The 22 Simple Health Tips to Make Your Healthy Diet 

A healthy diet is scientifically proven to provide many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of many chronic diseases and keeping your body healthy.

However, making major changes in your diet can sometimes seem overwhelming.

This article discusses 22 small changes that can make a regular diet a little healthier.

1. Slow Down

The speed with which you eat affects the effects you eat, as well as how likely you are to gain weight.

In fact, studies comparing different eating speeds suggest that fast eaters are 115% more obese than slow eaters (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Your hunger, how much you eat and how much you get is all controlled by hormones.  These hormones signal to your brain that you are hungry or full.

However, it takes your brain about 20 minutes to receive these messages, so eating more slowly requires your brain to feel that you are full.

Studies have confirmed this, showing that eating slowly can reduce the number of calories you eat and help you lose weight (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

Food is also gradually linked to more intense chewing, which has also been linked to better weight maintenance (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

Therefore, simply eating more slowly and chewing more often can reduce your risk of eating too much and gaining more weight.

2. Choose Whole-Grain Bread — Not Refined

You can easily make your diet a little healthier by choosing whole grain breads over traditional refined-grain breads.

Unlike refined grains, which have been linked to many health issues, whole grains have been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted  Source).

They are also a good source of fiber, B vitamins and many minerals, such as zinc, iron, magnesium, and manganese.

Many varieties of whole grain bread are available, and many of them also taste better than refined bread.

Just be sure to read the label to ensure that your bread is made only with whole grains, not a mixture of whole and refined grains.  It is also preferable that bread contain whole seeds or grains.

3. Add Greek Yogurt to Your Diet

Greek yogurt (or Greek yogurt) is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt.

It is taut to remove its excess whey, which is the watery portion of milk.The end result is yogurt which is higher in fat and protein than regular yogurt.

In fact, it contains up to three times as much protein as regular yogurt, or 9 grams per 100 grams (12Trusted Source, 13).

Eating a good source of protein helps you feel full longer, which helps you manage your appetite and eat fewer calories overall (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

Also, since Greek yogurt has stress, it contains fewer carbs and lactose than regular yogurt, making it suitable for those who follow a low-carb diet or are lactose intolerant.

Just replace some snacks or regular yogurt varieties with Greek yogurt for heavy doses of protein and nutrients.

Just be sure to choose non-flavored varieties, as the flavored ones can be packed with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.

4. Don’t Shop Without a List

When you go grocery shopping, there are two important strategies for employment: make your shopping list ahead of time and don’t go hungry at the store.

Not properly aware that you need to make room for impulse buying, while hunger can further increase your impulses.

To make sure you don’t want to give in to your impulses, plan ahead and write down what you need in advance.

By doing this and sticking to your list, you will not only buy healthy items, but also save money and can keep healthy foods around the house.

5. Eat Eggs, Preferably for Breakfast

Eggs are incredibly healthy, especially if you eat them in the morning.

They are rich in high-quality protein and many essential nutrients that people often do not take in sufficient amounts, such as choline.

When looking at studies comparing different types of calorie-matched breakfasts, eggs come out on top.

Eating eggs in the morning increases the feeling of fullness.  This results in people consuming fewer calories over the next 36 hours, which can be very beneficial for weight loss (16 reliable, 17 reliable, 18 reliable).

A study in healthy and fit young men showed that eggs contain more fullness, less appetite, and less desire to eat than breakfasts containing cereal or croissant (19Trusted Source).

In fact, men who had eggs for breakfast ate 270–470 fewer calories than lunch and dinner buffs who ate other breakfasts.

Therefore, replacing your current breakfast with eggs can have major benefits for your health.

6. Increase Your Protein Intake

Protein is often referred to as the king of nutrients, and seems to have some superpower.

Due to its ability to affect appetite and satiety hormones, it is the most replenishing of macronutrients (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

One study showed that increasing protein intake by only 15% to 30% of calories made people eat 441 fewer calories per day, without actively restricting their intake (22Trusted sources).

What’s more, protein helps you maintain muscle mass, which determines your metabolic rate.  A high protein intake can burn 80 to 100 calories per day (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).

This is particularly important to prevent loss of muscle mass that can occur during weight loss and as you age (25Trusted sources, 26Trusted sources).

Aim to add a source of protein to every meal and breakfast.  This will help you feel fuller for longer, curb cravings and make you less likely to overeat.

Good sources of protein include dairy products, nuts, peanut butters, eggs, beans and lean meats.

7. Drink Enough Water

Drinking enough water is important for your health.

