Everyone who wants to try living and eating healthy understands that aside from cooking delicious foods, there is the need to create foods that are made from practical products. This is because these practical products are staples in the supermarket and in pantries as well. When you use healthy practical foods, you can create a good diet that can keep you healthy and prevent the occurrence and the risk of some common illnesses.
One example of the practical foods is the common and humble tomato. Often used in plenty of dishes, the tomato is usually nothing special. But did you know that the tomato is a citrus fruit and not a vegetable like we think it is? Indeed, it is a citrus fruit. Not only is is rich in lycopene, which has high chances of reducing certain types of cancer, it is high in vitamin C as well – which is common in all citrus fruits.
The practical tomato is easy to cook and use. It is very versatile and it is inexpensive as well. It is easily available either fresh, canned or frozen. You can use tomatoes in plenty of ways – so you should always have a stock of tomatoes in the fridge or in the pantry.
Pastas – especially those of whole wheat varieties, is another example of a practical and functional food. It can be used in plenty of ways. Cook them with a simple sauce, or pair them with elaborate seafood or meats. How healthy a pasta dish is depends on what you to and what you use as sauce. Of course, as much as possible, you should avoid reach and high fat sauces.
If you are a pasta fan, there are plenty of low fat sauces out in the market, or you can create your own healthy version from scratch.
Whole grains are also great examples of foods that are healthy and practical as well. You should also stock up on these staples because you can easily create meals from them that are healthy and delicious as well. You should substitute your refined cereals and breads with whole grain versions because the latter contains more important nutrients.
When you start on an eating program, using practical foods is easy. This is because you are most probably using them in your diet right now. With that, all you need is a little tweaking up of your diet – nothing drastic, really.
Now, start by assessing your diet and looking for ways to improve them. You should also take your personal health risks into consideration by asking your dietitian or physician. He or she can put together a list of foods that you can use for a better diet.
Healthy eating can be boring if you don’t know what to eat. Avoid eating the same thing over and over again by mastering a couple of recipes, then building up your repertoire as the time goes. The internet as well as your friends are great sources of healthy recipes that make use of practical ingredients.
Here are some ways for you to use practical staples any time and meal of the day.
Breakfast:
Include healthy staples as well as fruits for breakfast. You can combine cereals with berries or oatmeal with bananas. Your imagination is your limit.
Add some crunch to your yogurt by mixing healthy cereals or some berries.
If you love your toast, try using soy nut butter or apple butter instead of regular butter – which is high in fat.
Drink 100% juice along with your breakfast everyday. Great choices include orange, apple, grape and grapefruit juice.
If you’re constantly on the go, blend some soy milk or non fat skim milk with fresh fruits for a smoothie to go.
Lunch And Dinner
Make a sandwich with some tuna, green and red peppers, garlic, onions and some grated carrots.
Whole grain pasta works well with homemade tomato sauce that’s laden with fresh herbs and spices.
Use tomatoes, leeks and onions as side dishes.
Grill fish and serve with a great healthy salad.
Cook low fat soups such as broccoli or spinach soup
Try some vegetable stir fry. Make sure to use olive oil instead of regular cooking oil.
Snacks
Of course, who can forget snacks. Here are some great snacks that you can munch on in the middle of the day:
Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your dining table or kitchen counter.
Mix some dried fruit and nuts.
Keep a supply of mixed vegetables such as broccoli florets, celery sticks, baby carrots and more inside your fridge. You can also keep a Provision of low-fat dips and fertilizer.
Fresh fruit salad with its variants, you can be fresh or canned fruit
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