A healthy diet provides a number of health benefits, such as lowering the risk of developing several chronic diseases and keeping your body healthy.

However, it can sometimes be overwhelming when you make some major changes to your diet, so making a few smaller ones may be better.

Here we give you 26 simple tips for a healthier diet.

1. Choose whole grain bread

Instead of having refined-grain bread, you can have whole grain bread to make your diet a bit healthier.

Refined grains are linked to several health issues. Whole grains, on the other hand, are associated with numerous health benefits, including a decreased risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

What’s more, they provide decent amounts of fiber, B vitamins, and several minerals, including iron, zinc, manganese, and magnesium.

Many different types of whole grain bread are available, and they taste even better than the refined ones.

To ensure you are picking a pure whole grain bread, always read the label. Whole grain bread containing seeds or grains is preferable.

2. Slow down

How fast you eat can influence your food intake, as well as weight.

In fact, fast eaters have been shown in studies comparing different eating speeds to be more obese—up to 115%—than slow eaters.

Certain hormones control your appetite and how much you eat. They basically signal your brain whether you are hungry or full.

Your brain needs about 20 minutes to receive these messages, so you need to give your brain the time it needs to identify that you are full by eating more slowly.

Eating slowly has been confirmed in studies to reduce the number of calories you consume every meal and help you lose weight.

What’s more, it has also been linked to more thorough chewing, which can lead to better weight maintenance.

Simply chewing often and eating more slowly can help reduce your risk of eating too much and gaining weight.

3. Incorporate Greek yogurt into your diet

Compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is creamier and thicker.

Being strained to remove its excess whey, Greek yogurt is also higher in protein and fat than regular yogurt. In fact, it contains up to 9 grams of protein per 100 grams.

It is also suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or following a low-carb diet, as it also contains fewer carbs and lactose.

Eating an excellent source of protein can help you eat fewer calories overall and manage your appetite by helping you feel fuller for longer.

Choosing Greek yogurt instead of any regular yogurt varieties can provide you with a hefty dose of protein and nutrients. Flavored varieties may be loaded with added sugar and other unhealthy ingredients, so make sure you pick the non-flavored ones.

4. Have eggs for breakfast

Packed with high-quality protein and several essential nutrients that many people don’t get enough of, eggs are absolutely nutrient-dense.

In fact, studies comparing different types of calorie-matched breakfasts have shown that eggs do come on top.

Egg consumption in the morning promotes feelings of fullness. This causes people to eat fewer calories over the next 36 hours, leading to weight loss.

Additionally, eggs have been shown in one study in fit, healthy young men to cause less hunger, more fullness, and a reduced desire to eat, compared to eating cereal or croissants for breakfast.

Moreover, those who had eggs for breakfast consumed 270–470 fewer calories at lunch and dinner buffets than those who had other breakfasts.

Eating eggs for breakfast may therefore result in major health benefits.

5. Increase your intake of protein

Often referred to as the king of nutrients, protein has the ability to affect your hunger and satiety hormones.

In fact, an increased protein intake from 15–30% of calories has been shown in one study to make people eat at least 441 fewer calories every day even without necessarily restricting food intake.

Moreover, adequate protein intake helps you retain muscle mass, which determines your metabolic rate. It may boost the number of calories you burn by 80–100 per day.

This is vital for preventing the loss of muscle mass as you age or during weight loss.

Adding a good protein source to each snack and meal will help you curb cravings, feel fuller for longer, and make you less likely to overeat.

Good protein sources include eggs, lean meat, beans, nuts, peanut butter, and dairy products.

6. Always have a shopping list

When you go grocery shopping, make sure you always have a shopping list prepared ahead of time to avoid impulse buying. Don’t go to the store hungry as well, as hunger may intensify your impulses.

Having a shopping list will also help you save money and prepare the healthiest foods at home.

7. Drink adequate amounts of water

Drinking adequate amounts of water is vital for your health.

In fact, it has been shown in several studies to benefit weight loss and weight maintenance, as well as increase the number of calories burned every day.

Drinking water before meals has also been found in some studies to reduce appetite and calorie intake in middle-aged and older adults.

So instead of drinking other beverages, opt to drink water to drastically reduce your sugar and calorie intake.

