Everyone wants a better diet, but it can be intimidating to find the right ways to do it naturally. There are countless resources out there to help you eat better and to find the right kind of exercise, but many people don’t think about additional measures that they can take besides cutting fats and sugars and upping the amount of exercise they do. Fortunately, enhancing your diet is easier than you may be thinking, and it doesn’t even have to be that expensive. Here are four natural ways to enhance your diet that you may want to consider.
Drink Tea
Whether it’s green, herbal or black, drinking more tea can help you lose weight. Green tea can boost your metabolism by increasing the amount of energy and heat your body puts out. Many herbal teas contain ingredients that also boost metabolism, curb hunger or reduce the amount of water you retain. A great ingredient to look for in herbal teas is cinnamon, which can support healthy blood sugar levels already within the normal range. Black tea also has some great health benefits. It contains antioxidant flavanols which promote heart and respiratory health. Even the caffeine in black tea can help reduce weight when used in moderation.
Additionally, drinking tea can help reduce cravings and keep you from getting dehydrated. Although it may seem a little weird, dehydration can actually cause you to crave food, particularly sweets. The next time you are having a craving for something sugary, make a cup of your favorite tea instead. This will help you hydrate and the flavor of the tea will be more enjoyable than regular water.
Use Essential Oils
Essentials oils have been used centuries and can easily be added to food or drinks. Depending on the oil, the effect will be different. Eucalyptus oil, for example, helps to open your airways and promotes clear healthy breathing, and peppermint oil aids digestion and freshens your breath. Essential oils can also help you relax and feel more at ease. This can be very helpful when you are trying to lose weight since food related things can cause more anxiety.
When using essential oils, it is important that you follow directions so that you get the maximum benefit. Because these oils are harvested through distillation, they have a stronger taste and a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals in just a few drops. You should always dilute the oil properly before use. If you want to disperse the scent through your home, you should look into getting a diffuser. Distributors often sell products that you can use with the oils to get the maximum benefit.
Eat Foods with Probiotics
Your intestines are full of bacteria that work to digest your food. Keeping a proper balance of these bacteria is important for your digestive health, according to one Harvard study. Research has shown that probiotics promote the growth of helpful bacteria and supports healthy gastrointestinal system function. Foods with probiotic power have active cultures from the fermentation process. Yogurt is one of the most common probiotic foods, but there are many other foods you can add to your diet to get the same effect. Miso, pickles, kimchi, and sauerkraut all contain significant amounts of probiotics.
In addition to helping you absorb nutrients, consuming probiotics can also help you stay healthier. 80% of your immune system depends on you having a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut and 90% of your serotonin is produced in your digestive tract. So, using probiotics to balance the friendly bacteria can help you feel well and it can help improve your mood by a lot.
Cook with Spices
It turns out spices are more useful than just flavoring your food. Many spices also contain helpful compounds which can improve your health. Chili powder, for example, contains capsaicin, which helps to increase metabolism. Sage and rosemary will give you a dose of dozens of vitamins and minerals that like folic acid and promotes brain function and healthy skin and hair.
Additionally, using your favorite spices can make dishes more flavorful and enjoyable for you. When you are starting a new diet, it can be hard to adjust to new foods that you may not be used to and you may miss some of your old favorites. Using new spice combinations with these foods can help change up what you are eating and help you enjoy your new food even more. It may take some experimentation to find the perfect combination, but as long as you are willing to try new things, you can create some fantastic new things.
Wrap Up
Dieting doesn’t have to a miserable experience and enhancing your diet naturally doesn’t require bottles of expensive supplements. Many of the ingredients you can use are already right in your kitchen cabinets. Dieting is a different experience for everyone, so be willing to experiment and try something new.
