And nutrients aside, we are very emotionally connected to our food. Attitudes around what we should and shouldn’t be consuming can really impact the eating experience and our emotional wellbeing!
But mate, you are busy and haven’t the inclination to sift through all that. We get it. So, with all the dietary advice and concepts around nutrition out there, how about we take a look at keeping eating well simple?
Here are five straightforward things to consider in your every day:
One: Focus on real, whole food rather than single nutrients. Enjoy mostly fresh produce, including veg and fruit, with nuts, seeds, legumes, lean and sustainably sourced meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs, and some whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice or buckwheat).
This means you naturally being to limit added sugar and other heavily processed and packaged foods.
Two: Have at least a serve of veg or fruit at EVERY meal. Full stop.
Three: Make enough for leftovers, to avoid buying so much takeout, and tweak favourite recipes to make them healthier, like adding extra veg or legumes.
Four: Take pleasure in preparing your meals, eat slowly and mindfully, and enjoy with others.
Five: Don’t hate on yourself when you’ve had the cookies, cake or entire packet of crisps. The world will not end! Enjoy it when you have it, and at the next meal eat something that will nourish you and mitigate any damage inflicted by the not-so-great food, like veg, greens and fruit.
The brilliant dietary guidelines from the Brazilian Government emphasises much of these points to their public, stating diet is more than just intake of macro or micro nutrients!
It encourages people to consider not only on what we eat, but where food comes from, and with whom and how we eat it. Believe it or not, it can all make a difference to our health and relationship with food! You can read more here. 🙂
Want a little more? We have written on other simple ways to boost nutrition each and every day – go check it out.
By Angela Johnson (BHSc Nut. Med)