Healthy Dinner Habit – Start with a Salad or a Big Serving of Veggies
Healthy Dinner Habit – Start with a Salad or a Big Serving of Veggies
If healthy eating and weight loss are goals you’d like to implement, there’s one simple change you can add to your daily meals that will make a world of difference...small changes...one step at a time. Start by just adding a salad or vegetables to your dinner and eating them first can help improve your diet in several ways. It’s true. Check out the benefits of this healthy dinner habit.
Eat Fewer Calories
By eating a significant amount of salad or vegetables before the rest of your meal, you’ll feel full more quickly. This will result in the desire to eat smaller portions and consume fewer calories overall. Eating food with high nutrients and fewer calories such as a salad or steamed or raw veggies can provide you with the building blocks you need. Eating these food choices first allows your brain the time it needs to feel full. Lower calorie consumption can aid in weight loss.
Improved Blood Sugar
More recently, this habit has been shown to aid in controlling blood sugar levels. The reason this works is because it can help to regulate spikes in insulin and blood sugar. This is good news if you have a sweet tooth or if blood sugar issues are common in your family.
Adequate Nutrient Intake
You know eating a well-balanced diet is important. The fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in vegetables are important to your overall health. Unfortunately, most of us don’t get enough servings in our regular diet. It’s easy to fill up on carbs, sweets, and meats and neglect putting more of the good stuff in our bodies. Making a conscious habit of consuming your veggies first ensures you’re getting those much-needed nutrients in addition to the other foods that are on your plate.
Healthy Fats
When you eat your salad or vegetables, it’s good to add a bit of healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado dressing. Adding other good-for-you fats like nuts and seeds is also beneficial. These additions help your body to better metabolize the nutrients within your veggies. Just be careful not to pile your salad with creamy, fatty dressing or cheeses that can take away from the nutritional benefits of the vegetables.
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits that come from just eating a salad or veggies before the rest of your dinner. This simple switch can improve your health, energy levels, and mood.
What are some strategies you use to make your dinner healthy?
Until next time...
Cheers!
Lisa
The life philosophy of A House With Four Rooms suggests thinking of yourself as being four rooms: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual rooms. It advocates for doing something daily for your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.