Cooking healthy meals starts with healthy ingredients. By stocking your kitchen cupboards with healthy ingredients, you can make healthier, heartier meals. Contrary to popular belief, healthy ingredients aren’t necessarily expensive. It can be as simple as replacing white rice with brown rice. Below, we list some healthy ingredients you should always have at home.
You can use these staples with meat, veggies and other ingredients you already have to add more nutrients and fibre without breaking the bank.
Pink Himalayan Salt
Himalayan salt is a rock salt with a pink or orange colour. It comes from near the Himalayas. Apart from its nutritional benefits, there is a widespread belief that it’s one of the purest salts on the market.
It has 84 minerals and traces of elements. These include:
- Calcium,
- Magnesium,
- Potassium,
- Copper, and
- Iron.
Pink Himalayan salt tastes different to regular table salt because of the extra minerals present, says South Coast Herald.
The minerals in the salt make it taste slightly different to regular table salt, and give it that pink colour. Although it contains the same amount of sodium as normal salt, it has a saltier taste. This means you can use less of it and achieve the same taste.
Executive director of Cape Foods, a supplier of Himalayan salt, says that its popularity is on the rise in SA.
“You now have a range of grinders, shakers and refillable pouches readily available in health shops and regular supermarkets. The salt is imported from Pakistan but cleaned and packed in South Africa.”
It is tasty on some eggs or avo toast. Pair it with freshly cracked black pepper on pasta dishes! The possibilities are endless, and the product is affordable in South Africa
Whole Grain Rice
Whole grain rice is a great, healthy base for a variety of filling, healthy meals. You can pair it with meat, roasted veggies, salad ingredients and stir-fries.
Replacing refined grains with whole grains and eating at least two servings of whole grains daily may help to reduce type 2 diabetes risk, Harvard writes.
The bottom line is that brown rice is more nutrient-dense than white rice. The fibre, nutrients, and phytochemicals in whole grains may improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism and slow the absorption of food, preventing blood sugar spikes.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the reasons the Mediterranean diet is recognised as one of the healthiest in the world. It focuses on lowering inflammation with the following foods:
- Fish,
- Nuts and legumes,
- Plant oils,
- Fresh fruits,
- Root vegetables,
- Fish and poultry, and
- Grains.
You can cook with it, drizzle it over salad, and drizzle it over finished dishes.
Remember not to overdo it, as one tablespoon has a high-calorie content. The low usage also makes the product affordable, as a little goes a long way. You can often find the product on special in South African supermarkets, too.
Nutrition Is Key
When you stock up your pantry, remember that food helps keep your body healthy. What you eat fuels your body. The fresher the ingredients, the better the meals. When you start eating healthier, you’ll feel better!
Medical Society provides nutritional advice for adults and children. Get in touch today to find out more about these benefits.