8. Take vitamin D and omega-3 supplements

Surprisingly, a number of people around the world, including 42% of the US population, are deficient in vitamin D, which is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for bone health and immune function.

Present in very few foods, fatty seafood contains the highest amounts of vitamin D.

Another commonly lacking nutrient, omega-3 fatty acids are mostly found in fatty seafood. They have various important roles in the body, including promoting brain function, reducing inflammation, and maintaining heart health.

The Western diet mostly involves omega-6 fatty acids, which have been linked to several chronic diseases and promote inflammation. Fortunately, omega-3s can keep your body in a more balanced state and fight inflammation.

Omega-3s and vitamin D are also available as supplements.

9. Roast or bake instead of frying, deep-frying, or grilling

How you prepare your food can also affect your health.

Popular methods of preparing fish and meat today include frying, deep-frying, broiling, and grilling. These types of cooking, however, encourages several potentially toxic compounds, such as heterocyclic amines (HCAs), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), to form.

All these compounds are associated with several diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

Cooking methods, such as simmering, broiling, baking, poaching, stewing, slow-cooking, sous-vide, and pressure cooking, are healthier ways to prepare your food; they do not promote the formation of harmful compounds, thereby making your food healthier.

10. Go to a healthy “fast food” restaurant

Just because you’re eating out doesn’t mean you are eating unhealthy foods.

There are several “fast food” restaurants and fusion kitchens that also serve tasty and healthy options at very decent prices.

You can find great replacements for your favorite pizza or burger.

11. Choose baked potatoes over French fries

A common side to various dishes, potatoes are absolutely filling. But how they are prepared also determines their health effects.

For instance, 100-gram baked potatoes hold 94 calories, while the same amount of French fries harbors 319 calories, which is over three times the calorie content of baked potatoes.

Moreover, deep-fried French fries carry harmful compounds, including trans fats and aldehydes.

Having baked or boiled potatoes instead of French fries is a great way to eliminate calories and avoid those harmful compounds.

12. Try at least one new healthy recipe every week

Thinking, deciding, and preparing for dinner can be overwhelming at times. This is why many people repeat the same recipes for years.

Trying at least one new healthy recipe every week can change up your food and nutrient intakes.

13. Eat greens

Eating greens as a starter, while you are the hungriest, will help you eat less of other, maybe unhealthy, components of the meal. This allows you to eat fewer and healthier calories overall, resulting in weight loss.

In addition, beneficial effects on blood sugar levels have also been observed after eating vegetables post carb-rich meals.

It may therefore benefit both short- and long-term blood sugar control in diabetic individuals.

14. Eat—not drink—fruits

Loaded with fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and water, fruits are incredibly nutritious.

In fact, eating fruits has been repeatedly linked to a reduced risk of several diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Considering that they hold fiber and various plant compounds, sugars present in fruits are digested very slowly, thereby not causing major blood sugar spikes.

However, this is not applicable to fruit juices. Many of them are not made from real fruit and may even contain as much sugar as sugary beverages.

Unlike whole fruits, real fruit juices lack fiber and chewing resistance, making them more likely to cause blood sugar spikes.

Plus, consuming fruit juices is very easy even in just one sitting.

15. Be more active

Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression—feelings that are most likely to cause emotional and binge eating.

Being more active may also improve your sleep, increase your energy levels, strengthen your muscles and bones, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and help you lose weight.

You can go on short walks when you can or do about 30 minutes of exercise each day.

16. Prepare meals at home more often

Instead of eating out, try to prepare meals at home more often.

Aside from the fact that it’s easier on your budget, preparing your own meals means that you know exactly what’s in it. You need not worry about any high-calorie or hidden unhealthy ingredients.

What’s more, cooking at home may help reduce the risk of gaining excessive weight, especially among children.

17. Drink sugar-free or sparkling water and avoid sugary beverages

Loaded with liquid sugar, sugary beverages may lead to numerous diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. They may be the unhealthiest thing you can drink.

In addition, liquid calories are not registered in your brain the same way as solid calories, so you won’t be able to compensate for the calories you drink by eating less.

A 500-ml sugary soda may hold about 210 calories.

Try having plain water, sparkling water, or any sugar-free alternative instead of an unhealthy, sugary beverage to shave off the extra calories and cut your calorie and excess sugar intakes.

18. Get adequate sleep

Having a good sleep is as important as eating a healthy diet.

