Manage your AIA plans, employee benefits, stay healthy with AIA Vitality, and access healthcare services.
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{{label}}12 January 2017
Clean eating is always a popular topic, and with a multitude of information available online, it�s easy to get confused between what�s good for you and what�s not. The biggest misconception around clean eating is that it�s boring, bland and difficult to start on, but that is not the case at all. Clean eating is a way to refresh your eating habits, going for the healthiest option in the food pyramid and cutting down on the not-so-healthy ones. That means having more of these:
When choosing dishes at your mixed rice stall, go for the colours of the rainbow. Different colours of fruits and vegetables represent the different nutrients that it can deliver to your body.
For example, anthocyanin, which is found in blue, red or violet fruits is a powerful antioxidant. It may also help boost your immune system and maintain health. You can find this in blueberries, prunes, grapes and even eggplants.
The red you see in watermelon and tomatoes come from lycopene, another powerful antioxidant. Lycopene helps to prevent heart diseases and cancers, with a Mayo Clinic article suggesting a tomato-rich diet helps people with asthma.
Beta carotene creates the orange you see in carrots and sweet potatoes and helps to make your bones strong, keeps your eyes healthy and boosts your immune system.
It is not the easiest, but try to limit the amount of snacks and sweets you eat and cut down on processed canned food like meats and tuna. Always eat your food in its freshest state to benefit from the nutrients they offer.
Some food products that claim to be low-fat or fat-free may not be as healthy for you as it seems. Take the time to read the label to find out what�s really in them before you make the purchase.
If the thought of brown rice or quinoa does not whet your appetite, try it first as a half-half option. It will eventually help your palette to get acquainted with the new flavours.
Reduce the amount of salt in your meals by replacing it with spices or dried herbs. These can help improve the flavour of your food and limit the need for salt.
As a general rule: the more unprocessed the food, the higher the fibre content. Apart from filling you up for longer, fibre also aids quicker movement of fat in the digestive system, so less fat is absorbed by your body during digestion.
Preparing your meals at home helps you control portion sizes and ensures you get maximum nutrition from your food.
According to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, chewing at a gentle pace helps you consume fewer calories over the course of a meal.
Choosing plain water or eating a diet higher in water-rich foods can help you trim your calorie intake according to Barbara Rolls, author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan.
Lastly, keep your food fuss-free with minimum ingredients, including a source of whole grains, lean protein and healthy fat at each meal.
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AIA Vitality is a unique insurance and health programme that actively supports and rewards you for making healthier choices every day so you can live a healthier, longer and better life.
