Get the most nutritional bang for your buck with the simple yet super-charged ways to up the health ante in your daily meals.
1. Seed and Nut it out
From hemp seed, flaxseed, walnut, almond, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, macadamia, these nutrient-rich energy powerhouses each have the potential stored energy to grow a tree. They’re dense in nutrients such as protein, , heart-healthy unsaturated fats, and vitamins and minerals .
Try: Follow the nutrition gospel according to Miranda Kerr, and add omega-3 rich Chia seeds to your breakfast smoothie.
2. Go green
Dark green leafy vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals and antioxidants such as beta-carotene, folate, lutein, vitamin C, E and K, E, non-haem iron, and some even have calcium, such as Chinese broccoli.
Try: Adding spinach and broccoli to your homemade pizza, tuna salad, omelets or soup.
3. Milky chance
Milk alternative blends are a sure-fire way to add much needed nutrition and variety to your daily intake – why just have one, when you can have two? Try Vitasoy Soy & Almond milk for a natural source of protein with the great taste of almond. Or Vitasoy Oat & Almond milk is a source of soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which can help lower cholesterol absorption.
Try: If you’ve gone down the Almond milk path, Rescu. recommends Vitasoy’s Soy & Almond and Oat & Almond milk blends which are really versatile. Not only are they tasty on breakfast cereals and in smoothies but they are great as dairy alternatives in recipes too!
3. Spice it up
The ancient spice turmeric has been a super food for centuries as part of the Indian diet, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Making its way into the western diet, turmeric’s benefits stem from the active ingredient curcumin.
Try: Adding turmeric to your pastured eggs for breakfast, or to your teabags for the ultimate liver detox.
5. The deal with the peel
Save the effort of peeling apples, oranges and cucumbers and start eating them to up the fruit’s nutritional benefits. The outer skin of fruits and vegies contains many disease-fighting antioxidants, as well as fiber.
Try: The fuzzy peel on a kiwi won’t be noticed in a smoothie, add your orange peels to chili dishes when finely chopped, and broccoli stalks are perfect for stir-fries.
6. The (not-so) musical fruit
Beans, especially kidney, black, pinto and navy beans, are low GI, high in protein, contain phytonutrients and are a good source of dietary fibre to help aid digestion. Beans are particularly important in vegetarian diets.
Try: Adding beans to a beetroot and greens salad, or simply add to bulk out your tacos, soups, or as an alternative to Bolognese toppings.
7. Keep Vegies intact
Overcooking, or wrongly cooking vegies will sap them of their nutrients. Cook your vegies lightly and quickly to help retain water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and many B vitamins.
Try: Stir-frying them in olive or canola oil on medium heat, or steam them using a bit of water and a steaming plate in your pan.
8. Friendly fats
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning that dietary fat must be available for your body to absorb those nutrients. To get the most out of foods rich in these fat-soluble vitamins, eat a little heart-healthy fat at the same time. The good fats will aid in the absorption of the key nutrients found in fruits and vegies.
Try: Adding diced avocado or an olive oil-based dressing to a spinach salad, enjoy a handful of walnuts with your raspberries, or dip your carrots into hummus.
9. Fermented fun
As old as civilisation, fermented foods such as yoghurt, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and tempeh are made by lactic acid bacteria fermentation. What this means is that these foods may contain probiotics – any live micro-organism that may have a health benefit when consumed in adequate amounts. Research is ongoing into the how they can help with our health. If anything, explore and expand your diet by including more probiotic foods than just yoghurt!
Try: Add yogurt to your morning muesli or use miso to create a yummy broth, add flavour to soups, make a delicious salad dressing or as alternative to spreads and sauces.
10. Get the zest
A little known fact about lemon is that by adding lemon juice to a meal, it can lower the overall GI of the meal, and help with better blood sugar control and energy levels.
Try: Adding lemon slices to your recommended daily water intake, and squeeze the goodness out for fish and chicken based recipes, and in salads.
Vitasoy is a commerical partner of RESCU.com.au
Photos: Dreamstime.
