But often we become complacent about our diet, and when we make poor “healthy” food choices we are at risk of becoming nutritionally deficient.
We asked Nutrition and Skin expert, Fiona Tuck to share her top nutrient boosting tips to keep you feeling fit, fabulous and full of vitality.
Top 5 Nutrient Boosting Tips
1. Ditch the diet food
Avoid foods that are marketed as diet as they tend to be highly processed, full of chemicals and low in nutrients. Including fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, dairy and butter helps to ensure we are receiving important fat soluble nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E and K.
We need fat for healthy skin, brain health, hormone production and a happy mood. A diet that includes a variety of nutrients and healthy fat helps to keep us fuller for longer and reduces food cravings and overeating. Choose foods based on their nutrient content rather than their calorie content.
2. Take care of your gut
Having a healthy functioning digestive system is paramount when it comes to absorbing your nutrients effectively. We may have a healthy diet but if our digestive system is not working well, the cells of our small intestine cannot absorb the necessary nutrients which are vital for the biochemical processes within the body.
- Include prebiotic rich foods to support a healthy functioning gut. Prebiotic rich foods such as kale, berries, bananas and apples contain fibrous carbohydrates that help to nourish and flourish the good gut bacteria.
- Include fresh ginger in teas and juices to soothe and aid digestion and add fresh mint to salads, stir frys and smoothies to support healthy digestion and alleviate any symptoms of bloating or stomach discomfort.
- Include omega 3 essential fats such as those found in chia seeds, flaxseed and oily fish, to strengthen and repair the gut lining and reduce inflammation.
3. Mix it up
Eat a variety of different foods every day to ensure you are getting enough nutrients. If you are having the same breakfast, lunch or dinner every day you are putting yourself at risk of not allowing your body the necessary nutrients that it needs.
Cutting out food groups such as carbohydrates, dairy, grains and legumes can cut out valuable nutrients from your diet so avoid diet fads, calorie counting and extreme diet rules and regulations. Always seek professional advice prior to starting any new diet programme to ensure your body is receiving the correct nutrients that it needs.
4. Boost the juice
The easiest and most efficient way to boost our nutrient intake is to a drink a plant-based drink every day.
Fresh plant based juices and smoothies allow for maximum nutrient absorption due to their ease of delivery and supply a plethora of health promoting concentrated nutrients such as antioxidants, bioflavonoids, polyphenols, potassium, magnesium, vitamins and minerals. Juices help to boost our energy levels by supplying us with energy boosting nutrients such as natural folate which helps to keep our cells healthy and our mood happy. Boost Juice smoothies and juices are perfect for your on-the-go made from real fruit and veggies they are rich in nutrition! One of my favourites, the Boost Juice Two & Five juice contains the juice of beetroot, celery, carrot and cucumber, some added spinach and the fresh juice from apples and oranges. With all that vegetable juice it keeps the kilojoules and sugar lower in this tasty juice.
5. Get creative
Include antioxidant rich plant based foods at every meal. Simple additions such as adding spinach and mushrooms to eggs for breakfast, a juice or smoothie with lunch and extra veggies such as chopped carrots, capsicum, peas and zucchini to spaghetti bolognaise or cottage pie can significantly increase the nutrient profile. The more colourful your plate looks, the more of a variety of nutrients you will be eating.
