The sheer amount of information available online around healthy eating can be both confusing and overwhelming for anybody. There is a vast amount of conflicting diet advice being given by everyone from influencers to actual health or nutrition experts, along with complicated diet jargon like paleo, keto, vegan, etc. But what most people don't realise is that they don't need to follow each and every fad or restrictive diet to get healthy. The urge to be healthy can be simply achieved if you focus on improving what should be on your plate. This action can be referred to as "levelling up your plate". Yes, it starts with a balanced diet, but there is much more to it too.
There are some simple, game-changing ways to level up your plate, nutritionally speaking, and they all start with understanding some basic terms that double up as powerful nutritional tools. These terms offer a sustainable path to better health without following a restrictive diet. Here are some such terms that you need to know about.
5 Game-Changing Healthy Eating Terms
The world of healthy eating that can be better understood by these technical health terms:
Nutrient Density
Meaning: The term 'nutrient density' can be simply broken down to consuming the most vitamins, minerals, and compounds in a controlled manner. The calorie count should be proportional to the body weight, height, and lifestyle that you follow. In turn, this healthy eating term should prioritize quality over quantity.
Why it Matters: A nutrient-rich diet will offer benefits without excessive calories in, support sustained energy, and ensure a hefty supply of micronutrients.
How to Practice: To consume a nutrient-dense diet, firstly, you need to swap refined grains (white bread) for whole grains (jowar, bajra, ragi). Secondly, ensure to consume a rainbow diet of at least three different colors on your plate at lunch and dinner. Lastly, smart snacking, trade high sugar snacks for nuts, seeds, or a piece of fruit.
Mindful Eating
Meaning: It is imperative to pay attention to the food you are eating, recognizing when you are physically hungry and when you are full. It is important to note the sensory experiences, like smell, taste, and texture, that you experience when you eat.
Why it Matters: The practice of mindful eating prevents overeating, improves digestion, and helps to create a healthier relationship with food.
How to Practice: A simple way to practice mindful eating is to put the fork down while eating food and check in with your body after 20 minutes ( as this is the time it takes for the stomach to send a signal to the brain that I am satisfied). It is important that you designate screen-free meals, as nutrition absorption differs when you eat in front of the screen. In order to curtail the urge to switch on a screen while eating is key to mindful eating. In addition, you can spend 60 seconds savouring the aroma of the food you are consuming. Savour every bite of every meal to reap the complete nutritional benefits of what's on your plate.
Food Synergy
Meaning: The principle behind this term refers to ensuring that when certain namely, two or more foods, are eaten together, then their nutrient absorption gets boosted. But if the same foods are consumed individually, then the nutrients are not the same for the body.
Why it Matters: The key is to eat smarter, not make eating itself harder. This can be done by combining foods that can maximize nutrient absorption in your body.
How to Practice: Pair the foods together that can offer maximum benefits to your system. For eg, pair iron-rich foods like spinach, lentils with vitamin C sources ( lemon juice, tomatoes, bell peppers). In addition, one such pair is turmeric and black pepper, as a pinch of black pepper increases curcumin absorption by 2,000% which can act as a known anti-inflammatory. Another combination is fat-soluble vitamins like olive oil or avocado with carrots or leafy greens that contain beta-carotene and vitamins A,D,E, and K, respectively.
Meal Prepping And Batch Cooking
Meaning: This involves strategically preparing components of your meals in advance. Generally, done every 3 to 5 days to save time during busy schedules and ensure healthy options are available on the go as needed.
Why it Matters: The ultimate defence from ordering takeout when you are too tired to cook. This also makes sure that the meals are always stocked, which removes decision fatigue and ensures consistency while following healthy eating.
How to Practice: The easiest way to meal prep is to prepare one lean protein ( eg, chicken or legumes), one complex carbohydrate consisting of multigrain rice or quinoa, and one set of chopped vegetables whenever you have a holiday. It is important to make batch cooking simple by using grab-and-go boxes that can portion prepared items into reusable containers for easy lunches and dinners. In addition, you can also freeze curry bases or protein dals in a single-serving block for instant meals on busy weeknights.
Flexitarian
Meaning: A flexible style of eating that consists of plant foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains) while allowing for occasional meat and animal products for balance.
Why it Matters: The balance and variety of consuming diverse foods ensures that the health benefits of vegetarism ( fiber,antioxidants) with the ease and flexibility of consuming a traditional diet. In addition, this kind of diet also makes a smaller environmental impact.
How to Practice: A simple regimen like Meatless Monday, where one full day per week where all meals are plant-based meals. The plate that you consume food on should have 80% of plant-based foods and 20% of animal protein. You can swap meat in recipes like keema with lentils or mushrooms for about 50% of the time you make it.
These five concepts are not diets but terms that you can practice easily. These powerful, sustainable tools can encourage you to try and pick just one term and commit to mastering it this week.
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
