During the war, against the background of economic challenges, Ukrainians are increasingly focusing on the cost of goods, including food. How to make “healthy” purchases, but without unnecessary expenses – the journalist of UNN together with nutritionist Lyudmila Goncharova investigated.
Advantages of menu planning and shopping list for savings and healthy eating
According to the nutritionist, first of all, it should be remembered that in supermarkets, a maximum of 20% of what is on the shelves relates to healthy eating. The remaining 80% are refined products that harm our health.
Goncharova emphasized that when a person buys natural products, they save their wallet from unnecessary expenses, because refined products are many times more expensive.
If a person buys natural products, then, according to my patients, they spend 40-60% less than they did before. Let’s consider the example of buying a piece of raw meat and pies, sausages, buns, various snacks, which also do not fully saturate and do not provide the necessary microelements for our body
She added that the main problem is that a person does not want to pay for a piece of raw meat in 200 grams, because it is easier and faster to buy fast food. However, it is better to take care of yourself in advance and go to the supermarket, making purchases for the week.
Seasonal and local products as the basis of a budget diet
Seasonal products are usually much cheaper due to the lack of shortage. Another advantage is that they get on the grocery shelves faster than those exported from afar in the off-season. In addition, seasonal and local products do not contain so many chemicals for their storage. This is a definite benefit for our body when we use seasonal products due to the large amount of vitamins they contain.
List of basic products for healthy eating every day
The nutritionist recommends using the following products for healthy eating:
- meat, offal (liver, heart, kidneys, navels);
- fresh river fish, lake fish, vacuum-packed sea fish, ocean fish (preferably predator (e.g. hake, pollock, seafood);
- dairy products: cow’s, goat’s, sheep’s milk, preferably rennet cheeses (with whey), kefir 2% fat, yogurts without sugar and fillers (because even bacteria do not survive in them), sour cream, fermented baked milk;
- cereals (oat grain, rye, wheat, corn, millet, chia, unpolished rice, wild rice, and others);
- legumes (white, black, red beans), beans, lentils (green, yellow, red), peas;
- oils of olive, hemp, flaxseed oil.
You should also add greens, leafy salads, berries, fruits, vegetables, celery root, parsley, parsnip.
If a person is used to “harmful” products, then you can buy them in small quantities and use them dosed so that the transition to healthy eating does not seem so strict.
Tips for making a shopping list and avoiding impulsive spending
First of all, clear planning is needed.
You can make a menu for the week, which will help you navigate which products are needed. Before going to the store, you should also check the stocks at home to buy only the necessary products. For convenience and successful shopping, write a shopping list, this will also speed up the purchasing process.
You can use applications such as Google Keep, Bring!, Listonic or regular notes.
Lifehacks:
- you should not go shopping hungry;
- avoid promotional and random products that may end up in your basket due to successful marketing.
Examples of simple and healthy dishes
It is necessary to combine products according to the rules of a healthy plate, which will contain all microelements and proportions regarding the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber.
So here are some quick, simple, healthy and budget recipes:
Omelet with vegetables + side dish
Ingredients: eggs, tomato, greens, vegetables, spices to taste. Preparation:
- Whisk eggs with salt and spices.
- Fry vegetables in a small amount of oil (if possible without it) in a frying pan, pour over eggs.
- Cook the mixture under the lid until cooked.
For a balanced dish, use complex carbohydrates: cereals, potatoes, wholemeal bread.
Oatmeal with fruits and cottage cheese
Ingredients: oatmeal (not quick cooking), water or milk, banana, apple, honey, nuts and cottage cheese 5-9%.
Preparation:
- Pour boiling water or milk over oatmeal, cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add chopped fruits, a little honey, nuts and cottage cheese to the finished dish.
Oat pancake
Ingredients: oatmeal, eggs 1-2 pcs., water or milk (pay attention to the consistency, salt, spices to taste.
Preparation:
- Mix 50-100 grams of oatmeal with 1-2 eggs, salt.
- Heat the pan and fry like an omelet on both sides.
The dish is balanced and suitable for any meal. Also, the fillings can be different: both in the salty version (chicken/fish + vegetables) and in the sweet version (fruits/honey + nuts). It also tastes good in combination with cottage cheese in two variations.
Earlier, UNN wrote that with the onset of the warm season, the season of delicious barbecue opens, but in order not to harm your health, you need to know certain secrets of eating meat. According to the recommendations of a nutritionist, eat barbecue separately from sweets and cereals, combining it with herbs and vegetables. It is important to choose quality meat and avoid harmful marinades.
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