Eight tips for healthy eating

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. It doesn't have to be difficult either.

These practical tips cover the basics of healthy eating, and can help you make healthier choices:

Base your meals on starchy foods: Starchy foods should make up around one third of the foods you eat. Starchy foods include potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread. Choose wholegrain varieties (or eat potatoes with their skins on) when you can: they contain more fibre, and can help you feel full.

Most of us should eat more starchy foods: try to include at least one starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram the carbohydrate they contain provides fewer than half the calories of fat.

Eat lots of fruit and veg: It’s recommended that we eat at least five portions of different types of fruit and veg a day. It’s easier than it sounds. A glass of unsweetened 100% fruit juice (150ml) can count as one portion, and vegetables cooked into dishes also count. 

Eat more fish: Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim to eat at least two portions of fish a week, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish contains omega-3 fats, which may help to prevent heart disease. You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned: but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt.

Cut down on saturated fat and sugar; We all need some fat in our diet. But it’s important to pay attention to the amount and type of fat we’re eating. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease.

Saturated fat is found in many foods, such as hard cheese, cakes, biscuits, sausages, cream, butter, lard and pies. Try to cut down on your saturated fat intake, and choose foods that contain unsaturated fats instead, such as vegetable oils, oily fish and avocados.

For a healthier choice, use just a small amount of vegetable oil or reduced-fat spread instead of butter, lard or ghee. When you're having meat, choose lean cuts and cut off any visible fat. 

Eat less salt: Even if you don’t add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much. About three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces. Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.

Get active and be a healthy weight; Eating a healthy, balanced diet plays an essential role in maintaining a healthy weight, which is an important part of overall good health. Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke. Being underweight could also affect your health. Check whether you’re a healthy weight by using our Healthy weight calculator.

Don't get thirsty: We need to drink about 1.6 to 2 litres of fluid every day to stop us getting dehydrated. This is in addition to the fluid we get from the food we eat. All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water and lower-fat milk are healthier choices. 

Try to avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks that are high in added sugars and calories, and are also bad for teeth. Even unsweetened fruit juice is sugary, so try to limit how much you drink to no more than one glass (about 150ml) of fruit juice each day.

When the weather is warm, or when we get active, we may need more fluids.

Don’t skip breakfast: Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight. In fact, research shows that eating breakfast can help people control their weight. A healthy breakfast is an important part of a balanced diet, and provides some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health. A wholegrain, lower-sugar cereal with fruit sliced over the top is a tasty and nutritious breakfast.

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Spinach can slow down fat digestion

Good news for the spinach lovers or for the ones who want to gain less from the fatty foods. This has been found in a research that spinach has the capacity of slowing down fat digestion and this leads to less hunger and food craving especially in men. When the fat in the body digests slowly, less space is vacated in the body and the stomach and the craving for food tendency too occurs lately. Researchers are of the opinion that this reaction is seen more in the men than women and this is indeed good news for the spinach eating men.

This is found that the extract of thylakoids found in spinach encourages the release of satiety hormones and this is very beneficial in controlling hunger. The researchers had conducted the test on Sixty people (30 men and 30 women) who are overweight or obese people. They were provided to either consume the spinach extract or a placebo in random order at least a week apart and the results showed that the spinach extract containing thylakoids increased satiety over a two-hour period compared to a placebo.

A previous study had found that, in women, a reduced urge for sweets was significant after a single dose of the spinach extract and the reduced urge for sweets was sustained throughout the study.

There were no differences in plasma lipids and energy intake at dinner but men showed a trend toward decreased energy intake. “Thylakoid consumption may influence gender-specific food craving,” the authors said.

The Journal of the American College of Nutrition published details on the research. 

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Processed foods- how healthy they are

The supermarkets, food stalls, grocery shops etc are today founded to be packed with processed food items which are being claimed to be the healthiest and the best for consumption. But before picking those blindly, it is necessary that you must know whether those are actually good for your health and whether you should stuff your shopping bag with such ready to eat and yummy looking things. 

There is no doubt that the processed foods are bacteria free and can be kept stored for longer time to be immediately eaten and cooked later, but is this process really healthy for the body? The actual fact is that the processed foods are obtained from laboratories and not nature. Hence, the natural goodness of the food is always missing. This leads to causing issues like gastrointestinal disorders, infertility and probable damage of organs.

Also, the processed foods lack some of the nutrients, vitamins and fiber present in the natural raw food. Another disadvantage of processed foods is that its regular intake can make people become angry and irritable. The mood and energy levelling benefits of natural whole foods is missing in the processed foods.

s like gastrointestinal disorders, infertility and probable damage of organs.

This is not enough, that trans fats and sugar contained in processed food may cause obesity, inflammation and asthma as well. The pre-cut vegetables and meat are good for the people who are always in a hurry, but in reality these hardly possesses the freshness and the vitamin quotient of the fresh vegetables and freshly produced meat.

However, there are healthy choices too in the processed foods which can be picked for consumption. Some of such right choices would be like peanut butter, blueberry jam, homemade cranberry juice, apple juice and grape juice etc. So, the next time you are in the grocery shop for picking some processed foods, keep these little things in mind. 

