It’s always good to get extra nutrients from the food you consume… but sometimes it can feel exhausting trying to make sure everything you eat is as nutrient-dense as you would want in a perfect world. Luckily, there are many easy ways to add extra nutrition to your meals and snacks! Here’s ten tried & true ideas to get you started:
A low-carb diet and many other diets for weight loss depend on getting a lot of protein to reduce hunger and support the maintenance of lean muscle mass, but tuna, chicken breast, and cottage cheese can start to get boring. Instead, you can have favorite foods but in high-protein versions. Examples include Protein Cereal and Granola, Protein and Keto Pasta, and Protein Bread. You can also add unflavored Protein Powder to almost any food or beverage.
There are many ways to get healthier fats. For example, have a peanut butter sandwich instead of a sandwich with fatty deli meats. Justin’s Peanut Butter is all natural and a source of vitamins, protein, and fiber, not to mention heart-healthy fat. Another example is to use mayonnaise made with avocado fats, as avocados are among the healthiest fat sources around. Chosen Foods and Primal Kitchen both have avocado oil mayo.
Croutons, onion rings, and crispy chow mein noodles add crunch, as well as carbs and empty calories. Instead, try adding nuts or seeds to get extra crunch and flavor. They’ll contribute fiber, protein, iron, and other nutrients. NOW Walnuts are just one example of what you can use to effortlessly bump up the nutrition in your meals.
Flax and chia seeds are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet, and you only have to have a tablespoon or so to get benefits. Plus, they’re super easy to incorporate. Just sprinkle them on salads or into sandwiches, add them to smoothies, or stir them into cereal, soup, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
Netrition has plenty of flax and chia options. For example, Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds are organic whole seeds, and Lakanto Keto Granola contains chia seeds, not to mention almonds and coconut. It’s sweetened with monk fruit. We also have plenty of choices for flax seeds, flax seed meal and oil, and products with flax, such as Sensato Sugar-Free Nut and Flax Granola.
Dietary fiber can improve blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. It also helps support a healthy digestive system, but most people don’t get enough. Now, there’s no excuse, even if you’re on a low-carb diet that doesn’t include fiber sources such as fruit and whole grains. Netrition has fiber supplements that you can sprinkle onto your food. There are also tons of choices such as Fiber Gourmet Biscotti Bites and Snack Crackers, and Ciao Carb Nutriwell Fusilli Pasta with 15 grams of fiber per serving.
How easy can it be to take your vitamins? Vitamin D3 drops couldn’t be easier. Just add a drop to a favorite beverage or a food such as soup, yogurt, or oatmeal. You’ll get your vitamin D without having to worry about it.
These simple tricks for adding nutrition won’t force you to change your meal patterns much, and they can make a difference in your overall nutritional status. Give them a try and stop by Netrition to see how else you can get more nutrition that taste great and is perfectly convenient for your lifestyle.
Most grain products have whole-grain counterparts, so it’s easy to make the swap. At Netrition, it’s easy to find whole grain Tortillas, Bread, Cream of Wheat, Cereal, and Pasta, for starters. They taste just as good, and you prepare and eat them the same way. The difference is that they have natural fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals that refined grains don’t have.
Bob’s Red Mill Protein Pancake and Waffle Mix offers a double boost of nutrition. It’s made from whole-wheat flour, and it also has 15 grams of protein in each serving. Top your pancakes or waffles with fruit and any of our Sugar-Free Syrups, and breakfast can be super healthy and delicious.
Creamy and buttery sauces may add saturated fat and empty calories, and sweet sauces can add sugars and carbs, but some sauces can add both flavor and nutrition. Pasta sauce from Hunt’s or Organico Bello can add a serving of tomatoes to pizza, pasta, or casseroles, for example. Or you can use Olive Oil in any number of sauces, such as pesto with walnuts and basil, or Romanesco with red wine vinegar, bell peppers, herbs, and almonds.
Potato chips and white crackers are high in carbs and low in natural fiber and protein. Instead, choose higher-nutrient snack options. For example, Lesser Evil Grain Free Paleo Puffs have sweet potatoes, which are high in vitamin A. Popcorn is another good choice for a salty, crunchy snack that only seems decadent. High fiber or grain-free crackers can also be a healthier choice compared to regular salty snacks.
Cello Whisps and ParmCrisps have calcium, protein, and real cheese. Todd’s Better Snacks Egg and Lentil Crisps are also low in carbs and high in fiber and protein.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol. It’s sweet, but it has many differences from sugar. For one thing, it doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels. For another, it’s actually good for your teeth. Chewing Xylitol Gum after a meal can reduce the chance of tooth decay, according to some research. And, xylitol is a type of sugar alcohol that doesn’t seem to bother the gastrointestinal system like some other types of sugar alcohols can.
