Five Simple and Hidden Food Hacks To Get More Nutritional Value From Your Food
Use the following food hacks to increase your vitamin and mineral intake of food
Back in my 30s, I was a huge believer in taking any vitamin I could get my hands on. I validated my stance since I was preparing for bodybuilding shows.
With the limited nutritional variety I was eating — it was essential to top any valuable phytochemicals and vitamins that may be missing from my diet.
I spent a lot of money on these supplements, shakes and potions.
Did they make a difference?
Well, if my gut health were in order, then I wouldn’t have needed them, that’s for sure.
But, during a blood analysis with my doctor, he discovered that my liver looked swollen and showed similar symptoms to anyone with fatty liver disease.
Well, that was enough to scare the lights out of me.
Not only did he tell me to cut out all the ‘crap’ I was taking but to do so immediately!
Since that day, I’ve never looked back.
I will never jeopardise my health via the misuse of vitamins and supplements.
By eating well and consistently, we eliminate any need for added supplementation.
Doctors or health professionals should assign you the necessary supplements should you have any medical conditions, and I recommend you speak to a doctor instead of making a judgement yourself.
It’s your health we’re talking about here.
Whether or not you use supplements and vitamins, the following information on how to get the best nutritional value from your food will be valuable.
Most of these hacks are so easy that it’s just one small extra step along your preparation and cooking journey.
One: If you don’t have time to soak beans, then eat the canned variety
Beans are filled with fibre and nutrients and have a high source of protein which is beneficial for anyone wanting to build or maintain muscle.
Protein also strengthens our immune system, along with boosting our metabolism.
Beans are also beneficial for reducing cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol. Research recommends rotating various beans such as kidney, white kidney, pinto and black.
Other beneficial beans you could swap with are lentils, peas & chickpeas.
Generally, we need about 45–55g of protein per day.
Older individuals need a bit more, but we don’t only have to eat beans or lentils.
There’s also the option of including animal protein such as chicken, beef, lamb, eggs, dairy, soybeans, nuts and seeds.
If you eat a wide variety of protein sources, then you get the most health benefits.
Two: Bake your potatoes with the skin on
Leaving the potato’s skin on (both white and sweet potato) gives you the added benefit of more fibre and micronutrients.
When you peel a potato, you eliminate the nutrients in the skin and the area between the skin and the flesh.
It would help if you scrubbed your potatoes, tossed them in some of your favourite spices, and baked or air fry.
I prefer to bake my potatoes because they have a much more wonderful flavour.
I know many people are still scared of or avoid carbs, but you should still include some sources — even potatoes.
Complex carbs are an important energy source and have a very healthy dose of fibre.
The best sources of complex carbs are vegetables, fruit, whole grains, seeds, nuts and all kinds of potatoes with the skin on.
Try the purple varieties if you’re looking for the most nutrient-rich potato.
They contain five to ten times more antioxidant compounds in the skin than in the flesh.
Try cooking your potatoes with the skin on for a few weeks and notice the difference.
Three: Put your rice in the fridge
Did you know that our bodies can’t digest fibre?
Although that’s the case, it keeps our gut and bowels healthy, feeds good bacteria, and regulates our metabolism and blood sugar.
Eating more fibre will help you lose weight while keeping your body healthy.
Resistant starch is another fibre found in rice when it’s been cooled down.
I tend to bake bigger batches of rice, store them in a container in the coolest part of the fridge, and reheat a certain amount with my food.
Resistant starch has the characteristics of soluble and insoluble fibre while resisting digestion.
Once resistant starch reaches the large intestines, it ferments and feeds the good bacteria.
You don’t need fancy products to get more resistant starch into your diet.
Just cook and cool rice, and then you have an instant dose of beneficial bacteria for your gut.
I make a couple of portions of rice every week to change the flavours (I add herbs to my rice), which is a great way to keep my gut healthy without thinking too much. My colleagues always comment on how delicious my rice smells!
Four: Pre-make soup or salads on Sundays
Sunday is a great day for preparing your meals, then save a bit of time to make a rich vegetable soup that you can portion out from Monday-Friday.
We’re all supposed to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per week — but many of us need to eat the right quota.
Making a vegetable-based soup to eat regularly during the week will help us stay on top of that required vegetable intake. Plus, it helps us use older vegetables that may be nearing their use-by date.
If it’s a bit warm where you live, why not pre-chop your vegetables, and make salads accessible enough to eat with your protein, fat and carb sources?
Five: Add Fermented foods every single day
Every single day I add fermented foods to my lunch.
It’s so easy when you have them all readily available in your fridge.
Continuously working towards a healthy gut is a lifesaver for me.
I suffer from food allergies and intolerances daily, and fermented foods help settle my immune system and support my gut health.
Some delicious options for fermented foods are Sauerkraut (my favourite), Kefir, and kombucha. Kimchi.
If these flavours aren’t your thing, add yogurt with live bacteria into your foods.
You could make yourself a smoothie, ice cream, or dip.
Do you need probiotic supplementation?
I cannot answer that question, but we need to know how efficient they are.
Using food as your probiotic is best, then patiently observing any differences to validate its effectiveness.
Key take away
Although I still appreciate taking certain supplements, I wish we’d allow our bodies to absorb the relevant nutrients from the foods we eat.
If you continuously support your gut health, eat nutrient-rich foods and exercise, you’ll give your body everything it needs for better health.
Always seek your doctor’s advice before you proceed with any extra vitamins.
Here’s some further recommended reading for you
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