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Pack Nutrition Into Your Food Choices

Do you want to get more health benefits from the food you eat? The following tips will help you pack more nutrients into each bite:

Think Variety Among Food Groups

Eat a wide selection of foods each day from all of the food groups:

Milk + Milk Products
Vegetables
Fruits
Grains

Meat + Beans 

Think Variety Within Food Groups

Eating five different fruits and vegetables each day provides far more nutritional benefits than simply eating five apples or five servings of green beans. A glass of milk isn't your only option in the Milk + Milk Products group – think cheese, yogurt or a latte for variety and good taste. Lean meats, fish, shellfish, nuts and legumes - all from the "Meat + Beans group" - provide a variety of essential nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E1.

Think Color

Eat plenty of brightly colored fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, as well as whole grains, fortified cereals and legumes for vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber (which can help alleviate constipation problems). 

Think Benefits

Plant foods contain powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals which may protect cells against cancer and other degenerative diseases. Three daily servings of low-fat milk and dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese will meet your daily calcium needs and help protect your bones.

Some dairy foods like yogurt and kefir also provide beneficial bacteria called probiotics that help maintain your digestive tract, and may boost your immune system. 

Think Moderation

You don't need to give up your favorite foods that are high in fat, sugar, calories or sodium. Just eat those foods less often and in smaller amounts. No one food or meal has ever been shown to make or break a healthy eating plan.

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5 Healthy Breakfasts for Busy Mornings

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast provides you with the energy and nutrients that lead to increased concentration in the classroom. Studies show that breakfast can be important in maintaining a healthy body weight.

1. Avocado Toast With Egg

Sometimes, simple is just better. In this recipe, 2 slices of whole-grain bread, lightly toasted, topped with smashed avocado and a sprinkling of salt and pepper makes for a flavorful and rich base. Top that with two sunny-side-up eggs for a healthy dose of protein, and you've got a well-rounded breakfast. Stack 'em in a tupperware container for easy transport or cook the yolks a bit more and make the whole thing into a sandwich.

2. Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie

Here’s a simple and delicious smoothie recipe for the morning rush. Blend 1 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 cup frozen fruit (banana and berries work very well) with 1/2 cup liquid (milk, juice, coconut water—whatever you like). Freeze overnight and thaw throughout the day to enjoy in the afternoon, or blend up in the morning.

3. Quinoa Fruit Salad

Spice up a plain old fruit cup with a scoop of quinoa. Toss the whole shebang around until the quinoa is evenly distributed through the fruit. Add a scoop of plain yogurt and a drizzle of honey for a little extra body.

4. Oatmeal Squares

Oatmeal is a great option for a hearty snack or breakfast. 

5. Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Smoothies are a perfect on- the- go- snack any time of day. Blend 1 frozen banana, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup almond milk, and a few ice cubes. If this is a morning snack, keep it in a tight-sealing container and throw it in a gym or work bag. For an afternoon boost, prep it the night before and freeze, remove in the morning, and it will be thawed and ready to enjoy after lunch. Tip: Add a scoop of your favorite chocolate or vanilla protein for an extra protein boost.

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An evening at Mocha

Ever since I went to Mocha for the first time, I always had this crave in me to revisit this place as I don’t know what but I feel a kind of refreshment and homely surrounding in this eating joint which is a rare scene in most of the reputed food chains found in the Guwahati city. The myth that well-located, best tasted and beautifully decorated food joints charge sky high bucks from the customers was proved wrong right on my first visit to Mocha as I found it simply charging the same as any other self proclaimed best food joint based in any corner of the lanes of the city. So, the one factor that may irk one while thinking about stepping into the Mocha, that is, the price factor is just an useless tension and yes, anybody and everybody can find this eatery as homely and welcoming as I find it every time. 

This time, I chose to order for one of the best coolers of the restaurant on the suggestion of your waiter at service. He was friendly enough in helping me to order for a Strawberry Cheese Cake, which although sounds like a desert but actually is a shake and a jar of Country Lemonade. Smiles came automatically to the faces of me and my husband, when we got to see our waiter carrying those giant coolers towards us. The Strawberry Cheesecake shake is a thing that will alone fill up your stomach leaving no space for you to even think about stuffing food. At the same time, the Country Lemonade was so refereshing, perfect in taste and equally big in size that we had to share each others’ coolers and yes, cherished the tastes a lot!    

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Plating the food the right way!

Just like it is pretty essential for the food to taste god and smell good for leaving the eaters satisfied and craving more of it, similarly, it is equally essential for the food to look good because, the first impression of the food is not its taste, but its look. Your guests at home or in your restaurant will give that much-excited-to-gorge-on-foods look only then when they can see you approaching them with some really delicious looking dishes and that will be possible for you only if you know how to do the plating! Food plating is an essential art and if you master in it, you are sure to win the hearts. 

Presentation of food has much to do with being artistic and capable of inputting more of creativity into the plating process. It not only demands great attention and creativity from you, but also seeks the love of art. Cooking is more an art of the chefs and nowadays, a beautiful plating is also considered as essential in food business because the food lovers love to eat good looking foods and feels more inclined to go for it rather than a plainly served dish. 

A beautiful plating basically involves utilizing the main dish along with a few of the add ons like the garnishing sauce, cheese, butter, salads, chopped vegetables and leafy vegetables. It can start with arranging the main item in the front of the plate with vegetables or starches in the back. This sort of plating is called ‘Classic’ plating. Then, there is 'stacked' plating in which various items are decorated on the plate with the main item leaning or 'shingled' upon a vegetable bed or side item. In this type of plating, the plate looks like the face of a clock. 

You can learn the plating tricks without any formal training just home by taking help of the internet. A little homework and some time dedicated to food decoration will let you learn it easily and quickly. 

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