Healthy habits
There are no golden rules for healthy eating, but two basic principles: give your body a wide variety of foods and eat in moderation every day . If miracle foods and diets follow the fashions, these two conditions are immutable.
Experts estimate that it takes 21 days to get a new habit, so to move to a healthier diet. Start today with our 15 easy steps.
1. Fibers
Start the day with a rich fiber breakfast, such as muesli with fruit, which guarantees you a good physical and mental shape.
2. Forget your coffee
Limit coffee and caffeine-rich drinks: the energy they bring is just a short-lived boost. Opt instead for one or two cups a day of green or black tea. The tea contains antioxidants that are beneficial in preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. A cup of green tea contains half as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
3. Where artificial sweeteners are concerned
Gradually reduce the amount of added sugar in your tea or coffee rather than using artificial sweeteners.
4. Choose whole grains
When making pastry, replace half of the white flour with whole flour, then gradually increase the proportion by getting used to the new taste. Also prefer full breads to white breads, richer in B vitamins and especially twice as rich in fiber.
5. Go for wheat
Buy brown rice and whole wheat pasta to increase your intake of fiber and B vitamins. If the family is not convinced, gradually introduce these foods.
6. Eat more fruits and vegetables
Gradually increase the number of servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet to reach seven a day. For example, add a fruit to your breakfast, eat one in the morning, have a salad for lunch and a good plate of vegetables cooked in the evening.
7. Never without my fruit!
Replace nibbles rich in sugars and fats with fruit. To vary, alternate fresh fruit and dried fruit or fruit salad.
8. Flee saturated fat
Avoid fried foods to reduce your intake of saturated fats. Use a margarine rich in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids rather than butter. Also try the crushed avocado in toast. For cooking, opt for rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil.
9. Hydrate yourself
Drink a lot of water. An adult needs about 2 liters of water a day. Control your hydration to the color of your urine, which should be pale yellow.
10. Reduce your salt intake
Use less salt or remove it. Over the years, an excess of salt can result in an increase in tension. You will avoid excess salt if you mainly eat fresh foods, because most of the salt in our diet comes from processed foods. Instead of salting, add herbs and spices or a lemon fillet.
11. Less dairy products
Eat dairy products with moderation and prefer skim milk products.
12. Add soy to your diet
A source of vegetable protein, soybeans have the virtue of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Studies show a protective effect against breast and prostate cancer. Try to eat it once a day in the form of soymilk or soy yogurt, tofu or tempeh.
13. Limit the meat
Choose lean cuts of red meat and limit your deli consumption. Lean meat is a good source of trace elements such as zinc, iron, vitamin B12 and protein. High consumption of sausages increases the risk of cancer of the intestines.
14. Opt for the products of the sea
To increase the intake of essential fatty acids, eat more fish – two to four times a week – by choosing fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines.
15. Be more vegetarian
Prepare vegetarian meals. Cook legumes such as lentils, chickpeas or split peas with low glycemic index, which gives a more lasting impression of satiety. Their high fiber content prevents constipation.
