Easy Nutrition Hacks

Easy nutrition hacks

Sometimes it is the little things that matter. When it come to good nutrition, it is the simple, everyday habits that can make all the difference to our health and wellness. From drinking enough water to getting our five a day, we all know what we ‘should’ be doing, but sometimes doing it can seem a bit overwhelming. Committing to one small change and sticking to it can make things much more manageable than going on a diet, or having a radical overhaul of your eating habits. Do one thing and your body will thank you for it. 

Here are some simple solutions and easy ways to get more nutrition on your plate: 

What - Drink more water

How: 

• Get into the habit of starting your day with a glass of water. Make this the first thing that you do when you go into the kitchen every morning.

• Replace 1 or 2 of your regular cuppas with herbal teas

• Add herbs or fruit to water for flavour. Mint and rosemary are lovely, or pop in some slices of citrus fruit - orange, lemon and lime.

• Keep a bottle in the fridge and set it on the table at mealtimes.

What - Get your 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day 

How: 

• Add some berries to breakfast

• Snack on vegetable sticks with houmous - chop some up when you are making dinner and keep them in a little box in the fridge for a handy snack. Carrot sticks, peppers, cucumber, sugar snap peas - whatever you fancy.

• Add one extra spoonful of vegetables to your dinner plate.

• Make a super salad every week - pack it with seasonal veggies like peas, tomatoes, cucumber, beetroot, carrot.

• Big you your veggies in all your recipes. Add an extra portion or two to your favourite Bolognese, chilli or curry recipe. Adding an extra pepper, onion, some grated carrot or spinach will help.

• Keep a store of frozen veggies for quick and handy dinners.

What - Eat less sugar 

How:

• Swap to darker chocolate - lookout for 70-85% cocoa for a lower sugar hit than milk chocolate

• Swap fizzy drinks to sparkling water

• Keep an eye on food labels and aim for 5g or less per 100g

• Treat your treats as treats - inserted of nibbling 4 or 5 biscuits every afternoon with your cuppa, buy your favourite biscuit and have one 4 or 5 times a week

• Shop for healthier snacks, Try oatcakes and sugar-free nut butter, 70% cocoa chocolate or natural yoghurt with berries

What - Eat healthy fats

How: 

• Drizzle some olive oil on your steamed vegetables - it is lovely drizzled over steamed broccoli or green beans

• Think like a Mediterranean native and use olive oil as the base for all your salad dressings

• Keep tinned fish like salmon, mackerel or sardines in your cupboard for a quick and handy lunch. Look out for fish tinned in olive oil or tomato sauce for the healthier option.

• Add a spoonful of milled flaxseed to breakfast, yoghurt or sprinkle on soups, curry or anything you fancy. Aim for 1-2 dessert spoonful’s a day

• Ditch the margarine and swap back to real butter - in moderation, of course!

What - Eat more fibre

How: 

• Look out for pouches of ready cooked lentils and beans. You can find Mediterranean flavoured lentils, curried chickpeas and all sorts of decent options. Perfect for a quick tea with some steamed vegetables and chicken, fish or grilled halloumi.

• Swap to brown basmati rice and wholemeal pasta - I promise you won’t notice much difference but you will really up your fibre intake

• Eat more houmous!

• Eat more than your five a day!

This blog post first appeared as my column in The Irish News on Saturday 16th July 2022.