Simple Choices You Can Make to Improve Your Diet

Eating well in a world where everything from breakfast cereal to beverages is loaded with sugar is not easy. Luckily, you don’t need to experience a total diet overhaul to make changes that will benefit your health. Making a few simple choices when it comes to your diet can lead to significantly better health!

Drink More Water

Water is the best possible beverage you can be drinking, but, like most people, you may find yourself favoring soda or other sugary drinks. Unfortunately, soda and other sweet drinks lead to cravings and contribute to obesity, and caffeinated beverages are dehydrating rather than hydrating. You don’t have to remove these drinks from your diet completely, but they should be used as occasional treats, rather than a staple. Start small with this change, if needed. Replace one sweet drink a day with water. The more you turn to water to abate your thirst, the more you will crave it. After a while, you may find that you prefer water!

Eat More Plant-Based Foods

Rather than focusing on what foods you should stop eating, it can help to simply incorporate more of the best foods into your diet. The best foods out there are unadulterated fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains. In other words, eat more plants! The more you fill your diet with delicious and healthy plants, the less room you will have for other, less healthy foods. Fruits and vegetables are chock-full of nutrients and disease-fighting antioxidants. Additionally, abrasive, crunchy vegetables like carrots can act as a natural toothbrush.

Eat More Unprocessed, Whole Foods

When food is processed, nutrients are lost. Additionally, processed food is generally full of sodium and hidden sugar. Many people buy prepared and canned foods as a way to simplify their busy lives, however, you do not need to spend hours in the kitchen to make healthy, delicious meals. One idea is to prepare three or four healthy dinners before the start of each week. It saves time when you can chop all the veggies and lean meats that you will need in one go. Another idea is to utilize whole, unprocessed foods that have been prepared for you by your local grocer. Look in the produce section for these time-saving options. Start with one meal a day and go from there.

Making major changes can feel impossible, and that is often because they are if you try to do everything all at once. But you can find success in reaching your health goals by making small changes over time. Pick one area to work on and start today!

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