September 25, 2024
Discover simple ways to improve your nutrition and enhance your health.
Small changes can improve nutrition and enhance your diet and health.
“Variety always underpins the healthiest diets,” says Dr Linia Patel, a researcher in the department of clinical sciences and community health at the Università degli Studi di Milano in Italy and a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association. “Making even small changes to your food intake or the way you cook can enhance the overall profile of your diet.”
Here are these small changes.
Add three tablespoons of chickpeas to a meal just once a week to reduce your risk of bowel cancer
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating just one 40g portion of dried pulses weekly could reduce colon cancer risk by 21%. Dr. Linia Patel, a lead author, explains that adding pulses to dishes like soups, casseroles, and salads improves health. “Pulses contain fibre that acts as food for your gut microbiota,” she says. “But they also contain bioactive compounds known as phenolics that are believed to play a role in the prevention of colon cancer.”
Add a spoonful of honey to yoghurt to improve its probiotic powers
Yoghurt is known to provide beneficial probiotic bacteria that promote digestive health and have been linked to better mood and cognition. Adding a tablespoon of honey, especially clover-derived, to unsweetened yoghurt can enhance its probiotic benefits. Studies in The Journal of Nutrition indicate that honey aids probiotic bacteria in surviving the digestive process. “We found that one tablespoon of honey in a serving of yoghurt helps support probiotic survival,” says Hannah Holscher, associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Honey acts as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of beneficial gut microbes and offering antimicrobial benefits.
Brush tomatoes with oil before cooking to maximise lycopene
“Tomatoes are a good source of the potent antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to a reduction of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration,” says nutrition therapist Ian Marber. Research, including a Cornell University study, shows that cooking tomatoes boosts lycopene bioavailability. Brushing them with a bit of oil before cooking enhances absorption by helping release lycopene from carrier proteins. While any cooking method increases lycopene levels, a study in the Journal of Culinary Science & Technology found that lightly steaming oil-brushed tomatoes yields the highest lycopene content.
If you enjoy a morning coffee, wait until after breakfast to drink it
A strong black coffee first thing may wake you up but could impair your body’s ability to handle sugar at breakfast, according to research from the University of Bath. A study in the British Journal of Nutrition, led by Professor James Betts, found that drinking coffee before breakfast raised blood-sugar levels by 50%. “Put simply, our blood-sugar control is impaired when the first thing our bodies come into contact with is coffee, especially after a night of disrupted sleep,” Betts explains. “We can improve this by eating first and drinking black coffee later if we feel we still need it.”
Steamed carrots are better than raw
Eating raw carrot sticks may seem healthy, but cooking carrots is even better, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, which found that heat boosts their antioxidant levels. Another study in Foods showed that boiling carrots until tender best preserves carotenoid antioxidants, while steaming them for up to ten minutes increases potassium content.
Eat carrot leaves — they’re full of vitamin C
A study in Food Science & Nutrition reveals that “fresh carrot leaves have a higher vitamin C content than many leafy vegetables and even its own family, parsley.” Carrot leaves also offer vitamin A, B6, K (important for bone health), folate, manganese, and thiamin. To use them, strip leaves from the stems, wash to remove pesticides, and chop as a nutritious garnish.
If you’re going to have brown bread, make it rye
“Rye bread is super high in fibre, which makes it great for gut health and digestion,” says registered nutritionist Eli Brecher. A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that regular rye bread consumption, especially from whole rye kernels, supports bowel regularity better than other breads, reducing bowel cancer risk. Swedish researchers also observed that midlife participants who switched to high-fibre rye bread lost weight and body fat more effectively than those eating wheat-based bread.
Add raw shredded kale to a salad to bolster nutrient intake
While kale is a superfood, research from food scientists at the Universidade de Vigo in Spain shows that boiling, steaming, microwaving, pressure-cooking, or vacuum-cooking significantly reduces its antioxidants and minerals, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Cooking also destroys myrosinase, an enzyme that enhances kale’s antioxidant effects. For maximum benefits, it’s best to enjoy kale chopped in salads or minimally cooked, such as with a quick stir-fry.
