Salt: The Bane Of Your Healthy Eating Plan

When we think about ways to live a healthy lifestyle with a great diet there are some obvious things that we can put our finger on as things to avoid. Clearly any medical professional, and probably anyone with common sense, will know that if you want to improve your diet there are certain things you should avoid. Most people, when asked about this, would give answers such as fat and sugar as those things that are very bad for us and that we should attempt to keep out of our diets if possible. But these are not the only things that can cause a problem. In fact there is one that often slips on the radar despite the obvious problems it can cause for our health. In this instance we are talking about the menace of salt.

 

Salt is a strong part of just about every food. We think of it as a food enhancer. But we now are seeing rather worrying levels of salt consumption. For example, it is known that the average person in the U.S. consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium (the principal component of salt) daily. This might not seem like a lot become it becomes very alarming when you realise the fact that the American Heart Association’s recommended limit is 1,500 milligrams a day. So in effect most people are now eating more than double the recommended level of salt that they should be.

 

Given that salt is linked to all sorts of problems, especially with your heart and the clogging of the arteries, it’s clear that something needs to be done about this over eating of salt. Do you have this problem? If you are someone who likes to put salt on your food or eats lots of processed meals it is highly likely that you’re getting too much salt in your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Isn’t it about time you did something about it? So here are some great meals that you can eat that have very low levels of salt in them.

 

For breakfast, how about trying banana nut oatmeal? This hearty dish combines oatmeal with banana, mixed nuts and a little sprinkling of cinnamon for delicious flavour. This is great as a filling and nutritious breakfast and has the added advantage that it is almost entirely free from salt. This comfort food is a great way to start the day. You could also try having granola or smoothies for your morning meal.

 

How about lunch then? Well salads are always a great choice, be sure to get plenty of healthy mixed leaves with a variety of other salad vegetables such as peppers, beetroot, cucumber and carrot. Be sure not to use store-bought dressings as these can often catch you out with alarming high levels of fat and (you guessed it) salt. Homemade soups are a great way to go too. There are plenty of healthy options that you can go for including leek and potato and carrot and coriander – deliciously flavoursome without having to add lots of salt.

 

For dinner you can make use of healthy and filling components such as pasta and then combine it with a delicious sauce using herbs and spices for flavour rather than salt. Herb-roasted turkey or pan-fried steak are another fine choice that impart lots of flavour without having to add any salt to the recipe. The key thing to do is to avoid packaged meals and when you are cooking using herbs and spices to flavour the food rather than salt. This will keep you on the path to healthiness.

Categories: banana, beetroot, flavour, Food, Healthy, nbsp, Salt, salt nbsp

A Balanced and Healthy Diet Doesn’t Have to be Boring

Your diet and nutrition are key components to your ongoing wellness and wellbeing. Your daily diet should be nourishing and well balanced if you want to live a long and healthy life. After a while, however, it can become boring to eat salad, grilled chicken, steamed vegetables and all the other things in your ‘healthy’ list. Boredom is a really dangerous thing when it comes to healthy eating, because as soon as boredom sets in, the allure of takeaways, convenience foods and junk snacks starts to kick in. To avoid this, make sure that you stay away from bland food; healthy food doesn’t have to be boring and in fact can be exciting and packed full of flavour.

 

One of the best things to do is to experiment with using new and exotic fresh herbs and spices. Don’t use the same old familiar seasonings in everything you cook! Purchase some of the less-common spices and give them a try. You could roast your veggies with curry powder, for example, or add it to stews and soups. Herbs de Provence can be a great addition when rubbed onto meats and fish or used to flavour sauces or marinades. Star anise when combined with grated ginger and cinnamon can make a beautiful poached chicken.

 

Tofu is always worth trying, too. Although it has a bad reputation, tofu is a very lean form of protein. It doesn’t taste like much on its own but it takes on the flavour of anything you cook with. Use extra-firm and firm tofu to make stir fries, casseroles, soups etc.

 

You could also liven up your menu by whipping up some great new sauces, or using a low-fat bottled sauce that you haven’t tried before.

 

You can also jazz up salads with the addition of a homemade dressing.

Categories: balanced, doesn, flavour, Healthy, interesting, nbsp, tofu

How to Add Flavour to Your Recipes Without Adding Calories

One of the reasons that many people struggle to follow a low fat diet and provide themselves with the right nutrition to maintain their wellness is that they find this type of food very bland. Many people associate any food that is beneficial for their wellbeing with boredom and frustration, but actually even diet food can be packed full of flavour.

 

There are actually tons of low calorie ways to add flavour to your food, and with the right knowledge your diet can be anything but boring.

 

Hot sauce has got to be one of the most exciting ways to add a bit of zing to your meal. It’s not only low in calories, but the chilli peppers also boost your metabolism. Keep eating spicy foods and speed up the rate at which you burn calories. You can add it to a chilli made with lean beef or to chicken or turkey dishes.

 

Following the same train of thought, spices are also low on calorie and packed with flavour. You can add anything from pepper to onion powder to a variety of low calorie recipes, to add a lot of flavour to a normally bland, low-calorie meal.

 

To make a fruity, summer dish, try adding barbeque sauce to the menu. This will turn plain old pork chops or baked chicken into a tasty and flavoursome dish. Just make sure that you look out for a barbeque sauce that is low in sugar, as some of them can have high levels of sugar.

 

If you want a fresher flavour, citrus juices can be a fantastic way to add a lot of extra flavour to the menu without adding any calories. You can use these to jazz up so many things – from adding a splash of orange or lemon juice to make your glass of water tastier to using it as a marinade for chicken or fish.

Categories: add flavour, adding, barbeque sauce, calorie, calories, diet, flavour, Food, nbsp