Is This Your Year to Change What You Eat?

If you've talked to anyone who has gone from mainly eating junk food to a healthier diet, you've probably been impressed by their enthusiasm. You can make the switch yourself and do it in many ways, but switching your grocery shopping might help. For example, if you add an Asian market to your weekly routine, you'll have many more healthy choices. Their more comprehensive selection of tofu (plant-based protein) is an excellent example. When you eat tofu in place of meats and dairy products, you'll be instantly lightening up your diet. It saves on calories, fat, and cholesterol, and you can find many exciting recipes for it.

One of the best things about choosing healthier food is that you're eating and enjoying life more than trying to limit or deprive yourself – which are seldom successful in the long run. When you spice up your cooking with new and unique flavors, you won't miss the old higher-fat foods nearly as much. There are more creative ways to cook with vegetables than ever before, and it's fun to try them. If you love spicy flavors, look for Korean food at your Asian grocer. Korea gets it right with hot-and-spicy, and you'll love the things you try. Your family and friends will be impressed when your cook healthy, flavorful foods. 

Every meal presents an opportunity to eat better, and don't overlook breakfast. You can do a lot of damage with fat, sugar, and calories if you don't make wise choices for the first meal of the day. It's evident that baked goods bring high levels of fat and sugar, but don't forget about the high fat and cholesterol in eggs and processed meats; the meats also have high sodium levels. Switching to egg whites is an excellent first step and going for fruit and other whole foods rather than processed cereals high in sugar and carbohydrates. There are also fun plant-based alternative breakfast foods to try.

If you've never cooked with tofu, there is a learning curve. But once you master it, you'll love the tasty results. Asian markets sell it in various firmnesses, and selecting the correct one for your recipe is essential. There are also cooking techniques like fast frying it in a small amount of oil to achieve a crunchy outside, and a smooth inside that are helpful. Adding it to your recipes in place of meats and dairy products requires researching substitution tables for information. It's a fun thing to learn, and once you master the techniques and firmness selection needs, you'll be on your way to eating healthier.