You may have noticed that we are now living in a world of processed foods, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t balance healthy living in our daily lives.
So here are 7 tips on how you can eat healthy amidst a world of processed foods:
- Try to opt for steam, bake or broil
Food in the rawest form has the highest potential to stay healthy, both vegetables and meat. Of course, this does not fit everyone’s palette, and it may not be safe eating raw meat in most cases. The closest you can get to is having your food steamed, baked or broiled. Try to stay away from food that is fried or cooked in batter. - Serve your sauce on the side
If you order a salad or any other dish that comes with a sauce, ask for it to be served on the side. That way, you can determine how much of it you consume. You will be surprised how little of it you need actually. - Inquire about substitutions
If your dish comes with a side of fries, ask if you can change it for a baked potato instead. I do this myself every time, and most restaurants are often willing to make such substitutions! - Pack your own food
This tip is specifically for those who are busier. Designate a day or 2 of the week as food preparation days. Use these days to make a several day’s worth of healthy food to bring with you to work, school or wherever. This way, you won’t be tempted with a fast food run whenever lunch hour rolls around. - Ask for less
If you are ordering, for example, a sandwich with barbecue sauce, ask your waiter to go light on the sauce. Again, you would never expect how little sauce is needed to flavour your food to liking. - Minimise the toppings
If you really have to have your fast food, stick to items that have the most amount of vegetable toppings. Try to avoid high calorie condiments, and instead more vegetables. This fills you up, with lesser calories. - Order from the kid’s menu
Some places do not allow this. But there’s no harm in asking. Just let them know that you are on a diet plan, and it would be awesome if they made an exception for you.
Love it or hate it, processed foods are a large part of modern society. However, we can always find ways to make processed foods more healthy-friendly by making making more conscious choices each time we place our food order.
