Tips for buying healthy foods

take home one Shopping basket Being healthy, cheap and sustainable seems to be a challenge these days, with 10% inflation and soaring prices.

However, there are tricks to get it buying healthy food which respects the environment at an affordable price.

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Read also: Are modern foods healthy? know what they are

be informed best tricks To eat a healthy diet and take care of our health and our planet.

Tips for a healthy food basket

they exist small gestures It can make our food take care of the planet and at the same time it can help us in our pockets.

1. Buy local and seasonal They will provide all the nutrients and you will notice that in the purchase price. It is the best way to reduce the price of your shopping cart. As the Ministry of Consumption campaign states, local and seasonal foods are inexpensive, healthy and sustainable.
2. Shop more in municipal markets and nearby stores And less in the supermarket. In addition, we can buy directly from farmers, use other sales channels such as consumer groups or cooperatives, and we can even grow some of our own food.
3. Look at the stickers As with some fruits and vegetables, avoid buying food that comes from abroad and travels long distances. Always prioritize product proximity.
4. Restore your Mediterranean diet patterns With traditional dishes, typical of our gastronomic culture and adapted to the new age with healthy, simple and attractive recipes: hummus, vegetable dishes, vegetarian burgers, fermented foods such as sauerkraut …
5. Weekly menu plan and shopping cart to avoid food waste. Nothing gets thrown away in the kitchen, you have to sharpen your wits and enjoy every bit of food like our grandmothers did. We can, for example, take the opportunity to make preserves of seasonal vegetables that we can eat all year round.
6. Avoid packaged and refined foods , such as cereals, sweets, sugar, and/or sweetened and pre-cooked products. Cook more! Restore our kitchens to the place they have always been a source of health.
7. Try to reduce plastic consumption Buy bulk foods like seeds, nuts, pulses…
8. Reduce meat consumption Increase consumption of plant alternatives.
9. Don’t waste food Use leftovers in other dishes, let your imagination fly and reinvent your recipes.
10. Make a list and buy the amount to be used Reduce waste and avoid buying canned foods.
11. Drink tap water If possible, reduce plastic bottles.

In short, it is important to reduce the consumption of foods of animal origin, and to avoid sugary products, refined grains and processed and pre-cooked products.

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In the diet, we must increase fresh foods and incorporate a greater proportion of plant foods into our diet: Legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, abundant fruits and vegetables , mainly those characteristic of each season and location/proximity, with priority given to those of agro-ecological origin. Produce.

And What foods can’t you miss in the healthy, cheap and “eco” shopping cart ? We’ll talk about it below with Irene Lescano.

fruit

It is necessary for a healthy diet to include fruits and no better than to include them in the spring. It allows us to make more use of its nutrients: including strawberries in your diet, they are a source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant; Bananas are a source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin B6, a vitamin that helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. Perfect for this moment!

Vegetables and vegetables

Another essential food that we must include in our diet, because it provides us with fiber, vitamins, minerals and a high percentage of water. It’s asparagus season! A great source of protein, vitamins C and E and folic acid. Also, among the many vegetables you can find in the markets, include spinach, tomatoes, beans… Start adding color to your dishes!

protein

Include these essential nutrients in your meals throughout the day, they perform many functions in our bodies that are of great importance. The important thing is to diversify and choose different sources, of animal origin, and try to choose lean meats such as turkey, chicken or rabbit and alternate with fish, blue and white. It is also important to increase the consumption of plant sources: such as legumes or soy derivatives. And if you want to add an extra protein touch to your dishes, you can also add seeds!

plant protein sources

Protein It is an essential nutrient in our bodies. Amino acids are small molecules that form them and some are essential, meaning that our bodies cannot manufacture them on their own and must be taken in through food.

Not only do animal proteins provide us with essential amino acids However, there are plant sources, such as soybeans, that contain it. Or just combining different sources, like legumes and grains, gives us all.

As explained by the Food and Agriculture Organization, rising meat consumption contributes to climate change, as it emits a large amount of greenhouse gases. For this reason, many people have begun to reduce the consumption of foods of animal origin, or even follow a A vegetarian or vegan diet.

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In fact, there are vegetarian foods that can completely satisfy your meat-eating experience. This is the case of ivy a type of vegetarian meat similar to chicken and even chorizo.

What other foods do we have to replace meat?

Plant-based sources of protein, such as legumes, have many benefits: they provide protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals. It is a highly nutritious and environmentally sustainable food. And not only that, they add variety to our dishes and fill them up for hours. The consumption of this food has been reduced in recent years, however, there are many reasons why we should start incorporating it into our diet.

In addition, there are a large number of soy-based products: tofu, tempeh, compound soybeans … which allow us to have a variety of alternatives.

That’s not all, with all these foods you can prepare all kinds of recipes: vegetarian “tuna”, hamburgers, sausages, lasagna … Take advantage of the seasoning, and you will be surprised at the flavors that can be achieved.

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Healthy and protein foods without animal suffering

We also see legumes, nuts, seeds and Pseudo-grains like quinoa are foods that can completely replace meat . Some of these foods also provide us with high-quality, complete plant proteins (that is, they provide us with all the amino acids, with a biological value similar to that of animal proteins), such as chickpeas, some types of beans, and soybeans. Or pistachios or quinoa. These foods are very healthy and provide us with beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. On the other hand, before reaching our table, these foods It does not require the use of a lot of natural resources for its production.recalls Alicia Valero, of the Official Association of Dietitians and Dietitians in the Valencian Community (CODiNuCoVa) and nutrition and nutrition expert

Therefore, it is not necessary to eat meat for a balanced diet, which is by the way one of the foods that makes our shopping cart more expensive. As we know, its consumption is unsustainable and its production generates a significant environmental impact. Therefore, in our food, we must at least Significantly reduce the amount of meat we consume And prioritizing their quality, the consumption of extensive farms and small properties that ensure animal welfare, Valero insists.

Fats

It is important to choose healthy fats for cooking and dressing. And what better source than extra-virgin olive oil, it provides unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. In addition, you can also combine these nutrients based on seeds or nuts she Snack Perfect to take in between meals.

carbohydrates

It is well known that carbohydrates give us energy. Choose Fonts Like Noodles and rice In its integrated version, in this way the fibers are preserved. Also, it’s important to avoid the refined sugars often found in ultra-processed products, so why not try oatmeal instead of the sugary version?

What else can we do to get cheap, healthy, sustainable food?

By following these small steps, you can do Healthy and economical food that takes care of our planet . Everyone has a different context, so it is important, depending on our circumstances, that we make the gestures that are possible for us, the important thing is that every small action counts.

We could have other considerations Avoid consuming ultra-processed foods They are foods that are high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats and do not provide us with nutrients. This way plastic consumption is reduced and we stop using ingredients like palm oil. One trick is to look at the price we invest in nutrients rather than the quantity.

Finally, to take care of our health and our planet You can also reduce your use of public transportation and choose to get around on foot or by bike . What is the best way to enjoy the daylight hours? Another great excuse that spring leaves us!

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