If you’re looking to lose weight or feel healthier, and you cook your own meals, then congratulations – you’re already better off than the millions of people who are reliant on microwave meals, takeout, and other convenience food. You’re able to easily control what goes into the food you eat, which makes it much easier for you to change the composition of your diet.
Having said that, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Old habits die hard, and if you’re used to cooking foods which are high in calories but low in nutritional value, you might not know where to begin. It’s important that you prepare food which is tasty and filling, but which will do your body some favours, too. These tips should help you to start making the transition to a healthier diet, without being too much of a radical change.
Swap Meat for Fish
The majority of people would agree that eating meat in moderation isn’t such a bad thing. After all, it is high in certain vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, it can also be fatty and high in calories. This issue is particularly important for students and others who only have a small budget for their grocery shopping, as the cheapest cuts of meat are almost always the fattiest.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to get a bigger variety of food into your diet and cut down on some of those fatty calories. Fish can be a very cheap source of protein and could directly replace meat in many of your meals, such as curries, stir fries and risottos. Like meat, fish contains the B vitamins and minerals that some vegetarians and vegans miss out on. Provided you’re not allergic, shellfish can also be a great ingredient. If you’d like to branch out and learn some new recipes, look to Mediterranean cuisine for a few ideas.
Once you get used to cooking with fish, try and make sure that you are getting at least one portion of oily fish per week. The fats in mackerel, salmon, and similar fish are good for your heart, having been shown to reduce cholesterol levels. They could also help reduce the risk of numerous other illnesses, including both depression and cancer, though studies are on-going. Even though these options are fattier and more calorific than most white fish and shellfish, they are definitely better for you than meat.
Add Fibre
Fibre is one of the most essential ingredients in a healthy diet. It has a reputation for ensuring great digestive health, and it’s true that this is one of its important effects. However, it’s not the only thing that fibre can do. This healthy substance also stabilises your blood sugar levels, preventing you from feeling hungry between meals and reducing the likelihood that you will develop diabetes. Lastly, like fatty fish, fibre has a positive effect on your cholesterol levels and could protect you from heart disease. Almost all of the fibre in our diets comes from plant sources, such as fruit, vegetables, and grains. It’s part of the reason why we are told to eat 5 separate portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
You don’t have to be a vegan to get a satisfactory amount of fibre in your diet. There are a few ways to boost your levels without drastically changing your eating habits. For example, adding a few beans to any rice dish will put you on the path to a healthier heart. You can also try finding flax seeds at the grocery store, crushing them, and adding them to your salad. One of my favourite snacks is roasted chickpeas – drain a tin and bake them at a moderate heat for about 50 minutes. Toss in some salt and maybe a little cumin and, I promise you, you’ll have a snack which is every bit as good as those fibre-free potato chips you used to guzzle down. Chickpeas also have the advantage of being very cheap.
Change Your Cooking Fat
Don’t try and cook without fat – your food will be dry and disgusting, making it less likely that you’ll stick to your healthier regime. Instead, be wise about what fat you’re cooking with. It’s absolutely fine to use butter sometimes – with certain foods, there just isn’t a substitute. However, you can often switch it out in favour of a vegetable oil. Olive oil is the famous example, but is not actually the best option for frying thanks to its low smoke point. Try switching to grapeseed oil instead.
Thomas James is a former health enthusiast who’s trying to get back into good habits. He’s currently losing weight with the help of a balanced diet and ginkgo biloba supplementation.
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