Dinner made healthy and still delicious: Dietitian’s top tips
Simple ways to cook a healthy dinner (photo: Freepik)
Dinner is not only about taste and fullness, but also about its impact on health. By adding the right ingredients to your daily diet, you can significantly reduce inflammation in the body, according to Eating Well.
Add leafy greens
Salads are not the only way to eat more leafy greens. Adding even a handful of greens to dishes such as salads, grain bowls, tacos, pizza, or pasta can significantly increase the nutritional value of dinner.
Any leafy greens have anti-inflammatory effects. Greens such as spinach, arugula, cabbage, and kale are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and polyphenols, which help fight oxidative stress in the body.
They also provide magnesium and fiber — two nutrients associated with reduced inflammation.
Use healthy toppings
Nutritious additions like nuts or fruit are an easy way to improve flavor and texture while boosting anti-inflammatory nutrients.
For example, nuts such as walnuts and almonds are linked to reduced inflammation. Sprinkle them on salads, vegetable sides, rice, or quinoa. Fruits like berries, added to salads or served as dessert, also contain antioxidants and fiber that help fight inflammation.
Fiber helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and gut health, which plays a role in regulating inflammation.
These additions not only increase nutrient density but also make meals more filling and balanced.
Choose unsaturated fats
Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated ones — such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds — can significantly improve the anti-inflammatory profile of meals. This may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Try cooking with olive, canola, or avocado oil instead of butter. Another great way to reduce saturated fats and increase unsaturated fats is to choose fish instead of fatty cuts of red meat.
Add flavor with herbs and spices
One simple way to reduce salt intake while keeping flavor is to use herbs and spices.
Using ingredients like turmeric, ginger, garlic, and rosemary can enhance anti-inflammatory effects while naturally improving taste.
Use the plate method
A simple plate structure is to fill half your plate with vegetables, one quarter with lean protein (such as lean meat, beans, lentils, tofu, or fish), and one quarter with carbohydrates.
Following the plate method when planning meals can help diversify your diet.
It is best to include at least two different vegetables at dinner and add plant-based protein such as beans or lentils for extra nutrients and polyphenols.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
