.4 g of vegetable omega-3 fatty acids, and some beneficial phytoestrogens (lignans).
Just do not grind flaxseeds into dust: while remaining large enough, they give the dish a light nutty flavor and crunch pleasantly. Even unsweetened Greek yogurt will be a favorite with this addition.
5. Stock Up on Healthy Snacks
When you are hungry, you are more likely to eat the first thing that comes to hand and does not require cooking. These are often cookies, chocolate bars, a slice of pizza or sausage – in general, unhealthy foods with a high-calorie content and low nutritional value.
To break out of this vicious food cycle, prepare the right snacks. Nuts, a handful of raisins or other dried fruits, an apple cut into slices, baby carrots, slices of cheese, boiled eggs, and natural yogurt – these are the options that will help you hold out until lunch or dinner with benefits for the body.
6. Use the “Outer Ring” When Purchasing Products
This tip was suggested by James Clear, the author of the bestselling book Atomic Habits: How to Build Good Habits and Get Rid of Bad Habits. The essence of the technique is simple.
He says, “When I go to the grocery store, I only walk along the outer ring (perimeter) of the trading floor. Not in the middle! The outer ring is usually home to healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, and nuts.”
This simple life hack, according to Clear, saves him from purchasing tasty but harmful packaged and processed foods. “And if you don’t buy these foods, you won’t be able to eat it,” the expert sums up.
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