13 Keys To Eating Smartly

There is a greater variety of foods available to us and the fast pace of life in our society does not make it easy to make good decisions regarding diet.

However, some small details can help improve the quality of our diet significantly and with very little effort. Choosing seasonal foods, substituting refined cereals for whole grains or dispensing with precooked food are some of them. Here are some other keys.

1. Shopping with your health in mind

When it comes to shopping, it is best to go calmly and stop to read the labels to find out the nutritional values ​​of what we consume.

The fresh food should abound in our basket and it is best to opt for organic products without additives.

2. Listen to the body

Adapting to the emotions of the moment, avoiding too drastic measures or restrictions and being flexible are the keys to the long-term success of a smart and balanced diet.

3. Feed the intestinal flora

The intestinal flora varies with the eating habits, age, lifestyle and state of health of each person. Permanently active, it is renewed approximately every 48 hours. Therefore, introducing some changes in vital habits can help to improve it.

So far, more than 400 microbial species nested in the human intestinal flora have been identified . This impressive data allows us to glimpse the importance of the good state of the intestine in the health of the whole organism.

The large intestinal bacterial colony, far from being an anomaly or a danger, plays a very beneficial role.

A simple way to improve the intestinal flora is to consume fermented foods and beverages, rich in live bacteria, on a daily basis.

In recent years, two new bacteria have been introduced on the market, Bifidobacterium longum (or active bifidus) and Lactobacillus acidophilus , whose mission is to prevent the fixation of pathological bacteria absorbed with food or drink.

They are easily digested and prevent the proliferation of harmful bacteria and the putrefaction of substances in the colon. They are therefore great allies of the immune system.

4. Win in well-being

The important role of live bacteria in maintaining intestinal balance helps, on the other hand, to regulate intestinal transit and reduce abdominal bloating, both essential aspects for general well-being.

5. Find your balance by eating out

Eating out has become a daily necessity. Restaurants offer a daily menu in which there are usually three or four options for the first courses and another three or four for the second.

When choosing, you should keep in mind certain essential rules for creating a healthy menu. For example, that three or four basic food groups are included (cereals, vegetables, legumes …) and that the preparations are simple and contain little salt. It is advisable to order fruit for dessert.

It should also be taken into account that the amounts are adapted to personal needs and appetite, and that the maximum variety of foods within the diet is aimed at.

6. Make sandwiches a specific option

The long shadow of fast food has come to us in a Mediterranean version with the so-called “sandwiches”, inspired by the usual sandwich and sometimes presented as an alternative to the traditional menu for eating out.

But here we must take into account the importance of the midday meal in our food tradition to cover servings of 3 or 4 basic food groups. To the extent that the sandwich is varied and approximates this dietary principle, it can be considered a reasonable proposal as a specific alternative.

7. Find alternatives to the menu

Bringing prepared food from home is a safe and inexpensive alternative, but it is necessary to have a quiet space to eat, since it is not advisable to do so in the same workplace.

Occasionally, for example four or five times a month, other alternatives can be used , such as eating a sandwich or taking unique dishes – a pizza or a combined plate -, always trying to have a variety of foods in its composition and complementing its intake with the rest of meals of the day.

8. Enjoy your treats in a healthy way

Feeding is more than nourishing and therefore you have to consider the satisfaction of other needs.

Enjoying eating does not have to unbalance the diet: it is possible to integrate pleasure and health with occasional cravings.

9. Avoid pastries

Fats, sugars and their associated calories are basic ingredients of these products. Including them in the framework of a healthy diet should be the exception rather than the rule.

10. Opt for dark chocolate

This delicious invention ( cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter ) has a large and faithful number of consumers: the combination of sweetness with the texture of fat, its attractive aroma and cocoa substances that relax and improve the mood explain its great popularity.

From a nutritional point of view, it is considered that it can be taken in moderate amounts – not much more than 10 g per day – by healthy people, within the framework of a healthy diet.

It is preferable to opt for dark chocolate, with a cocoa percentage of 70% or higher, since this reduces its content in added simple sugars or vegetable oils, sometimes hydrogenated, which multiply its caloric and fat intake.

11. Choose well cookies or not take them

The less fat they contain – in particular saturated and trans fat – the better. Those that include whole grains, nuts and, in general, natural products are also preferable .

12. Opt for a healthy snack

Light foods, preferably belonging to the basic food groups, and with hard textures that require chewing : fruits and vegetables such as carrots or apples, nuts, etc.

13. Moderate on the aperitif

The mission of the aperitif is to whet the appetite and not interfere with the meal. Few fat and the least amount of salt possible are good criteria to take into account.

Always counting on moderation, some interesting options are: asparagus, some type of seafood, pickles or light canapes.

For more tips on smart eating:

• Do we know how to eat? Andrew Weil, Ed. Urano
• Nutrition for Living L. Harky D. Deen, Ed. Pearson
• Food and life F. Grande Covián, Ed. Debate