In Singapore, it is so convenient to eat out that it has now become a habit for people to settle their meals outside of home – but did you know that your diet can be much healthier by eating home-cooked food on a regular basis? Especially with the recent virus outbreak, it’s time to take extra care of our wellbeing!
1. Use less oil/a healthier oil for your dishes, and use the correct oil
Consuming greasy foods can cause breakouts and slows down digestion, so it’s good to have a rough measure of the amount of oil you’re using to make sure you’re not putting in too much!
Depending of what you’re making, there is also always the best option of oil to use. For example, extra virgin olive oil and sesame oil are good for drizzling over your food but definitely not recommended for deep-frying! Canola oil on the other hand, works the other way round. It helps to have a better knowledge of what you’re using so you can do it the right way!
2. Include more vegetables, try a mix of colours
Eat a rainbow! The colour of fruits and vegetables are caused by certain phytonutrients which are good for our body in different ways. Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, for example, are high in vitamin C, while green ones help in detoxing and boosting the immune system.
3. Serve your meals with whole grain rice rather than plain white rice
Whole grain rice contains a lot more nutrients compared to white rice and is also known to lower risks of certain conditions such as diabetes and cancer. Rice is something we Asians always have along with our side dishes, and we consume it possibly more than once daily, so making this change will be greatly beneficial for your health.
4. The importance of soup
A hearty soup is what it makes one feel home, and a good one will nourish the body. If your loved one happens to be on a diet, it can also help to serve the soup first before the main dishes so they don’t need to eat as much.
5. Go for steamed or stir-fried dishes rather than deep-fried ones
There are numerous cooking methods and some involve using more oil than others. Cut down on using the deep-frying method and use other alternatives such as roasting or grilling.
6. Use healthier versions of seasonings
Look out for healthier choices when using seasonings. For example, exchange table salt for sea salt, which is a much healthier alternative since table salt is heavily processed. You can also look out for “reduced salt” labels on seasonings such as soy sauce.
7. Use fresh produce instead of frozen or processed ones
Processed food can contain a high amount of sodium and additives in order to preserve the item and consuming such food regularly is definitely not good for the body. Learn to savour and appreciate the original flavours of fresh produce and vegetables which are much healthier!
8. Portion your food reasonably, plan ahead
You may be a meat lover, but make sure you don’t overdo it with the meat dishes and still eat a good portion of your vegetables and fruits! Think about what your body needs so you can plan your meals ahead for a more balanced diet. While some believe that there are times to indulge and then allocate certain days for detoxing, we believe that eating in moderation is key!
