4 Creative Ways to Add More Nutrients to Your Meal

You work hard to eat food that is good for you and exercise every day. However, even when you choose healthy foods for each meal, it can be challenging to get the recommended daily allowance of nutrients you need to stay healthy. It’s helpful to find new methods to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Try these creative ways to add more nutrients to each meal.

Give Your Fruits and Veggies Some TLC

You know that eating more vegetables is good for you. However, did you know that how you prepare your produce can affect how many nutrients they retain?

For example, overcooking your veggies can sap them of critical vitamins and minerals. Cook your vegetables quickly so they stay crunchy and maintain their nutritional value. When produce is out of season, opt for the frozen variety. It’s just as healthy as fresh produce.

Put down the peeler when preparing your produce, too. Fruit and vegetable peels are rich in antioxidants and fiber that you need in your healthy diet. Antioxidants help fight free radicals that may lead to disease and wrinkled skin.

Use Nutrient-Packed Powders

Using protein supplements and green powders such as barley grass powder are simple and quick ways to add vitamins and minerals to your meal. Just mix a serving of powder into sauces, meatloaf, and smoothies. Protein helps you feel full and build muscle. Barley grass powder adds fiber and vitamins A, B, and C to your food. Barley grass is also rich in iron and potassium. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals to fight the signs of aging.

Shop the Perimeter of the Grocery Store

The outer area of the supermarket is where you’ll find fresh, nutrient-rich foods. Fill your cart with fresh produce and low-fat dairy products. Eating dairy items can boost your calcium levels to support strong bones and teeth.

Choose fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel to get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Omega-3s support heart health. When you stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, you’ll avoid most processed foods.

Try New Snacks

Instead of eating sugary snacks as a treat, consider snacking as another chance to add more nutrients to your diet. Bake colorful chips made from sweet potatoes and beets. Sweet potatoes offer 120 percent of the vitamin A you need each day. Vitamin A helps your body by supporting healthy skin, bones, and teeth.

Beets add folate, potassium, and iron to your diet. Snack on a handful of walnuts to get more calcium, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Folate, or folic acid, is a B vitamin that your body needs to produce genetic material. Potassium supports nerve and muscle health.

If you can’t get your daily allowance of nutrients from food each day, use supplements such as protein and grass powders to add vitamins and minerals. Don’t forget to monitor the amount of nutrients you add to each meal. Too much of one vitamin or mineral can be just as harmful as not getting enough of a particular nutrient.