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You want to feel healthier, everyone does. You want more energy, a better body and the ability to do what you do better. Choosing healthier foods is easier than you may think. Nutritionist and author of ‘Falling in Love with Food‘, Zoe Bingley-Pullin, shows us how changing just a few eating habits can make a big difference to your diet and wellbeing.
- Swap refined carbohydrates for low GI complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, quinoa, legumes, wholegrain bread and root vegetables. Complex carbohydrates provide a slower release of energy to better fuel your day and are a more nutrient dense option compared to refined carbohydrates.
- Eat at least a daily serve of essential fatty acids, fats that must come from our diet including salmon, sardines, mackerel, flaxseeds, walnuts and chia seeds. Healthy fats support mood, appetite and exert an anti-inflammatory effect in the body.
- Add healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, tahini, nuts and seeds to salads and vegetables to increase the absorption of vitamins and antioxidants from the vegetables.
- Incorporate plant-based proteins into your daily diet such as legumes, nuts and seeds, tofu/tempeh and quinoa/brown rice. Most plant-based proteins are lower in poor quality fats and along with protein offer a source of fibre, vitamins and minerals compared to anima-based proteins.
- Eat at least 25-30g fibre daily, fibre decreases food cravings and supports gastrointestinal health. Good sources of fibre include fruit, root vegetables, grains, flax/chia seeds and legumes.
- Aim for half plate vegetables at each main meal, especially those richest in antioxidants such as capsicum, tomato, red cabbage, carrots, sweet potato, beetroot, kale and spinach. Don’t forget the healthy fat!
- Start the day with a fresh vegetable juice such as beetroot, celery, ginger and carrot, mix the pulp back into the juice for a fibre boost. If pulp doesn’t appeal, try chia seeds!
- Avoid getting caught short between meals! Have healthy snacks on hand such as raw nuts/seeds, natural yoghurt and berries, hummus and brown rice crackers, raw vegetable sticks and mashed avocado or a fresh vegetable juice.
- Cook at home more often. Studies have shown that people who frequently cook meals at home eat healthier and consume less kilojoules than those who buy food out. Make a weekly plan and list of ingredients needed to create some healthy meals at home!
- Aim to eat mindfully daily, chew solely, and eat without distraction in a calm environment focusing on the moment and the sensation of tasting the food.
