5 Habits to Help You
Eat Healthily

Every time when people hear about diets and healthy eating, they imagine low-calorie and tasteless food. However, eating healthy can be even more delicious than consuming junk food. All you need is nice routine and environment to make your healthy eating habits pleasant.

At first, let's think for a while why we need to eat healthy in general. People are talking about about healthy snacks, low-fat food or specific diets, but how do the food we eat influence our state, either physical or mental?

First of all, food directly affects our health. Right and smart food choices can protect you from various health problems. For example, limiting salt can reduce blood pressure and improve your heart health. Also, heart problems can be prevented by making changes to your diet by choosing healthier food.

Food can influence your mood. For instance, tryptophan is an essential amino acid that creates niacin. Niacin, in its turn, is needed to create the neurotransmitter serotonin. Higher blood serotonin levels are associated with better mood in general. Therefore, to be in good spirits, you can add some food rich in tryptophan to your meals. This amino acid can be found in foods high in protein, like chicken, eggs, fish, or cheese.

Another reason why it's vital to think about what you eat is your productivity. The WHO (World Health Organization) claims that 'people with adequate nutrition are more productive'. As an example, the lack of iron in your diet may lead to poor performance and less productivity at work.

It is evident that healthy food is a critical part of our both mental and physical health.

So, what habits can help you to eat healthier?

1. Start small.
It's ok to start with just one meal a day. The Healthy Eating Plate is the standard for healthy eating. To do this at home, take a big plate and fill it ¼ of the way with whole grains (quinoa, oats, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta), ¼ with proteins (meat, fish, beans, or nuts), and the rest with veggies.

2. Eat fruits and veggies.
To avoid disease and live a long, full life, pay extra attention to eating enough fruits, vegetables, berries, and leafy greens. They are sources of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Start by adding one fruit and one vegetable to your daily meal plan.

3. Cut down on snacking.
Limit your snacks to two per day. Most scientists agree that this number is optimal for maintaining good health while staying energized. You can write down what you ate in Habit Reflection to keep track of your eating habits. Choose healthier options for snacking, like nuts, fruit, yogurt, and protein bars.

4. Choose fortified foods.
Start with iodized salt. The World Health Organization recommends it to prevent thyroid disease. Milk with vitamin D can protect your bones. Cereal is often fortified with B vitamins, which are very much in demand during stressful periods. Check product labels and try to buy at least one fortified food item during your next trip to the supermarket.

5. Cut down on saturated fat and sugarYeah, fat is essential for your health but pay attention what kind of fat you eat. There are 2 main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. When we consume a lot of saturated fat, the amount of cholesterol in the blood increases. This can lead to developing heart disease.
What concerns sugary products, they are usually high in calories. So, consuming a lot of sugary foods or soft drinks may contribute to weight gain.
Therefore, try to cut down on saturated fat and sugar to stay healthier.