Helpful Guide To Get You Thinking About Healthy Foods This Year

You don’t have to wait until a new year to introduce healthy foods into your diet. It might seem difficult, but eating a balanced diet is a lot easier than you might think. In many cases, you don’t even have to give up your favorite treats. Studies show that too much self-denial can lead to dietary defiance and can actually make you overeat.. In some cases, extreme dieting and restriction can lead to disordered eating. As with most things in life, the trick is to eat these treats in moderation. Remember, they’re called treats for a reason. They are meant to be occasional indulgences.

For all the other times when you’re not snacking on junk food, remember that there are plenty of other healthy foods that you can turn into tasty snacks and meals. If you’re not a great cook, you might be under the impression that switching to a healthy diet means only eating salads. That’s not the case at all. There are plenty of easy-to-make and filling meals that will provide you all of the macronutrients and vitamins you need. Once you get more comfortable with healthy cooking, you can easily adjust your favorite recipes to something that offers more nutrients without sacrificing taste. Below are some of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet right now.

Whole Eggs

The food science industry seems to have an on-again, off-again relationship with eggs. Not too long ago, it was demonized due to its high levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol. While that fact hasn’t changed, more experts are warming up to them as egg yolks in particular contain plenty of nutrients including Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, and Iron. More importantly, they also help you get more protein and fat into your diet, both of which help increase your satiety. 

A study found that women who ate eggs for breakfast instead of bagels felt more full and also helped them eat less for the next 36 hours. In addition to their high protein and fat content, eggs also are low in calories so even eating two eggs would be less calories than eating a full bagel with cream cheese. So when in doubt in the morning, reach for some eggs instead of cereal or a bagel. If you don’t have enough time in the morning to make eggs, consider prepping some the night before so you can easily just grab one or two on the go before you leave the house. They also make for great snacks throughout the day.

Leafy Greens

Lettuce might be the most commonly known leafy green, but others include kale, spinach, collards, swiss chards, and more. Getting more leafy greens in your diet is a great way to kickstart your healthy living resolution. They provide tons of nutrients and can keep you feeling fuller for longer thanks to all the fiber they have. On top of that, they are very low in calories.

You don’t always have to eat leafy greens in salads, although that is the most common method. Hardier greens like spinach, kale, collards, etc. can be sauteed with some garlic and oil for a delicious side dish to dinner. Or you can make them the star of the show in a soup or curry dish. There are dozens of ways to get more greens in your diet, though it might require learning new cooking techniques.

Of course, you don’t have to forego the salads. They’re a great option for getting more vegetables in your diet in general. Just don’t skip the dressing! Including some healthy oils in your salad can actually make it even more nutritious as some vitamins - notably A, D, E, and K - are fat-soluble so your body absorbs these better when you eat oil at the same time. Just don’t go overboard with the dressing as it can add calories to your otherwise healthy salad. In general, you want to aim for about one tablespoon of dressing for some extra flavor.

Salmon

Fatty fish like salmon are not only delicious, they’re also nutritious, relatively low in calories, and help keep you feeling full for a long time. Salmon comes loaded with essential nutrients, protein, and healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids. This nutrient in particular has been shown to help reduce inflammation which plays a major role in obesity and metabolic diseases.

When shopping for salmon, you might notice that they are labeled wild or farm-raised. As you might have guessed, wild salmon is caught in  natural environments such as oceans, rivers, and lakes. However, with the natural salmon population dwindling and demand for salmon increasing around the world, farm-raised salmon is becoming more common. Depending on the organization selling the salmon, different fish farms offer different environments. Some might be entirely indoors while others have a small enclosed pool in a body of water to somewhat simulate a natural environment. Of course, a change of environment also means different diets. Wild salmon eat other organisms such as other fish, crustaceans, and squids. Farm-raised salmons are given a processed high-fat, high-protein feed to produce larger fish. 

You might be wondering which one is better for you. Ultimately, it depends on what you want. Since farm-raised fish are fed a diet higher in fat and protein, they end up having more omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. On the flip side, wild salmon are lower in calories and are higher in important minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Whichever one you end up choosing at the store, you’ll still get plenty of essential vitamins, nutrients, and good fats in your diet. More importantly, salmon has so much flavor, you really don’t need to season it too much for it to be tasty. Some salt, pepper, and a spritz of lemon is all you need for a delicious and nutritious meal. If salmon is too expensive or not available, other fatty fish like mackerel, sardines, and trout are excellent substitutions.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussel sprouts. That’s right, the last two are not considered leafy greens! Similar to other vegetables, these are high in fiber and can fill you up quickly on few calories. More importantly, unlike other vegetables these tend to be higher in protein. While they might not stack up against meat or beans, cauliflower contains around 11 grams of protein in one head compared to something like a carrot which only has 0.9 grams.

Many people have had a bad experience with a cruciferous vegetable. It’s very easy to overcook them and the resulting mess ends up tasting a bit bitter and smelling like sulfur. That’s probably why so many of these vegetables get a bad rap. For all of the vegetables that fall under this category, the trick is to cook them for less time than you think. Broccoli and cauliflower only need to be steamed for about five minutes to become tender while still maintaining their texture and flavor. Roasting time is generally less than 30 minutes for all cruciferous vegetables. If you can get the timing right, you’ll realize that all the hate directed at broccoli and brussel sprouts are just products of mishandling.

