Diet is a very important part of staying healthy. However, the prospect of changing one’s diet radically can be rather daunting, and not simply because we like and/or are used to our usual food. We may have very limited budgets, or be in situations where only a narrow range of food items are available (such as having to eat in an office cafeteria, etc.). Here are some “switches” you can make, while still staying relatively within budget and not making huge changes to your diet.
1. Drink water instead of soft drinks. Water might seem rather boring at first for a person who is used to fizzy carbonated drinks, but sticking to water can cut down on your sugar intake, reduce the acid in your stomach, and will reduce damage done to your teeth.
2. Eat brown rice or bread instead of the white kind. This is particularly relevant to people with a family history of diabetes. It turns out that regular and heavy consumption of rice (as happens in some Asian cultures, for example) is actually a heavier factor contributing to the onset of diabetes than your intake of sweets. If you must absolutely have lots of carbohydrates in your diet, go with whole grains or less refined grains. These have more fiber and nutrients, and will make your blood sugar shoot up a little less.
3. Drink fresh milk instead of the powdered kind. Powdered milk may be more convenient and long-lasting, and in many cases cheaper, but it also contains sugar and other additives. In fact, many countries have rules about how powdered milk for babies can be marketed, so as to avoid misleading people about the pros and cons of feeding babies powdered milk.
4. Have a sherbet or frozen yogurt for dessert instead of ice cream or heavy cakes. If you cannot find any, blend some plain yogurt with your favourite fruit and freeze, or make your own sherbet using fruit juice.
5. Eat dark chocolate instead of milk or white chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more antioxidants and has less of an effect on your blood sugar levels. The strong taste of dark chocolate may also satisfy you more quickly, so you will not eat a great deal of it in one sitting.
6. Use unrefined sugar instead of white sugar. Please note that unrefined sugar is not always the same as white sugar. In some places where food inspection and marketing regulations are lax, white sugar mixed with molasses often gets passed off as brown sugar. Unrefined sugar looks more like lumpy, brown sand than crystals, which might be able to help you tell the difference. This “rough” sugar can be cheaper than the refined kind (unless it is marked up and advertised as a healthier, pricier alternative), and, in the opinion of some, has an earthier, more interesting flavor than white sugar. Coconut sugar is also a healthier alternative with a low glycemic index, but tends to cost more.
7. Watch your seasonings! The little things we put on our food to make it taste better can add up over the years making us overweight. For example, try using spices instead of a lot of sugar and salt. Cinnamon can, to an extent, function as a substitute for sugar. Give soups and meat dishes an exotic zing by trying spices like cumin and paprika instead of adding lots of salt, gravy, etc. Your kidneys and veins will thank you for it.
With these very simple tips, you can take steps to improve your diet without having to throw your budget and your digestive system out of whack. Small changes and switches can make a big difference.
Great advice for anyone wanting to improve their diet without spending more on their food.
There are many things that eating healthy can bring about. Unfortunately, eating healthy is not as easy as saying it or writing it (in this case). We need determination, self-motivation to make a move towards better health. Every healthy move should start with choosing the right food to eat. Thank you for all your tips. They set a good standard of guidelines on how I can start a move towards a healthy life. We have known forever that dieting is an important facet of a healthy lifestyle but I was certainly surprised of some of the notes you included. I didn’t know, for one, that dark chocolate is healthier than milk. I didn’t know that. Great article! Way to go!