Healthy meals: what ingredients should we use and which are the best recipes to follow?

Why is it important to cook healthy meals?

Preparing healthy meals has many advantages for people's health and well-being. Food provides the body with all the nutrients it needs to function properly, giving it energy and helping to strengthen the immune system.  

Precisely for this reason, more and more people are interested in developing a healthy eating plan and include new ingredients in their diet. Avoiding the consumption of processed foods, sugars, saturated fats and other foods that affect people's health.

To show you just how important healthy eating is, in this article, we will explain three of the main benefits of having a balanced diet and reducing your intake of certain products. 

It improves cardiovascular health

Eating healthy food improves cardiovascular health and helps prevent heart disease. This happens because cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood are reduced, which helps control blood pressure, among other things.

Cutting down on processed foods, saturated fats, and trans fats can have a significant impact on people's well-being. We recommend replacing these fats with foods that provide healthy fats, such as avocado, olive oil, and nuts. 

It strengthens the immune system

Following a healthy diet also serves to strengthen the immune system, and helps the body fight disease and infection. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are essential to keep the body functioning properly, with a strong immune response. 

It reduces the risk of chronic diseases

Eating healthy foods is a key factor in the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The UK National Health Service points out that, although these types of diseases have a hereditary component, most of the time they are caused by consuming too many foods that are high in sugar and fat.

Changing the way we eat, and using healthy recipes can improve our lives, and help us to prevent a large number of diseases. We must be careful about what we eat, because the benefits of good nutrition are not to be underestimated. 

What ingredients should we use to make healthy meals?

If you want to make your meals healthy, you must be aware of which ingredients to use and look for ways to incorporate these ingredients into your recipes. There are plenty of ideas out there for healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that you can use as a reference, but the most important thing is that you pay attention to the ingredients being used. 

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of preparing healthy meals, as they are one of the best sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In addition, it is very easy to add them to your meals; you can use different types of fruits to make smoothies, salads, and desserts, while vegetables can be used to make soups, stews, and garnishes for your dishes.  

We would also recommend trying to vary the fruits and vegetables that you eat, and it is a good idea to take advantage of seasonal options too. 

Whole grains

Whole grains are a healthier alternative to refined grains, and including them in your diet is a great idea. Not only do these grains retain all their nutritional properties, but they also contain no additives, and have multiple health benefits.

We recommend putting together a healthy menu, and experimenting with different types of whole grains. You can even try adding ingredients such as quinoa or buckwheat to your salads, or perhaps switch to wheat bran for some of your baking options. And don't forget that you can also make some healthy, and tasty, snacks using whole grains too.

Lean proteins

Lean proteins are a key ingredient in any healthy meal, because they provide the nutrients the body needs for the maintenance and development of muscle tissues, among other things.

You can plan healthy lunches for the week using fish, chicken, turkey, pork, and some cuts of beef. Ideally, each should have a low-fat content and should be prepared appropriately. 

Healthy fats

We already mentioned that reducing our intake of saturated and trans fats helps prevent cardiovascular disease. So, try to start using ingredients such as avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil in your recipes instead.

Similarly, you can use nuts and chia or sunflower seeds to add a little extra to your snacks, sprinkling them on salads, yogurts or smoothies. 

What foods should we avoid if we want to eat healthily?

Now that we have looked at the ingredients, we should be using to make sure our dishes are as tasty and healthy as possible, it is time to point out some of the foods to avoid in order to improve our diet and lead a healthier lifestyle. 

Processed foods

Processed foods contain additives, preservatives, and different types of artificial ingredients that can be harmful to your health. If healthy meals are the goal, these products must be cut out of your diet, and replaced by healthy alternatives.

Keep in mind that sugary drinks, processed meats, sweets, and frozen foods are very low in nutrients, and consuming them poses a risk and can lead to heart disease and chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. 

Refined flours

The process of refining cereals strips them of a large part of their nutrients, and can generate different gastrointestinal problems. Therefore, it is important to avoid refined flours, and replace them with healthier alternatives such as whole-grain flours.

Nowadays, it is very easy to find different legume flours, such as chickpea flour, which is a great source of many vitamins and proteins. You can also use coconut flour, almond flour, and oat flour, among many others, in your recipes. 

Added sugars

Foods that contain sugar can cause problems for people's health, because they provide what are known as empty calories, in other words, they have no nutritional value, and they contribute to the development of various diseases.

Products such as sauces, soft drinks, chocolate bars, and factory-made cookies can generate dental problems and significant imbalances in blood sugar levels. 

High-sodium foods

If you want your recipes to be healthy, you need to avoid consuming products with high sodium content. These types of foods, especially cold cuts and canned soups, can cause fluid retention and increase the risk of chronic diseases.

Before buying anything, always check the label to verify the sodium content. Or even better, replace these products with a fresh and natural alternative. 

How to create a healthy eating plan?

Planning is key if you want to change your lifestyle and start eating healthily. It is very difficult to change habits from one day to the next, and it takes a lot of organization and discipline if you want to succeed.

In this sense, the best thing you can do is to draw up a weekly menu in which you include dishes that meet your nutritional needs. Also, you should focus on varying the ingredients and recipes, so that this transition is easier for you and you can adapt to the new diet in less time.

Another good option you might want to consider is writing a shopping list, so that you can avoid the foods that are bad for you and focus exclusively on those that fit into your new healthy eating plan.

If you lead a busy life and find it difficult to invest time in preparing healthy meals, maybe dedicate a day, or part of a day, to cooking large quantities of food and storing this in individual containers. Batch cooking means you will have food for the whole week and spend less time cooking. 

Delicious recipes for healthy eating

Preparing tasty yet healthy meals doesn't have to be difficult. There are many recipes that you can follow when making breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that will help you take care of your health.  

We have put together a few ideas just to get you started: 

Healthy breakfast options

Here are some great ideas for a healthy breakfast:

• Yogurt with oatmeal and berries.
• Whole wheat toast with a boiled egg and avocado.
• Fruit salad with cottage cheese and a drizzle of honey.
• Oatmeal pancakes with banana.
• Tofu and vegetable sandwich. 

Healthy lunch options

Here are some great ideas for a healthy lunch:

• Stuffed eggplants.
• Vegetable stir-fry with oats.
• Creamy chickpea soup.
• Chickpea and black bean salad.
• Sauteed meat and vegetables with pasta. 

Healthy dinner options

Here are some great ideas for a healthy dinner:

• Roast chicken with vegetables.
• Lentil salad and roasted vegetables.
• Crispy salmon with potatoes and carrots.
• Orange chicken with brown rice.
• Pasta salad with lentils. 

Conclusion

There are an infinite number of recipes out there for preparing healthy meals, so you don't have to worry about doing the research. The most important thing is that you try to include all the ingredients we mentioned in this article. Experiment with these foods and try combining them according to your taste. And finally, make an effort to cut out of your diet those foods that are harmful to your health.