5 Easy Ways to Healthier Eating

I recently came across some interesting facts that I wasn’t aware of that will make a difference to the way I cook some foods in future and which with little or even less effort than normal, increases the nutrients we absorb from our food.

1. BOIL VEGETABLES ‘WHOLE’ WHERE POSSIBLE

   While doing an internet search of the Newcastle University Study on changing to a low carbohydrate diet to help reverse diabetes, I came across another study about the benefits in particular of carrots but also other root vegetables such as parsnips and celeriac. Dr Brandtwho is conducting the study said: “the secret of healthier and tastier carrots is to use a bigger pan so they can be cooked whole. ” She said that this increases the anti-cancer properties contained in a cooked portion of carrots by 25 per cent. The study is ongoing but hey why wait.. I’m going to stop chopping and start cooking carrots ‘whole’ whenever possible. Apparently American researchers have also discovered that cooking potatoes ‘whole’ also retains the amount of potassium that is retain for absorption into the body after cooking by 50%. (As I’m on a low carb diet, the potatoes isn’t something I’ll be trying but worth knowing if you do eat potatoes…)

2. EAT FAT

   Over the last 30-40 years, we’ve been told to reduce the amount of fat we eat. Research is now reversing this advice. It’s important to eat the right sort of fats but to reduce fat in your diet, reduces the nutritional benefit of other foods you eat. So for example, fat is needed to enable the beneficial antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables however, adding some fat to the food such as olive oil or avocado, increases the absorption rate of antioxidants into the body by 4 times. That means you will receive 4 times more goodness by adding some fat rather than just eating the fruit or vegetables on their own. In addition, the research I’ve been following in connection with the benefits of ‘low carb’ also shows that adding natural fats, even butter, cream and crème fraiche etc. to sauces eaten with high protein foods, staves off those hunger pangs for longer. So all in all, adding a drop of cream over some strawberries is beneficial and tasty!

3. ENJOY WHAT YOU EAT

   According to research in Sweden, enjoying your food, stimulates a more effective digestive system which is then able to absorb nutrients into the body more effectively. So again, adding a creamy sauce to a low carbohydrate, high protein dish can make the food tastier and more enjoyable and thus the body is able to absorb more nutrients. Yum – bring on the creamy mushroom sauce with my chicken tonight! If you look at some of the low carb recipes on my blog, you’ll notice that they often contain cream or full fat Greek yoghurt etc. and yet I’ve been able to lose nearly 2 stone over the last 10 months (just 3 more pounds to go…)  and I’ve not felt as if I’ve been depriving myself or eating ‘diet’ food… or that swing from bloated to hunger pangs that I felt when I followed a higher carbohydrate diet. Check out Sumith’s blog if you want to be truly inspired by the visual art of tempting the tasteboods… https://keralas.live/category/food-art/

4. BUY SMALL FRUITS

   When I shop for fruit, I usually pick the large plump fruits and these are often the more expensive fruits on the shelf. For example, large plump strawberries look more appealing and are always more expensive than the little strawberries which tend to be sold in the ‘value’ range. Well, I’ve learned this week that “SIZE DOES MATTER” (don’t tell hubby – haha)… Seriously… large is not better.. (oh maybe he won’t mind after all.. yikes I’m in for trouble if he ever reads this post!!) Apparently ‘smaller’ fruits contain less water and therefore more nutrients per gramme… So this tip is good for health and the purse as the smaller strawberries are often cheaper too! Good news all round…

5. STORE FRUIT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

   Apparently, some fruits continue to develop nutrients like beta-carotene after they’ve been picked, but not if you store them in the fridge. Keeping fruits like strawberries, tomatoes (yep they are fruit not veg), melon and peaches out of the fridge will improve their nutritional value.

So, in a nutshell, in 2017 this Manchester Lifestyle Blogger is looking for:

Small, warm, visually attractive, creamy and in one piece….. pretty well sums it up!

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME – WHAT DO YOU THINK?