Lean Beef and Chicken Breast

Meat often gets demonized and has been blamed for a variety of health issues. While it’s true that processed meat is unhealthy, eating unprocessed meat does not, in fact, raise your risk of heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. That means you should ditch the bacon, lunch meat, and salami and stick with the basics. If you’re trying to lose weight, meat is an incredibly weight-loss friendly food as it’s high in protein. 

By far, protein is the most filling macronutrient and eating a high-protein diet can help you burn more calories a day. Studies have found that increasing your protein intake to 25 percent of your daily calories can cut cravings by 60 percent. You always want to go for leaner meat in general to keep your fat intake low as fattier cuts add on extra calories and, well, fat to your diet. Lean red meet cuts include the tenderloin, top loin, sirloin tip, and ground round. When cooking with ground meat, look for meat that is between 90 to 95 percent lean. Similarly, chicken breast is the leanest part of the bird, so opt for that instead of the darker and more fatty thigh.

Boiled Potatoes

You might hear people sing praises for the delicious sweet potato, but many healthy living influencers seem to shun the humble white potato. Yet, it’s an incredible food! In fact, you could technically live off a diet of white potatoes and butter to survive if necessary. Sure, it’s not necessarily the healthiest idea, but that just shows that the white potato has plenty of nutrients to keep you going. In addition, they’re also very filling so you can consume less while feeling full for longer.

White potatoes are particularly high in potassium, a nutrient many people are deficient in, which plays an important role in blood pressure control. When preparing the potatoes, make sure to let it cool a bit after you boil it. The potatoes will then form high amounts of resistant starch that have many health benefits. Of course, you don’t have to stick to an all potato diet. Other vegetables that have similar benefits include turnips and other root vegetables.

Tuna

Tuna is one of the best foods for people who want a good amount of protein but don’t want to pay a lot of money. Canned tuna is one of the most affordable meat products on the market and is available almost everywhere. It’s high in protein and low in calorie and fat, making it perfect for people who want to increase their protein intake while keeping calories low. Like so many misunderstood foods, canned tuna has a bad reputation.

If you’re not used to eating fish, the smell can be off-putting, but the actual flavor of the fish is quite mild. It’s a versatile meat that can be transformed into multiple dishes from sandwiches to casseroles  to pizza. There are plenty of recipes available online that you can find that can transform those dusty cans of tuna into a gourmet meal.

Beans and Legumes

Beans are often considered a ‘poor man’s meal,’ but they’re one of the most nutritious foods available. Not only are the high in protein, they also have plenty of fiber and nutrients to keep you healthy and full. Also, yes they are very cheap! You can buy a pound of dry beans for under $2 in many places. While th initial bag might not seem like a lot, once you cook it, you will get around seven cups of beans, or around 14 servings. While most people seem to be familiar with beans in chili or certain mexican dishes, there are plenty of other ways to include more beans in your diet.

One of the complaints people have when eating beans is the amount of gas and bloating they get after eating it. If you’re not used to eating beans, the best way to reduce this is to slowly introduce beans to your diet. DBeans contain a complex sugar called raffinose that the body cannot fully digest. Humans lack the enzyme to break down the sugar so it then makes it way intact from the small intestine to the large intestine. Once in the large intestine, gut bacteria works to break the sugar down leading to a product of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. If you want to reduce the side effects of eating beans there are several steps you can take:

• Soak your dried beans at least 8-12 hours before cooking. This can reduce the amount of sugars. Just make sure to discard the water after soaking.

• Gradually add beans to your diet. Beans have a lot of fiber, which can lead to bloating and discomfort if you’re not used to eating and digesting high amounts of fiber regularly.

• Drink water. A lot of the symptoms related to eating legumes are due to fermentation in the large intestine. Drinking water can help your body move everything along smoothly.

• Chew thoroughly. Digestion starts in the mouth. Chewing helps break down food into smaller pieces and even your saliva helps break down certain carbohydrates. Chewing your food thoroughly helps improve digestion as it makes it easier for the rest of your body to break down the food quickly.

Cottage Cheese

If you’re not vegan or lactose intolerant, dairy is an excellent source of protein. While yogurt tends to get the spotlight because of its active cultures, cottage cheese goes through a similar process to create its signature curds. That means both contain active cultures that can benefit your microbiome. As always, you want to check the ingredient list to make sure. Cottage cheese is also higher in protein and lower in sugar than your standard yogurt though it does have a slightly more calories.

In terms of nutrients, cottage cheese is a great source of calcium, which keeps your bones healthy. It also contains a decent amount of vitamin B6, zinc, and copper. All of which are necessary for a healthy, functioning body. If you’re not a fan of the chunky texture, many brands offer a whipped option that is similar to greek yogurt. Of course, there are many different brands that offer cottage cheese and the taste, curd size, moisture levels, etc. all vary between brands. You’ll want to try out a few options to find the one that’s best for you. Of course, you can also opt for greek yogurt instead which offers many of the same benefits.