Eat your veggies first
Eating vegetables or crudités before protein and saving starchy carbs like bread or pasta for last can help control appetite and prevent blood-sugar spikes. A study in Diabetes Care found that this food sequencing reduced blood-sugar spikes by 73% compared to eating carbs or protein first. “Research shows that this prevents blood-sugar peaks and leads to higher levels of the appetite-suppressant hormone GLP-1,” says Alex Ruani, nutrition science researcher at University College London.
Microwave green beans (and other veg) to preserve vitamin content
Cooking green beans in a microwave maximizes antioxidant availability, according to a Brazilian study in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition. “Using a microwave to cook most veg is actually a really good way to preserve the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals compared to other methods,” says Alex Ruani. “Because little water is used and it is very quick, water-soluble vitamins like B and C are retained better.”
Eat an apple before lunch to reduce hunger levels
Eating an apple before lunch can help curb hunger, leading to lower calorie intake at the meal. “A 2019 study from Malaysia showed that people who practiced this diet trick reduced their calorie intake by 18.5%—an average of 166 kcal—compared to controls who didn’t eat the fruit,” says Alex Ruani.
Throw chopped celery into a casserole for anti-inflammatory properties
Celery provides fibre, potassium, vitamin K (important for bone health), and antioxidants with potential anti-inflammatory effects. However, eating it raw may not maximize nutrient intake. Research by food technologists at the University of Murcia and the University of Complutense in Spain, published in the Journal of Food Science, examined various cooking methods. They found that the best ways to preserve celery’s nutrients are steaming for five minutes, roasting for ten minutes, or adding it chopped to stews or sauces.
Add red leaves to your salad for more healthy polyphenols
Salad leaves are typically green, but adding red leaf lettuce can boost nutrient intake. An analysis in Food Research International of 23 edible leaves found that red salad leaves had the highest levels of beneficial polyphenols, including more carotenoids, the antioxidant pigment cyanidin, and higher amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Steam spinach for 60 seconds to enhance calcium levels
Spinach is rich in vitamin C, B6, magnesium, calcium, and iron, but it also contains oxalates, which inhibit calcium and iron absorption. Research from the University of Wyoming shows that boiling or steaming spinach for just 60 seconds can reduce oxalate levels by up to 86%, making more calcium available for absorption.
Add mushrooms to soups, stews and casseroles (they fill you up more than meat)
Mushrooms contain fibres that slow gastric emptying, helping you feel fuller faster than other foods, including meat. A study at the University of Minnesota found that people who ate 425g of white button mushrooms daily for ten days felt significantly less hungry and ate less afterward compared to those consuming an equivalent amount of beef. Try substituting meat with mushrooms in soups, stews, and casseroles.
Chop or crush garlic before cooking for disease-fighting benefits
Garlic and onions contain allicin, an antioxidant shown in the International Journal of Food Properties to support cardiovascular and immune health and help prevent disease. “Garlic is the more concentrated source, and allicin is released when chopped, sliced, or crushed but is mostly deactivated by cooking,” notes Ian Marber. For maximum benefits, crush garlic before cooking rather than adding it as a whole clove.
Add onion skin to soups and stocks to protect your heart
The tough outer layers of an onion are rich in non-soluble fibre and quercetin, a flavonoid shown to help lower blood pressure and prevent artery blockage, as noted in studies like one in Plant Foods and Human Nutrition. While the brown, papery skin isn’t edible, adding it to stocks, soups, or stews during simmering can release beneficial compounds and enhance flavour. Just remember to remove it before serving.
Cool potatoes before eating them to reduce blood-sugar spikes
Potatoes provide vitamin C, B6, folate, and iron, but they can cause a blood-sugar spike. To mitigate this, try mashing them with a protein source like milk or cheese to lower their glycaemic load. Alternatively, cooling them after cooking is even more effective. Researchers at the University of Surrey found that cooling cooked potatoes (such as in a salad) alters the starch structure, resulting in a less severe blood-sugar spike.
Use beetroot leaves to boost iron levels
Beetroot leaves are highly nutritious, with more iron than spinach and greater overall nutritional value than the beetroot itself. Studies indicate that their vitamin K content, combined with calcium, supports bone strength. Try chopping beetroot leaves into salads or adding them to stews for a nutrient boost.
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