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How to Eat Delicious Foods Without the Guilt

Let’s be honest, while eating healthy may be a great move for your health, it’s not always favorable to one’s palate. The truth is that fried and fatty foods are hard to put away for a reason… THEY TASTE GOOD!

Needless to say, oftentimes we are left with only two options… enjoying what we eat or enduring what we eat. 

Or so you thought…

Yes, there is plenty of flavor to be found in unhealthy comfort foods, but the right marinades and spices can add a ton of kick and pizzazz to your healthy dishes without sacrificing the benefits of those choices.

Here are some suggestions along with a few added benefits that each provides:

Chili Pepper

Chili pepper is a popular choice in many BBQ sauces and rubs and for good reason: it provides a ton of flavor. Of course, along with this spice comes some heat—so use with caution—but chili pepper is a great addition to many meats destined for the grill or skillet.

Chili pepper has also been shown to improve digestive health and metabolism, alleviate migraines, provide joint pain relief, fight inflammation, and decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. Oh, and if all that wasn’t good enough, it may help reduce the risk of cancer.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a flavorful ingredient made from fermented soybeans and wheat that originates from China and has been used in cooking for over 1,000 years. Not only does it make an excellent base ingredient for many Asian-inspired sauces and marinades, it’s also very low in calories (5 per tbsp).

Now while soy sauce is high in sodium, it contains far lower levels of sodium than salt and has promising potential health benefits for the immune system, gut health, blood pressure, and may lower cancer risk. 

Olive Oil Vinaigrette

An easy and delicious addition to many foods is vinaigrette. This popular salad dressing choice is made up of olive oil and vinegar combined with various seasonings. While olive oil is fat and high in calories, it’s an unsaturated fat that can help lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes. 

Turmeric and Ginger

Both of these spices are very popular in eastern dishes and for good reason: they offer a ton of flavor and are very versatile in their usage. Ginger is beneficial to gut health and digestion, while both possess powerful anti-inflammatory properties 

Red Hot Wing Sauce

Hot sauce and/or buffalo wing sauce tastes great on some meaty (and very unhealthy) wings, but it also can be a welcome addition to many other dishes. And here’s the kicker, it’s generally very low in calories. 

Hot sauce is also healthy due to capsaicin—the active ingredient in peppers—which has shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects in lab studies.

This is just a small list of all the spices and sauces out there that can be incorporated into your meal prep, turning your once bland and boring healthy dishes into something that truly sizzles with a ton of delicious flavor.

Don’t fret, dear dieter: your taste buds no longer need be assaulted by the mundane. You just need a little creativity to salvage your dish and the day.

Ready to get started on cooking nutritious meals from home? Great! We’re glad to help – and, if you need further help on your personal health journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Bee Healthy Clinic nearest you. 

| Food, Nutrition
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