Many studies have shown that drinking water can lead to weight loss, weight maintenance, and even the slight calories you burn daily (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

Studies also suggest that drinking water before meals can reduce appetite and calorie intake after meals in middle-aged and older adults (28Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).

8. Bake or Roast Instead of Grilling or Frying

The way you prepare your food can greatly change its effect on your health.

Grilling, grilling, frying and deep-frying are all popular methods of preparing meat and fish.

However, during these types of cooking methods, many potentially toxic compounds are formed, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), advanced glycation and products (AGEs) and heterocyclic amines (HCS) (36Trusted Source).

All these compounds have been linked to many diseases, including cancer and heart disease (37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source, 39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

Healthy cooking methods include baking, broiling, simmering, slow-cooking, poaching, pressure cooking, stewing, and saw-weed.

These methods do not promote the manufacture of these harmful compounds and thus make your food healthier (41Trusted Source, 42Trusted Source, 43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source).

Still, there is nothing to say that you cannot enjoy the occasional grill or deep-fry, but try to use those methods.

That said, the most important thing is to drink water instead of other beverages.  This can reduce your sugar and calorie intake (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).

Those who drink mostly water have been shown to consume 200 fewer calories per day than those who drink on average other drinks (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

9. Take Omega-3 and Vitamin D Supplements

A surprising number of people around the world are vitamin D deficient, comprising 42% of the US population (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source).

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is very important for bone health and the proper functioning of your immune system. In fact, every cell in your body has a vitamin D receptor, indicating its importance (47 reliable, 48 reliable, 49 reliable).

Vitamin D is found in very few foods, but is usually the highest in fatty seafood.

Omega-3 fatty acids are another deficiency of nutrients found in fatty seafood.  They have several important roles in the body, including reducing inflammation, maintaining heart health, and promoting brain function (50Trusted Source, 51Trusted Source, 52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source).

The Western diet is generally very high in omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation and have been associated with many chronic diseases (54Trusted Source).

If you do not regularly eat fatty seafood, then you should consider taking a supplement.

10. Replace Your Favorite “Fast Food” Restaurant

Eating out does not have to include unhealthy foods.

Consider “upgrading” your favorite fast food restaurant with healthier options.

There are many healthy fast food restaurants and fusion kitchens serving delicious and healthy food.

They can be a great replacement for just your favorite burger or pizza joint.  What’s more, you can usually get these meals at very reasonable prices.

11. Try at Least One New Healthy Recipe Per Week

Deciding what to make for dinner can be a constant cause for frustration, which is why many people use the same recipes over and over again.

Chances are you have been cooking similar dishes on autopilot for years.

Whether it is healthy or unhealthy recipes, it is always healthy to try something new.

Try to make a new healthy recipe at least once per week.  This can change your food and nutrient differences and will hopefully incorporate new and healthy dishes into your routine.

Alternatively, try to make a healthier version of a favorite recipe.

12. Choose Baked Potatoes Over French Fries

Potatoes are very filling and a common side for many dishes (56Trusted sources).

He said, the way in which they are prepared on a large scale determines their health effects.

For starters, 100 grams of baked potatoes contain 94 calories, while the same amount of French fries triples or 319 calories (57, 58).

In addition, deep-fried French fries typically contain harmful compounds, such as aldehydes and trans fats (59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source).

Replacing your french fries with baked or boiled potatoes is a great way to turn off calories and avoid these harmful compounds.

13. Eat Your Greens First

A good way to make sure you eat your greens is to eat them as a starter.

By doing this, you will most likely eliminate all your greens when you are most hungry and fit to eat less of the other, perhaps less healthy, food components.

This can cause you to eat fewer and healthier calories, which can result in weight loss.

In addition, eating vegetables before a carb-rich meal has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels.

This slows the speed at which carbs are absorbed into the bloodstream and can benefit both short-term and long-term blood sugar control in people with diabetes (61Trusted Source, 62Trusted Source).

14. Eat Your Fruits Instead of Drinking Them

Fruits are very healthy.They are loaded with water, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Studies have repeatedly linked fruit eating to a lower risk of many diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (63Trusted Source, 64Trusted Source).

Because fruits contain fiber and various plant compounds, their sugars are usually digested very slowly and do not cause large increases in blood sugar levels.

However, the same does not apply to fruit juices.

Many fruit juices are not made from real fruits as well, but from meditation and sugar.  Even a sugary soft drink (65, 66) may contain as much sugar.

Even real fruit juices lack the fiber and chewing resistance that is provided by whole fruits.  This makes fruit juice more likely to increase your blood sugar level.

