Wholesome comfort food
Comfort Can Be Healthy
There’s nothing like delicious comfort food to lift your spirits when it’s a little chilly outdoors or you’re feeling depressed. The issue is that comfort foods frequently aren’t the healthiest options for you to eat. Here are a few wise decisions to help you stay healthy and feel comfortable when you need it most.
Vegetable Lasagna
Although lasagna is a popular comfort food, if you’re not careful, it might cause problems. A cheese-heavy lasagna might be filled with substances, such as saturated fats, like many dishes that have many ingredients. A vegetarian or meatless lasagna is healthier. Add fat-free or low-fat cheese as well. Consider using whole-grain spaghetti when preparing it.
Spaghetti Squash
Few dinners are as dependable as a sizable, hot bowl of spaghetti. But as always, the contents and preparation of the dish are important. Use spaghetti squash and limit your intake of carbohydrates. Use olive oil and watch the amount of salt in your sauce to create a hearty and satisfying supper.
Baked Potato With Chili
A substantial baked potato is a tough competitor for a satisfying, cosy supper. But it may quickly become unhealthy if you add a lot of salt, butter, and bacon bits. Instead, a baked potato may be transformed into a substantial, far healthier dinner by adding lean turkey, heart-healthy vegetables, and plenty of beans that are high in protein and fibre to a turkey and veggie chilli.
Chicken or Black Bean Enchiladas
Enchiladas in a pan might not come to mind as a traditional comfort dish. But gosh, it’s hard to resist that cheesy, spicy bliss. Lean chicken, low-fat or fat-free cheese, whole-wheat tortillas, and protein-rich black beans or fat-free refried beans can all be used to make the dish as nutritious as possible.
Popcorn
People enjoy it, which is why movie theatres sell those 25-gallon tubs of popcorn. Making some is an excellent excuse to watch a good movie at home. Despite its high fibre content, popcorn can still be unhealthy. Ideally, pop your own in the air. Avoid using soybean, corn, or sunflower oils if you use oil. Also, don’t use too much butter, salt, or other toppings.
Pretzels With Mustard or Hummus
Having mindless snacks while watching TV? If you must, opt for a whole-grain, low-salt pretzel. And to top it off, eat a healthful plate of hummus or experiment with several types of mustard (made with protein- and fiber-rich chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans)
Chips and Salsa
Choose baked tortilla chips if you’re craving some (which you can make yourself). Black-bean dip, a decent salsa with lots of vegetables (avoid added sweets), or some homemade guacamole (with healthy fats, fibre, and potassium) can all be delicious additions that are also good for you.
Low-Fat Ice Cream (or Sherbet)
Some of us think that true solace may be found at the end of a meal or whenever you decide to serve dessert. Of course, ice cream is a favourite. Newer options reduce fat and calories, but use caution—if they contain additives, they might not be as healthy as they appear. Typically, milk is added to sherbet (check the label). Sorbet is free of dairy.
Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie
No one has ever associated cookies with being healthy. Even so, a tasty oatmeal-raisin treat made with whole-wheat flour and perhaps some applesauce or plain yoghurt is a nice and generally healthful indulgence.
Ginger Snaps
Ginger is an ingredient in these cookies that has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory qualities. In addition to reducing nausea, ginger is a tried-and-true cure for motion sickness. You may make a rare treat by including ingredients like whole wheat flour, molasses, and cinnamon: A cancer-fighting cookie for health-conscious consumers.
Slideshow: Common Diet Myths Debunked
Nighttime Eating Makes You Fat
Put an end to this diet fallacy. There isn’t concrete evidence that eating late at night makes you gain weight. What is certain is that eating too many calories leads to weight gain, and night eaters frequently overeat and select foods with a lot of calories. However, eating just before going to bed can cause indigestion and heartburn. So make an effort to eat at regular, earlier mealtimes.
Some Sugars Are Worse Than Others
Calories are provided by table sugar, agave, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup (between 48 and 64 a tablespoon). According to research so far, high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar are both absorbed similarly by our bodies. Instead than eliminating a specific type of added sugar, attempt to reduce all added sugars, including those found in soda, candy, and other sweets.
Coffee Isn’t Good for You
This diet myth was just disproved. Coffee contains antioxidant phytochemicals and is acceptable to include in a healthy diet when eaten in moderation (2 to 3 cups per day). Indeed, studies indicate that coffee consumption may help lower the incidence of type 2 diabetes, gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, and even some malignancies. But watch the calories in coffee. Avoid adding extras like sugar, milk, and flavoured syrups.
The Less Fat You Eat, the Better
Protein, carbs, and lipids are the three nutrients your body needs to thrive. Fats, yes! Healthy fats, which may be found in foods like nuts, seeds, fish, avocado, olives, and low-fat dairy, provide you energy, aid in cell regeneration, and stimulate the production of essential hormones. Saturated and trans fats, which can be found in foods like butter, high-fat dairy, red meat, and many processed foods, should be limited or avoided.
Switch to Sea Salt to Reduce Sodium
You think cutting back on sodium by using sea salt? Sorry, but that is also a diet myth. Gourmet salts carry around the same amount of sodium by weight as regular table salt. Instead, use pepper, herbs, and spices to add flavour. In addition, processed and prepared items (rather just salt shakers) including soups, condiments, mixes, cheeses, and canned goods account for around 75% of our total salt intake.
Drink More Water to Peel off Pounds
Water is undoubtedly essential for your body, but as a weight reduction aid? Actually, no. Water can undoubtedly assist you in losing weight if it prevents you from consuming calorie-dense beverages. However, without making any other changes to your diet, consuming more water will not result in a decrease in your weight.
Avoid Processed Grains
Because whole grains are so high in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, we know they are healthy for us. You are not need to give up all processed grains as a result. Refined grains could be useful on occasion, such as when your body is healing from an intestinal infection. And folic acid is added to some processed grains as a supplement. Although whole grains are preferable to processed grains, you can also use some processed grains that have been fortified.
Sugar Makes Kids Hyperactive
It seems unlikely that this myth, which is so widespread, is untrue. However, the majority of research indicates that not all children become hyperactive when they consume sugar. So why do kids at birthday celebrations bounce off the walls? It’s probably the stimulating environment and not the cake. Nevertheless, keep an eye on how much sugar your children consume. Too much sweet food leaves little room for wholesome fare.
Athletes Need a Ton of Protein
Everyone is aware that an athlete needs a lot of protein to develop strength and muscle. Actually, not quite. Even for athletes, the majority of American diets offer plenty of protein. The true key to increasing athletic strength and muscle is to consume adequate calories, concentrate on intensive exercise, and consume a carb- and protein-rich snack shortly after a challenging muscle-building session. Special snacks, powders, and supplements are not required!
Too Much Sugar Causes Diabetes
Are you concerned that your passion for cake or candies could cause diabetes? Don’t stress over this diet myth. Consuming sugar won’t give you diabetes if you don’t already have it. Being overweight and sedentary, however, do increase your risk of developing diabetes. So, be kind to your body: Get exercising and reduce your intake of empty, sweet calories!
Carbs Lead to Weight Gain
Put an end to this diet fallacy. Not all carbs are harmful to your health. But low-carb diets tend to make people lose weight, right? No matter how many of your calories come from fat, protein, or carbohydrates, those diets almost invariably restrict calories as well, and less calories over time equal fewer pounds
Tips for Spotting Diet Myths
* To start, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Then, inquire, “Who says so?” Who is making the assertion, and are they biassed? Are they attempting to market something? Is the data derived from a single, limited study?
* There isn’t a magic formula for weight loss or maintenance. The importance of healthy nutrition and exercise has long been understood.