Good nutrition is one of the keys to a healthy life. You’ll be able to improve your health by maintaining a balanced diet by following the below nutrition tips. It is best to eat foods that contain vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a source of protein.
Here are the best 5 Nutrition Tips for Improving Your Health:
Nutrition Tip 1: Drink Warm Lemon Water.
Drinking a glass of warm lemon water in the morning will start your day off right! You’ll get a boost of vitamin C, clean out toxins from your body and keep your digestion system on track. Water keeps your skin looking youthful and hydrated. On days where you are training or outdoors for a period of time, be sure to consume extra water. Drinking 12 ounces of water before your meal will also fill up your stomach and may prevent you from overeating.
Nutrition Tip 2: Fill up on Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables are a low calorie/high volume food. This means you can eat a lot of vegetables without consuming a lot of unwanted calories and you will feel full because they take up a lot of room in your stomach. When eating vegetables, avoid adding sauces and oil, which will add more total calories to your meal. Aim for fresh or steamed vegetables when possible.
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.
Nutrition Tip 3: Up the protein
If you feel like you are constantly hungry, try adding a bit more protein to your meals. When ordering a dinner salad, order a serving of lean protein to be placed on top to help you fill up and stay full. Also try eating the protein portion of your meals before having the side items which are usually higher in carbohydrates and fat.
Nutrition Tip 4: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia.
Add to your healthy diet:
Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce or eliminate from your diet:
Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Nutrition Tip 5: Limit sugar and salt
Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup.
Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.