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A healthy diet is important for maintaining weight, sleeping well, and fighting off disease, especially during COVID-19. A well-balanced diet can also improve your gut health, minimize your risk of heart disease and colon cancer, and lower your stress levels.
That’s why I often tell my patients that the best medicine may be at the end of a fork. As a cardiologist, I always recommend that my patients “eat the rainbow”, choosing to fill their plates with nature’s colorful foods. Choosing to eat healthy ensures your body and mind function at it’s best, and you don’t have to compromise flavor!
Simple tips for eating healthy during COVID-19.
You don’t have to let boredom from more time at home and uncertainty about the pandemic lead to overeating or stress-eating. Try these simple (and tasty) tips to eat healthy during COVID-19.
1. Experiment with new foods and creative recipes.
Preparing home-cooked meals is one of the best ways to eat healthy during COVID-19 because you have complete control over which ingredients you use. I often suggest that patients consider eating a plant-based or Mediterranean diet, which is low in cholesterol and high in fiber. When you expand your palate to include an assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables, you benefit from a variety of nature’s vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can improve your sleep, mental state, and physical body.
Try a google search for creative recipes with unique foods that you don’t typically include on your grocery list. Figs, for example, can be a tasty way to mix up a bowl of oatmeal or top off a salad. Chickpeas and lentils are healthy protein alternatives to meat, and they’re also cheaper and last longer. Be creative about how you combine different foods to keep mealtime exciting and flavorful!
2. Use spices and seasonings full of antioxidants.
Antioxidants offer a wide range of health benefits, including improving skin and sleep. They’re found in fresh herbs, such as rosemary and mint, as well as spices and seasonings, like cinnamon and paprika. The amount of options provides lots of ways to add zestful flavor to your meals. You can also try pre-mixed spices, which are a convenient way to change up the taste of your favorite dish. Many times you can find low sodium options to minimize your salt intake.
3. Swap processed foods for natural options.
Pre-packaged foods may seem to make mealtime easier, but they’re often filled with fats and sugars that can be harmful to our bodies. Instead, try to limit processed foods that have a long list of ingredients you can’t pronounce.
Finding a healthy alternative can be easy. To eat healthy during COVID-19, consider swapping in the following:
- Freshly baked whole grain bread instead of a processed loaf
- Natural sugars, such as dates or honey, instead of cake, candy, and soda
- Fats that are liquid at room temperature (e.g. olive oil, avocado oil, etc.) instead of fats that are solid at room temperature (e.g. butter)
- Fruit instead of fruit juice
- Potatoes instead of potato chips
- Fresh or frozen fruits and veggies instead of canned produce
4. Make cooking and mealtime a family affair.
The Mediterranean diet is popular because of its positive effect on overall health, from weight and sex to sleep and mood. But you may be surprised to learn it involves more than just cooking with fresh, healthy ingredients. The Mediterranean diet also reflects how many families in the Mediterranean region prepare their meals.
Often, mealtime takes hours to prepare and involves the whole family. You may not have all day to cook a meal, but it’s easy to have your family participate in the process. Whether your little one helps to wash produce or your teenager sets the table, there are lots of ways to include your family members in the cooking process, from washing produce to setting the table. Involving your kids in meal preparation also teaches them about healthy nutrition which will help them make better food choices as they become adults.
5. Simplify meal planning by following a formula and cooking in bulk.
Cooking during COVID-19 doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming, and it’s much cheaper than eating out. To simplify meal planning, find a way to use what you have and cook your meal bases in bulk so that you have leftovers to use in other recipes. For example, if you’re following a recipe that uses quinoa, cook extra and get creative with the leftovers.
An easy way to plan your meals is to consider filling your plate with the following formula: 
- ½ of your plate should be a vegetable (e.g. fennel, kale, cucumbers)
- ¼ of your plate should be a protein (e.g. animal or plant-based)
- ¼ of your plate should be a whole grain (e.g. quinoa, rice, barley, farrow)