Lack of sleep can negatively affect your appetite. It can often lead to increased appetite, resulting in increased calorie intake and weight gain.

In fact, people who lack sleep tend to weigh more compared to those who get adequate sleep.

Moreover, not having enough sleep can negatively affect your immune function, glucose metabolism, athletic performance, productivity, and concentration.

What’s more, it increases your risk of developing diseases, such as heart and inflammatory diseases.

Getting adequate amounts of quality sleep is therefore very important.

19. Avoid “diet” foods

Often labeled as “low-calorie,” “low-fat,” “fat-free,” or “fat-reduced,” “diet foods” can be often deceiving.

Though their fat content is reduced, sugar and other unhealthy ingredients are often added to replace the lost flavor and texture that the fat should provide.

This is why most diet foods are loaded with sugar and sometimes even more calories.

Therefore, choosing whole foods like fruits and vegetables is best.

20. Eat fresh berries—not dried ones

Berries are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients, making them very healthy.

They are available fresh, fried, or frozen.

However, since all the water has been removed in dried varieties, they are much more concentrated with sugar and calories.

For example, a 100-gram serving of dried strawberries contains a whopping 396 calories, while the same amount of fresh or frozen berries harbor only 32–35 calories.

Plus, dried varieties have increased sugar content since they are often covered with sugar.

Choosing fresh varieties over dried ones will give you a much juicier snack that’s lower in sugar and calories.

21. Choose healthy oils

Over the past few decades, highly processed seed and vegetable oils, including cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, and canola oils, have become a household staple.

Unfortunately, these oils are loaded with omega-6 fatty acids and deficient in omega-3s.

A high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio has been associated with autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer. It can also lead to inflammation.

Using healthier alternatives like coconut oil, virgin olive oil, and avocado oil is the best thing to do.

22. Choose popcorn over chips

Surprisingly, popcorn is a whole grain packed with fiber and nutrients.

In fact, a 100-gram serving of air-popped popcorn holds 15 grams of fiber and 387 calories, while a 100-gram serving of chips harbors only 4 grams of fiber and 547 calories.

Diets rich in whole grains have been associated with several health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and inflammation.

You can purchase air-popped popcorn or make your own popcorn at home to ensure you are having a healthy popcorn. Don’t choose microwave popcorn varieties.

Many commercial varieties are no healthier than potato chips, as they are prepared with salt, fat, and sugar.

23. Use smaller plates

The size of your plate affects how much you eat.

Using a smaller plate can make your portion look bigger, while using a large plate can make it look smaller.

In fact, people tend to eat as much as 30% more when they eat from a large plate.

Using a smaller plate will trick your brain into thinking that you’re eating more. That way, you are less likely to overeat.

24. Drink black coffee

One of the most popular and healthiest beverages in the world, coffee is a major source of antioxidants. It has also been linked to various health benefits, including lower risk of liver disease and diabetes, as well as mental decline.

Most commercial varieties of coffee, however, are packed with additional ingredients, including sweeteners, milk, sugar, syrup, and heavy cream, which can negate all of coffee’s health benefits. These ingredients also add a lot of unwanted sugar and calories.

Nothing is better than choosing black coffee and just adding a small amount of cream or milk and avoiding any sweetener.

25. Get the salad dressing on the side

Ordering a salad at a restaurant is always a great idea. It can even be a great achievement for some people.

However, some salads are covered with high-calorie dressings, making them even higher in calories compared to other items on the menu.

Getting the salad dressing on the side makes it easier for you to control the portion size and calories you consume.

26. Calcium is important

The human body needs calcium to carry out many vital functions and maintain strong bones. Calcium is also necessary for nerves to carry messages between every body part and the brain.

Calcium is found in many healthy foods, including cheese and other dairy foods, fish, and leafy greens such as okra, curly kale, and spinach.

Conclusion

Not only does a healthy diet contribute to a well-managed body weight but also help protect the human body against several types of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer.

Overhauling your diet can be at times overwhelming.

Try some of the simple tips we provided above for a healthier diet. Some of them will help you adapt to something new, add nutrients, and keep your portion sizes reasonable.

They will surely make your overall diet more sustainable and healthier. When combined with regular exercise, such as belly fat burning exercises, you will surely maintain physical and mental health, as well as well-being.