5 Simple Ways to Make Your Meals Healthier
By Kelly Morgan, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Chair, Fundraising and Marketing Committee
Are you tired of eating salad after salad in hopes of making your goals a reality? While salads are undoubtedly a great way to keep on track, they aren’t the only way.
There are many simple little things you can do when preparing your meals that can have a significant impact in a positive way for your health. Here are five things that take zero effort to make healthier meals in your kitchen.
1. Use spices strategically
You probably know how bad it is for you to use too much salt. Most of the foods pre-packaged in our grocery stores and at restaurants are loaded with more sodium than we need. Instead, cook your own dishes using fresh spices as a way to flavor them up. All spices fall in the superfood category. Just look at ginger and turmeric, two anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich spices that add heaps of flavor. Smoked paprika can add more depth while fenugreek adds a nutty taste that goes great with veggies and meats alike.
2. Use bone broth instead
Making soups, stews, or sauces? Choose bone broth over regular broth and stock. It helps tame inflammation, soothes joints, and seals your digestive lining. Plus, it has a more vibrant taste for everything you make.
3. Give garlic time to open up
If you use fresh garlic in your recipes, that’s a significant step toward better health. However, most people tend to throw that garlic in straight away after chopping it. The best way to take advantage of garlic’s potent properties is to chop or mince it first and then allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Doing this lets allicin, a compound that activates its healing properties, come into play. Ideally, you’ll toss the garlic in at the end of your cook time, so it gets cooked enough while retaining those blissful benefits.
4. Incorporate the zest
Citrus fruits add plenty of zing and flavor without adding calories. You probably squeeze fresh lemon, lime, grapefruit, or orange into the things you create, but the zest has even more benefits for you. Get out your grater and zest in the peels, which have been linked to killing off harmful cells and providing antioxidant benefits. You can put it in every dish you make for a healthier and more delicious meal.
5. Get down with fermented foods
Fermented foods have probiotics built right in. They’re great for adding flavor to your dishes. You’ll want to add things like sauerkraut and kimchi, for example, to the end of your cooking time since they’re more sensitive to heat. Another trick? Use kombucha in place of vinegar when you make your salad dressing to get more probiotic power into your meals.
With these simple switches, you can make every meal healthier from the start without ever sacrificing taste!