3 Simple Diet Changes

It seems we are bombarded daily with health news regarding our diets. There are natural foods on our grocery store shelves. There are organic varieties of just about everything from produce, to milk to boxed goods. We see news specials on eating a healthier diet. There are commercials saying we should eat such and such a brand to have a healthy diet.

This can be confusing and overwhelming. Here are 3 basic steps that we can simply take to change our diet to one that is more natural and healthy.

Change 1 - Get rid of the soda, even the ones that say that they are organic or natural. Sodas seem to be a staple of many people's diets. They are loaded with preservatives and chemicals not to mention the amount of sugar they contain. Diet sodas are loaded with chemicals in the form of artificial sweeteners. Best bet is just taking them out of your diet.

Replace the sodas with healthy drinks. The first one on the list should be water. We don't, as a culture get enough water. Beware of the fancy bottled water. They can be full of sugar. Don't let the fancy flavors fool you. Try pure water. If you have to have a flavor, try a squirt of fresh lemon or lime. They add a lot of flavor and vitamin C.

Teas are wonderful. Green teas come in a variety of flavors. Herbal teas have many benefits. Black tea has also been linked to health benefits.

Change 2 - Stay as close to fresh as you can. Studies have shown that the more you heat and processes food the more the nutrition is lost. Stay as close to raw as you can. Salads are an example. They have nutrition galore and are raw. Fresh carrots and celery sticks are convenient to munch on and retain all their nutrition value.

If you must cook your food, like meat, use methods that help retain the integrity of the food. Dishes such as stir fry are great. The food is cooked for only a short time. Steaming food is also a good way to retain the nutrition of vegetables.

Change 3 - Avoid sauces and heavy gravies. These add layers of flavors, but are ultimately full of calories and fat. Keeping your food simple, without the sauces and gravies, helps you avoid all those negatives.

Still want to add flavor?

Try adding herbs and spices instead. While a gravy may coat your potato with flavor, try throwing a few cloves of garlic in with your cooking potatoes and mash them all together. That is flavor you will not want to cover up with gravy. You can add seasonings to many things in a similar way. Think about your vegetables, meat rubs and even your toast.

These are three very simple changes that will help you start to turn around your diet. They are not drastic changes, but all will help you eat healthier.