Avocados

Avocados have skyrocketed in popularity since the 2010s for a variety of reasons. Improved production methods to keep the fruit fresh for longer, loosened import restrictions from Mexico, and the growing interest in a healthy diet and ‘good fats’ have all contributed to the avocado’s rise to fame. Luckily, avocados manage to be tasty and healthy at the same time. Unlike other fruits that are high in carbs and sugars, avocados are loaded with monounsaturated oleic acid, the same fat found in olive oil. This fat helps keep you full for longer and even helps slow the breakdown of carbs, which can keep your sugar levels stable.

In addition to being chock full of good fat, avocados are also a nutrient powerhouse. They contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, magnesium, and potassium. It also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that can help minimize ultraviolet light damage to eyes. If that’s not enough, it contains around 25 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin K, which is essential for bone health. If you haven’t already added avocado to your diet yet, it might be time to introduce it. You can add it to sandwiches, salads, or breakfast options.

It can be hard to figure out when you should crack into an avocado. More often than not, the avocados you find in grocery stores are not quite ripe yet. Most will need around 2-3 days to ripen on your counter. You’ll know when it’s ready when it yields to gentle pressure and the skin has darkened in color from when you originally bought it.

Apple Cider Vinegar

If you’ve done any research into the natural health community, you’ve probably seen the acronym ACV, which stands for apple cider vinegar. Like other vinegars, you can use it to create dressings or vinaigrettes to add to your salad. It adds a slight sweetness to dressings that might otherwise be too tangy.

In terms of health benefits, apple cider vinegar has a vitamin profile similar to apple juice, which means it contains some B-vitamins, polyphenols, and a small amount of potassium. The fermentation process also creates probiotics which can help improve your overall gut health. Besides this, there’s also some research that found it can help regular post-meal glucose levels and potentially help boost weight loss by lowering one’s appetite.

Nuts

Just because something is high in fat doesn’t mean that you should avoid it. Just look at avocados! Nuts fall into a similar category where they might be high in calories and fat, but they provide enough benefits to counteract the potential negatives. In fact, studies have shown that people who eat nuts tend to be healthier than those who do not. They have a great combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, making them the perfect snack between meals.

Some of the best nuts to have on hand are almonds and Brazil nuts. Almonds are high in vitamin E, iron, calcium, fiber, and riboflavin. They’ve also been shown to reduce overall cholesterol levels. Similarly, Brazil nuts are an excellent source of vitamin B-1, E, magnesium, and zinc and contain more selenium than many other foods. This nutrient helps maintain thyroid function and also serves as an antioxidant.

Whole Grains

Not all carbs are bad. It’s one of the macronutrients your body needs to function properly throughout the day. However, not all carbs are created equal. You’ve probably heard health experts tout the benefits of whole grains, but what exactly falls under that umbrella? Essentially, whole grains are the grain of any cereal and pseudocereal that contains all layers of the grain (endosperm, germ, and bran) versus refined grains that only retain the endosperm. Examples of whole grains include brown rice, quinoa, and oats. 

Whole grains are high in fiber and can help increase overall satiety and improve your metabolic health. Since your body takes longer to digest the entire grain, it also helps keep your blood sugars level versus refined grains where your body has access to the carbohydrates immediately, leading to a sugar spike. They also tend to be rich in protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals like iron, zic, and copper. A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Fruits

Who needs candy when you have fruits?  Fruits can offer you the sweetness you crave with less calories and more volume. While they might have a lot of sugar, when combined with the natural fibers in the fruit, the sugars are not released into the bloodstream too quickly. They’re perfect for snacks throughout the day or as a dessert replacement. You can even get a little decadent and pair something like strawberries or bananas with some melted dark chocolate.

While they might taste like candy, fruits offer a lot more nutrients than a snickers bar. They’re packed full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, which is an antioxidant often associated with anti-aging. Others like bananas are high in potassium. Whatever you choose to eat, you can rest assured that you’re eating healthy foods.

Incorporating More Healthy Foods Has Many Positive Benefits To Overall Health

Incorporating more healthy foods into your diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing affair. In fact, if you want the changes to stick, you should start out gradually and slowly replace your unhealthy foods with healthier options. Instead of reaching for some chips, opt for some nuts instead. Craving something sweet? Have fruit in your home. You should also slowly remove temptations from your home as it will make it that much easier for you to turn to healthy options. 

Of course, you don’t have to eat healthy all the time and it shouldn’t be an all-consuming thought. If you eat a slice of cake, don’t sweat it! Even that can be part of a balanced diet so long as you continue eating fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. There are also plenty of resources available online that can help you come up with a healthy meal plan so you don’t fall back too often on take out.

Shana Thompson is a full time professional writer and editor. Shana has worked extensively in the fields of content marketing, on-page and off-page SEO (guest posts, backlink acquisition), and creative writing. As an experienced pro content writer, Shana has worked on several magazines, publishing companies and marketing agencies. Many recent projects have included everything from nutrition and health services, where a lot of research and citations were needed, to writing about health, sustainable, eco-friendly products.

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