How to Get the Most Out of the Foods You Eat

The way you eat and how you manage your diet can directly affect the way your body assimilates nutrients.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• the willingness to try new methods of cooking.
• common sense
• knowledge of the basic food groups
• know your body

How to Get the Most Out of the Foods You Eat

1. Learn to combine your foods. Proteins and starches are not a good combination. Fruits and vegetables eaten together also work against each other.
   Proteins should be eaten with a smaller percentage of vegetables. Fruits are best eaten alone. They break down quickly and are assimilated easily when they are consumed by themselves.
   If you are eating a big meal, eat in sections. Proteins, vegetables, carbs, starches, and fruits or sugars, eaten in this order, with time between each course will aid in the digestion process.
2. Try new ways of cooking, such as broiling instead of frying for certain cuts of meat. Steaming your vegetables holds in the nutrients. The neat thing about steaming is that the remaining liquid can be used in place of water in other recipes.
   Find recipes that call for baking when it comes to vegetables. Learn to use your grill all year long.
3. Watch when you eat. Fruits are best eaten in the morning. They break down quickly and will give you a good boost of energy.
   Eat the largest meal of the day between noon and 3pm. This allows ample time for digestion before bed time.
   After 6pm, eat light. Soup and crackers are an excellent evening meal.
4. Hot tea or cider before bed can be relaxing and will help the stomach finish off anything that has been slow to digest.
5. Listen to your body. If you're diabetic or have a metabolic disorder, you will have to adapt any diet to fit your own personal needs.

Tips & Warnings

• Be willing to change.
• Experiment with different foods and seasonings.
• Learn to read labels and avoid large amounts of preservatives.
• Consult your physician before making any drastic changes to your diet.
• Make all changes gradually.