14 Simple Eating Habits for a Lifetime of Benefits
1. Take your multivitamin after breakfast.
Research shows that taking a suitable multivitamin supplement is highly beneficial for your health. So, why take it after breakfast? First, it provides your body with the nutrients it needs for the day, giving you energy for work and study. Second, it avoids placing too much burden on your kidneys.
2. Drink two glasses of water before each meal.
This practice keeps your body well-hydrated and helps control your food intake. A Dutch study showed that drinking two glasses of water before a meal can reduce feelings of hunger and food consumption, thereby aiding in weight loss.
3. Drink a large glass of water after eating fast food.
Fast food is typically extremely high in calories and salt. While we can't do much about the fat we've consumed, a large glass of water can help dilute the sodium concentration in your body, keeping you further from hypertension.
4. Don't pass up any opportunity to eat onions.
Many people carefully pick onions out of their dishes, avoiding them at all costs. This is a big mistake. Onions contain large amounts of heart-protecting flavonoids, so eating onions should be our responsibility. This is especially true when eating less healthy foods like barbecue, where the onions can be your "lifesaver."
5. If possible, brew black tea with cold water.
A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that compared to vegetables like green vegetables or carrots, a serving of black tea contains more antioxidants, which can effectively help you resist wrinkles and cancer. Cold water allows the beneficial substances in the tea to seep out slowly without being destroyed; all you have to do is wait a bit longer.
6. Have a scheduled snack at 3 p.m.
While oversleeping might be an excuse for skipping breakfast, you can't use any excuse to skip your 3 p.m. snack. Supplementing with nutrients between lunch and dinner can help you get through the most tiring part of the day. Yogurt, fruit, and biscuits are all good choices.
7. Eat oranges with the "white strings" on.
Many people remove the "white strings" from their oranges. In fact, these are rich in flavonoids, which are very beneficial to your health. The slightly bitter yet sweet taste is actually quite pleasant when savored.
8. Set a daily water intake goal for yourself.
A busy day might make you realize you haven't drunk any water all morning only when your mouth is dry. Keep a 1.5-liter bottle at your desk, fill it with the amount of water you plan to drink for the day, and make a rule to finish it before you leave work.
9. Can't decide which fruit to buy? Choose the darker one.
Although fruits come in all shapes and colors, when it comes to health, darker fruits are definitely superior because they contain more antioxidants. When you're undecided, choosing dark fruits like plums or black olives is a safe bet.
10. Rinse meat chunks with hot water.
Placing a thick layer of paper towels on chopped meat can absorb the fat. If you want to be more thorough, you can put the meat in a strainer and rinse it with hot water. This method can remove about half of the fat.
11. Change mixed salads to dipping salads.
It's not just barbecue that's high in calories; dressings can also add a significant amount of calories to an otherwise healthy salad. So, put the prepared dressing in a small bowl and dip your cut vegetables in it. This way, you'll only need one-sixth of the original amount of dressing.
12. Some "vegetarian" dishes should be eaten "with meat."
While eating too much oil is not good, eating none at all is worse. Vegetables like pumpkin and carrots are rich in beta-carotene, so they shouldn't be eaten too plainly. You can stir-fry them or make a cold salad with oil. If you're making pumpkin congee, make sure other dishes in your meal contain oil so the nutrients can be absorbed together in your digestive system.
13. Be extra vigilant about fat at dinner.
Some people avoid fatty foods at breakfast and lunch, thinking it's okay to eat more fat at dinner. This idea is wrong. Research shows that within a few hours of consuming 50-80 grams of fat in a meal, blood vessel elasticity decreases, and blood clotting factors rise sharply. Therefore, even if you've eaten lightly during the day, don't try to compensate at night.
14. Eat some high-fiber foods before bed.
Judith Wurtman, Ph.D. from MIT, says: "Eating a low-calorie, carbohydrate-rich snack half an hour before bed can help with sleep." Eating cereal is the simplest way to supplement fiber, and most people only get about half of their daily requirement (25-35 grams). Therefore, it's recommended to take this opportunity to top up on fiber right before you go to sleep.