It also makes it easier to consume a lot in a single seating (67Trusted Source)

15. Cook at Home More Often

Try to get into the habit of cooking at home most nights instead of eating outside.

  For one, it is easy on your budget.

Second, by cooking your own food, you will know exactly what it is.  You should not wonder about any hidden malaise or high calorie content.

Also, cooking large servings will ensure you have leftover, healthy food for the next day, nonetheless.

Finally, cooking at home has been shown to reduce the risk of excessive weight gain, especially among children (68Trusted Source, 69Trusted Source)

16. Become More Active

Good nutrition and exercise often go hand-in-hand.

Exercise has been shown to improve your mood as well as reduce feelings of depression, anxiety and stress (70Trusted Source, 71Trusted Source, 72Trusted Source).

These are the exact emotions most likely to contribute to emotional and binge eating (73Trusted Source, 74Trusted Source, 75Trusted Source).

In addition to strengthening your muscles and bones, exercise can help you lose weight, increase energy levels, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and improve your sleep (76Trusted Source, 77Trusted Source, 78Trusted Source).

Aim to do about 30 minutes of moderate-to-high-intensity exercise each day, or simply take the stairs and take short walks whenever possible.

17. Stay Away From “Diet” Foods

So-called “diet foods” can be very deceiving.

They typically dramatically reduced their fat content and often labeled “fat-free,” “low-fat”, “fat-reduction”, or “low-calorie”.

However, to compensate for the lost flavor and texture that fat is provided, sugar and other ingredients are often added.

Therefore, many diet foods are high in sugar and sometimes contain more calories than their full-fat counterparts (83Trusted Source).

Instead, opt for whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.

18. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

The importance of good sleep cannot be understated.

Lack of sleep impedes appetite control, often leading to increased appetite due to increased calorie intake and weight gain (84 reliable sources, 85 reliable sources, 86 reliable sources).

In fact, those who sleep too little are overweight compared to those who sleep enough (87, 88Trusted sources).

Sleep deprivation also negatively affects concentration, productivity, athletic performance, glucose metabolism and immune function (89Trusted Source, 90Trusted Source, 91Trusted Source, 92Trusted Source).

What’s more, it increases the risk of many diseases, including inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular diseases (93Trusted Source).

Therefore, it is important to try to get a good amount of sleep, preferably in a bout.

19. Eat Fresh Berries Instead of Dried Ones

Berries are very healthy and are packed with nutrients, fiber and antioxidants.

Most varieties can be purchased fresh, frozen or dried.

Although all types are relatively healthy, dried varieties are a much more concentrated source of calories and sugar, as all water has been removed.

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of fresh or frozen berries contains 32-335 calories, while a 3.5-ounce strawberries contains 396 calories (94, 95 reliable sources).

Dried varieties are also often covered with sugar, increasing the sugar content.

By opting for fresh varieties, you will get a much juicy snack that is low in sugar and very low in calories.

20. Eat Popcorn Instead of Chips

It may be surprising that popcorn is a whole grain loaded with nutrients and fiber.

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) air-popped popcorn serving contains 387 calories and 15 grams of fiber, while the same amount of chips has 547 calories and only 4 grams of fiber (96).

Diets rich in whole grains have been linked to health benefits, such as reduced risk of inflammation and heart disease (97Trusted Source, 98Trusted Source).

For healthy popcorn, try making your own popcorn at home (not microwave popcorn varieties) or buy air-popped popcorn.

Many commercial varieties prepare their popcorn with fat, sugar and salt, making it no healthier than potato chips.

21. Choose Healthy Oils

Unfortunately, highly processed seeds and vegetable oils have become a household staple in the last few decades.

Examples include soybean, cotton, sunflower and canola oil.

These oils are highly processed and high in omega-6 fatty acids, but lacking in omega-3s.

A high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can give rise to inflammation and is associated with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune diseases (99Trusted Source, 100Trusted Source).

Swap these unhealthy oils for healthier options like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil.

22. Eat From Smaller Plates

It has been proven that the size of your dinnerware can affect how much you eat.

Eating from a large plate can make your portion look smaller, while eating from a smaller plate can make it look larger (101Trusted Source).

Studies have supported this and show that when people eat their food in a large bowl or in a large plate (102Trusted Source, 103Trusted Source), they eat 30% more.

Also, if you do not feel that you are eating more than usual, you will not compensate by eating less at the next meal (104Trusted Source, 105Trusted Source).

By eating small dinners, you can dodge your brain thinking that you are eating more, which makes yourself more likely to eat less.