How To Get More More Nutrients In Your Diet
A lot has been made over the past decade about nutrient-rich ‘Superfoods’. And for good reason, nutrient-rich foods are essential for the immune system to function, they are high in vitamins and minerals as well as other key components important for maintaining the health of the body. However, our diets mostly consist of energy-rich foods and food groups. Energy-rich foods are high in calories. Of course, we need the energy to get through the day but much of the high-calorie food we are putting in our bodies contain very little in the way of nutrients. This is where the term ‘empty calories’ comes from. These include foods with high levels of saturated fats, added sugars, cholesterol, and sodium. In fact, these foods have negative health consequences if not consumed in moderation. This may include issues to do with high cholesterol i.e blot clots; diabetes, risk of high blood pressure, and many more.
This is why it is so important to get as many nutrient-dense foods in our diets to tip the scale as well as finding ways to boost these nutrients for a healthier longer and happier life.
What are nutrient-dense foods?
Nutrient-rich foods include many of the dietary basics, your green whole foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, but also whole grains, peas, beans, nuts, and seeds. The kind of things people don’t find very exciting but great for your insides. Foods that are high in protein, calcium, vitamin D, A, C, and E, fiber, magnesium, and iron, which you can often see on the back of food packaging as well as from the internet. It is important to look out for these nutrients and incorporate them more into your diet.
But how?
As we said, many people don’t find them very exciting, but they can be! For one many of us simply aren’t used to or acclimated to these foods yet so they will inevitably taste bland and unfamiliar to our taste buds at first. However if we slowly start to incorporate them into our diet, and many some clever culinary choices, you’ll never want to go back to the unhealthy food groups again. Here are a few easy ways to incorporate them
Meal prep: meal prep allows you to plan your meals carefully and appropriately manage what is going into each meal at the start of the week, this helps you set a goal of what you want to eat as well as controlling portion sizes
Replace artificial sugars with natural ones: sugar drinks and sweets can easily be replaced with fresh fruit, tea, and coffee
Replace snacks: crunchy veg and hummus is a great way to go!
Plant-based diet: plant-based diets have surged in popularity over the past few years. There are now boundless tasty and exciting recipes and cookbooks to help you get the most out of your nutrient-rich foods!
Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements
Vitamins and nutritional supplements can be a great addition to your already nutrient-rich diet. Many people that have gone plant-based require these to help give them the necessary vitamins naturally found in animal-based products such as oily/fatty fish. It is important to consult your doctor before taking any dietary supplements and choosing the right ones for your diet.
