Healthy nutrition is not suitable for everyday use? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! Our eating tips from experts are very easy to follow - and get your circulation going again...
A healthy diet sounds like a lot of work and little fun to many people. Our tips for healthy eating prove how easy it can really be...
For the vast majority of us, food has played a comforting role in the past year - and that's wonderful. Even if you feel ready to trade your morning bun for a green smoothie, there are still ways to eat healthily without missing a thing. Here some of the favorite cooks and nutrition experts share their tips for healthy eating at all levels.
"When trying to put together a balanced meal, use this rule of thumb," said Rosemary Ferguson, nutritionist and founder of The 5-Day Plan. "A quarter of your dish should be filled with lean protein; organic chicken or turkey, tofu or tempeh, or wild-caught salmon or cod are all good options. Another quarter should be complex carbohydrates - brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, buckwheat." -, and the last half should be a rainbow of vegetables. Try to eat at least four different varieties, which means you are getting a range of nutrients to feed your microbiome (bacteria and fungi)."
Instagram: @rosemaryferguson_Yes, it sounds obvious, but drinking enough water throughout the day is extremely important - not least because your body often confuses thirst for hunger, which leads to you snacking even though you are already full. Health experts say you should drink at least six to eight glasses of H2O every 24 hours. Keep water close at hand in a nice carafe on your desk when you work from home, or infuse pomegranate seeds or fresh mint and keep it in the refrigerator. "For a natural glow, add a few tablespoons of chia seeds and your favorite citrus fruit to 1.5 liters of filtered water for a beautifying, skin-clearing elixir," recommends nutritionist Moon Bedeaux. Another great option: making herbal iced teas. Order a delicious mix of loose leaves at My Cup of Tea, which has tisans from French verbena to Persian rose, and let them cool before pouring over ice.
Instagram: @mycupoftea_london
If you follow any punitive diet-focused accounts (or worse, have apps that focus on strict calorie restriction), you will get rid of them. Instead, follow people who encourage you to eat healthy meals. The Minimalist Baker has a brilliant archive of free whole foods recipes (many of which are plant-based), while nutritionist Gena Hamshaw shares incredibly healthy (and completely foolproof) vegan recipes on her Instagram account, The Full Helping.
Instagram: @minimalistbaker
In her cookbook, Where Cooking Begins, Carla Lalli Music recommends a two-pronged approach to shopping. Order your staple groceries online roughly every two weeks and also go to the local market to shop every few days. Not only does this help you familiarize yourself with what the season has to offer, but it also brings nutritional benefits. "Buy organic and as close as possible to where you live," advises Skye Gyngell, whose newly launched Spring To Go online platform is a great source of fresh, biodynamic products from Fern Verrow and Heckfield Place. "Nutrients don't last forever, even in fruits and vegetables, so eat those that have recently been harvested. Look for products grown in clean, nutrient-rich soil by farmers committed to maintaining healthy land."
Instagram: @spring_to_go
If you find the process of "batch" cooking a single dish for the whole week boring, you are not alone. It's hard to sit down to a bowl of vegan chilli for the third day in a row. However, you can make it a little easier to prepare quick, healthy meals - especially for lunch at work - by spending just an hour in the kitchen on the weekend.
"In order to make healthier decisions and not just grab the cookie jar or the cheese sandwich, it is best to prepare," says Yasmin Khan, author of the book "Zaitoun" and the upcoming cookbook "Ripe Figs": "Twice in the Week I like to roast a large load of vegetables (butternut squash, zucchini, red onions, fennel, whatever!) And put them in the fridge, then add them to salads, soups, and stews, or just eat them straight with something Tuna or canned beans for lunch. Another good preparation is to peel the carrots, cucumber, and celery and cut them into sticks so that you can eat them when you are hungry. It is also highly recommended to have some hummus on hand, so you can dip them in (I have a good hummus recipe in Zaitoun!). "
Also very worthwhile: making a couple of Sunday dressings that can turn a simple bowl of seasonal vegetables into something great. Stick to the three parts fat to one acid formula and get a little creative (keep trying and adjusting as necessary). Mix the avocado, lime juice, jalapeños, fresh coriander, and a dash of agave in a blender; Whisk together sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, liquid honey, and a dash of soy sauce; or mix plain yogurt, wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped garlic and a dash of olive oil.
Instagram: @yasminkhanstories
"When it comes to preparing vegetarian and vegan dishes, it's all about balance, texture contrasts, fresh ingredients, and a well-stocked pantry," says Ravinder Bhogal, founder of the hotspot Jikoni in Marylebone and the newly founded plant-based delivery service Comfort & Joy. "Indian, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisine, in particular, lends itself well to a vegan diet, as it is naturally rich in grains, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and seeds. They also have a knack for the usual suspects that are in the Vegetable drawers lurk to revitalize with savory condiments, complex spice blends, and umami-rich sauces and pastes. Umami is a flavor that is neither sweet nor sour, bitter or salty. Meat and fish taste umami. Go to your local Indian, Asian, and Middle Eastern Supermarkets and/or stock up on flavor bombs online like chili oil, miso, tamarind, tahini, and harissa to name a few. They make everything you touch vibrate with taste. " Also worth considering: try a Click And Grow Smart Garden, a foolproof way to grow your own herbs. A smart garden is when plants are intelligently monitored or cared for with the help of technology. It starts with a simple sensor that notifies you via the app when it's time to water again - and goes all the way to the complete system for the garden, where you hardly have to lift a finger and can control everything via app or voice command. There are also small indoor greenhouses that can independently grow herbs and vegetables for the kitchen, for example.
Instagram: @comfortandjoybyjikoni
As much as possible. "Especially now in spring is the perfect time to have some greens with every meal," says author Melissa Hemsley, whose current cookbook "Eat Green" is required reading for anyone who wants to eat healthier and more sustainably. "Some of the most delicious and beautiful vegetables are in season this month, including wild garlic and asparagus." Your top tip: make use of your freezer. "Everyone has a bag of frozen peas, but try to keep an eye out for frozen kale, green beans, edamame, and more. You never have to worry about them going off and they're always close at hand."
Instagram: @edible_flowersEven if you just have a quick bowl of soup in between meetings, it should be worth it. "When you break up your day with a satisfying WFH lunch, you have something to look forward to in the morning and that can actually turn your day around," says Hemsley, a longtime advocate of iPhone abandonment and those 15 minutes you have to take yourself to really enjoy your food. A nicely set table can make even a plate with leftovers look decadent. Invest in some tablecloths and placemats (we're currently thrilled with Gergei Erdei's Roman-inspired line) and take a few minutes to enhance the presentation of your favorite dishes. Add a handful of roasted nuts, some crumbled feta, or grated lemon peel to a soup, while salads can be garnished with edible flowers (Maddocks Farm Organics has the best selection in the UK) and fresh herbs.
Instagram: @moonbedeaux
Yes, there is some debate in the medical community about whether "superfoods" are really "great," but it's still fun to play around with lesser-known ingredients. "Sea moss is my favorite because it contains 92 of the 102 minerals the body needs," says Bedeaux, who regularly includes the alga in her morning smoothie. "If you live in the UK I recommend getting it from Detox Trading, who only have responsibly grown organic products." Your other favorite wellness rituals? Drink organic celery, pineapple, and ginger juice (preferably cold-pressed) 30 minutes before eating and take a few drops of milk thistle in water every day. "This stops a hangover before it even starts by detoxifying the liver," she notes.
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