Life is so busy these days sometimes as we all know it can be difficult to juggle a career, social life, family commitments, relationship and get yourself off to the gym while maintaining a healthy diet. To try and simplify your life here are 7 tips you can use to add more nutrients into your diet without fuss. Jessica Valiant is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist for Hemp Foods Australia shares how you can add more nutrients to your diet.
1. Let Hemp Lend A Helping Hand
By simply adding hemp seeds or hemp oil to your usual meals can practically go un-noticed due to its subtle nutty flavor. By adding Hemp, you can add a whole bunch of nutrients to your meals due to it being rich in healthy fats, whole vegetable protein containing all 21 essential amino acids, and the optimum Omega 3:6 profile, High amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber (to name a few) can help boost your meals nutritional content.
2. Don’t Peel your skin
If peel the skin of your fruit and veggies like your apples, potato’s, cucumbers, kiwi, figs (etc.) then stop! The outer skin of your fruits and veggies is full of fiber, vitamins and multiple disease-fighting antioxidants. Be sure to wash thoroughly to remove any germs, dirt or pesticides before consuming.
3. Add Good Fat
The following vitamins A, D, E and K are all fat-soluble, meaning that your body needs to have fat available for your body to absorb these vitamins. So, to get the most out of foods high in A, D, E and K you need to eat them with good fat. E.g. If you have spinach add diced avocado or a nice olive oil dressing, if you have carrots dip them in hummus. By eating like this you can make your food tastier and bring out the most nutrients in your food so your body is being fueled better.
4. Drink More (and pee more)
The average human body is made up of roughly 60% water. While this is the most basic tip so many people are still walking around chronically dehydrated which plays a big role in low energy levels, feeling tired, grouchy, impaired mental function and increased blood pressure. When we drink more water, it can eradicate the above symptoms but you don’t have to measure how much you drink, you can measure by how often you pee. By urinating every 2-3 hours you know the right amount of hydration is happening to your body but also you are aiding your kidneys with eliminating toxins from blood and liver.
*Try adding your favourite cut fruit, vegetable and herbs to add flavor and extra vitamins and minerals.
5. Eat As You Go
According to the Journal of Food Science after 6 months’ products like Olive Oil loses 40% of its antioxidants. As with many other food and products once opened or picked it begins to chemically change. By eating food products as they are opened and at their peak freshness and making sure they are stored/refrigerated correctly and consumed way before their expiry date to ensure you get the most nutritional value out of the products you are eating.
6. Cook Fast and Chew thoroughly
Over cooking vegies can sap the nutrients out of them. By cooking your vegetables quickly and lightly it helps you retain vitamin C and B vitamins by retaining the water-soluble nutrients. But lightly steaming vegetables or quickly stir-frying them so they are still crisp but soft enough to eat can help you get the best out of your meals and chew thoroughly! When you chew the enzymes in your saliva break down your food. As a result the nutrients in your food are better absorbed therefore getting you the most out of your food.
7. Prebiotic and Probiotic
According to the World Gastroenterology Organization by incorporating a pre or probiotic into your diet can improve your nutrient absorption and digestion due to adding to the good bacteria that lives in your gut. This can also help with being bloated and gas. Try adding foods such as pickles, kefir, yogurt or sauerkraut to also enhance your probiotic intake.
Want more advice for living a fabulous life? Follow us on Instagram or join the Rescu. community by tagging #liveyourfabuslouslife in IG posts.
