How to Empower Your Diet with Nutrient-Rich Foods

Our diet influences our mood, productivity, and quality of life more than we know. It’s easy to lose track of what we eat and how much nutrition our body receives in a fast-paced life. However, if our bodies don’t get the vitamins, minerals, and proteins needed, it can lead to lifestyle diseases, chronic illnesses and poor health in the long term. 

Therefore, it is essential to make conscious food choices as you go through your day and ensure that you consistently eat nutritious food that gives your body the raw materials it needs. The old saying, “You are what you eat”, beautifully sums up the importance of a nutrient-rich diet. Eating fresh and nutritious food can help you avoid chronic illnesses and keep your organs healthy and functioning well. But the challenge is understanding how to include the correct nutrition for health in our daily diet.

This article describes the different ways to improve nutrition and enrich your daily diet. Here’s a look at some of the things to keep in mind.

Nutrition for Good Health

If you spend hours without food, then eating processed foods to save time, and not thinking twice before choosing a candy bar over a salad – this is for you. Foods with high sugar or sodium content and high levels of saturated or trans fats can harm your health. Choose the right food to give your body the nutrition it needs while timing your meals wisely.

Here is a look at the three essential components of a balanced diet – 

1. Grain – Whole grains are an essential part of every meal. Eating whole wheat bread, wheat roti, brown rice, or oats brings many micronutrients to your body. Grains are rich in minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They have a healthy quantity of vitamins A, B, and E. Whole grains are also fiber–rich, which is good for gut health and healthy digestion. Here is a look at some whole-grain food items you can add to your diet. 

• Rolled or Steel-Cut Oats – Rolled or steel-cut oats contain high amounts of  B vitamins and minerals like manganese, phosphorus, copper, iron, and selenium.

• Whole Wheat Roti - North Indians are firm believers in roti nutrition, or the nutritional contents of whole grain bread, with our meals. That is why you find all Indian dishes complimented with bread like roti, paratha, or puri.

• Whole Wheat Pasta – Instead of pasta made from refined flour, opt for whole wheat pasta to get fiber and proteins.

• Whole Wheat Tortillas – Like whole wheat roti, whole wheat tortillas increase the fiber content in your meal and add several vitamins and minerals to your daily intake.

• Whole Grain (Wheat or Rye) Crackers, Bread, and Rolls – Choose nutritious snacking options like whole grain crackers that are low fat and low cholesterol to reduce your intake of saturated fats and trans fats.

• Brown or wild rice – Refined or polished rice has low nutrition and high starch content. Eating brown or wild rice is a healthy alternative.

• Barley, Quinoa, Buckwheat, Whole Corn, and Cracked Wheat – These grains are low in gluten and rich in nutrients. Introduce variety to your home cooking by making bread with any of these grains instead of wheat or refined flour.

• Fruits and Vegetables – Fruits and vegetables are low in fat, sugar, and carbohydrate content. Add a side dish of vegetables to all your meals to make the meal more satisfying while enriching your diet with essential vitamins and minerals. Here is a look at the different fruits and vegetables and the nutrients they offer – 

• Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts – These vegetables are a good source of fiber, antioxidants and vitamins like A, C, K and B.

• Leafy Greens such as Chard, Cabbage, Romaine, and Bok Choy – Leafy greens are rich in minerals, proteins and compounds like omega-3, niacin, flavonoids and carotenoids.

• Dark Leafy Greens such as Spinach and Kale – Leafy vegetables are a valuable part of your diet because they contain fiber, folate, and carotenoids. 

• Squash, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, and Pumpkin – Also known as root vegetables, each has unique nutritional benefits. They reduce oxidative stress, prevent chronic diseases, and improve digestion.

• Snap Peas, Green Beans, Bell Peppers, and Asparagus – Rich in nutrients like iron, potassium, magnesium, and folate; these vegetables can quickly be eaten cooked or raw in a salad.

• Apples, Plums, Mangos, Papaya, Pineapple, and Bananas – Fruits like apples, mangoes, and papaya contain antioxidants, vitamins, and flavonoids. 

• Blueberries, Strawberries, Cherries, Pomegranates, and Grapes – Fruits like berries and grapes are rich in vitamins and antioxidant polyphenols.

• Citrus Fruits, Such as Grapefruits and Oranges – Most experts agree that citrus fruits are some of the most nutritious. Citrus fruits include grapefruits, lemons, kiwis, and oranges. They have a high amount of Vitamin C and help strengthen the immune system. 

• Peaches, Pears, and Melons – Peaches and pears are rich in Vitamin E, which is good for skin and hair. At the same time, melons are rich in vitamins B6 and C. Such fruits can support your weight loss efforts.

• Tomatoes and Avocados – Both tomatoes and avocadoes are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Keep them with you as a healthy snack, or use them to make tasty salads.

1. Meat, Poultry and Fish – Red and white meat are good protein sources. However, it is best to stick to lean cuts of meats to get the most nutrition from the lowest calorific count. You should always cook meat well before eating. Here are some examples – 

• Beef, Pork, Veal, or Lamb – When eating red meat, choose the leanest cuts, namely round, lion, or leg pieces. Trim away the excess fat before cooking. They have Vitamin B12, iron, and protein. 

• Poultry – Poultry includes bird meat like quails, ducks, and chickens. It also contains eggs. These meats are low in calories but high in protein and vitamins.

• Fish – Fish and other seafood are the most nutritious when eaten fresh. Wild-caught oily fish are essential sources of omega-3 fatty acids that create good cholesterol in our bodies.

Transforming your diet may seem like a formidable challenge at first. But small changes go a long way in creating a healthy lifestyle. Identify the missing nutrients in your diet and introduce new food to your daily diet. It will increase the choices and the nutrients in your daily diet.