Spinach is one of the healthiest vegetables out there. Packed with nutrients and chlorophyll, all you need to do to be healthy is eat it. Unfortunately, the abundance of fat and sugar in many processed foods coupled with the long hours we spend glued to our phones means that not all of us can eat spinach every day. That’s why we need to be creative when it comes to preparing it so that it suits our needs. This is where low-calorie options come in
Here are eight tips for creating healthy, low-calorie spinach drinks that will keep your body and mind strong:
1. Choose Your Equipment Carefully
When you are buying any piece of electronic equipment, whether it’s a smartphone, computer, or tablet, there will be a tag on the box that lists its energy consumption. The energy rating is usually expressed in terms of watts or kilohertz, and it’s always a good idea to choose equipment that consumes low power.
Having a power-efficient device is vital when you are trying to reduce your carbon footprint. It will help minimize your impact on the environment while allowing you to enjoy gaming and other high-performance activities.
For example, a 600-watt device will use more energy than a 30-watt device, and they both have the same gigabyte of RAM. It will take the 600-watt device three minutes to heat up sufficiently to start working; whereas the 30-watt device will take the better part of a minute to do the same. If you are planning on keeping this device for the long term, it’s useful to know that you will need to change the battery at least once every two years because of its limited lifespan. Changing the battery will cost you $60 plus the price of the device itself. This is a lot of money if you are buying the item used or on sale because there isn’t any convenient way to determine its energy consumption when you buy it. Buying second-hand saves you both time and money because you don’t have to worry about finding the right equipment to fit your needs.
2. Steam It First
The best way to enjoy the nutrition in spinach is by cooking it yourself. Steam processing not only kills any bacteria but also unlocks the nutrients in the vegetable, making it more digestible and convenient for your body. It also means you get to control the flavor and the amount of fat you ingest. You will need to use your own steamer, however, which you may or may not have access to depending on where you live. There are many kits available online that make it easy for anyone to purchase one.
3. Look For Organic Spinach
Since most commercially available spinach is sprayed with pesticides and fungicides during harvest, it is best to look for organic versions. The chemicals in these pesticides and fungicides are known toxins that have been shown to accumulate in the human liver and have been found in some studies to be linked to pancreatic cancer. The organic certification for fruits and vegetables excludes the use of these chemicals, so you can be certain that the food is fresh and safe to eat.
You should also look for locally grown or – better yet – organically grown spinach because it is more likely to be fresh and of good quality. This will enhance your overall experience and nourish your body without the need to consume as much as you would if the food had been transported long distances. When you eat food that grew closer to its natural state, you are more likely to feel fuller for longer and experience healthy weight loss without sacrificing your favorite foods.
4. Use Only A Little Curry
To make any kind of Indian food look good, you need to use minimal amounts of the hottest spices. If you are using a lot of them, the food will taste like hot garbage. A lot of people love their food hot, so if you are serving it to them, make sure you use minimal amounts of garnishments. These will help give it some flair and make it taste better. You should use the hottest Indian spices available and only a touch of those, otherwise, your food will taste weak. Some examples of the hottest spices are chiles (chiles are not peppers, by the way), ginger, cinnamon, and allspice.
If you are using fresh herbs in your food, like basil or cilantro, do so only when absolutely necessary. They add a lot to the taste and look of your food, but they can’t withstand hotter cooking temperatures. When you do use them, fresh is always best.
5. Add Spices Gracefully
Adding too much spice can ruin the taste of your food. It doesn’t take a lot to flavor food; you just need the right spices. When you are adding spices to your food, follow the rule of thumb that less is more. Keep it light on the spices, otherwise, you are defeating the purpose of adding them in the first place. You should add fresh spices at the end of cooking. This way, they will not lose their potency, and you can fully enjoy the food.
6. Don’t Overdo It With The Onions
Onions are a commonly used vegetable, and they are excellent for you. They are high in antioxidants, which fight disease, and vitamin C, which keeps your immune system strong. They are also a great source of fiber, which helps maintain your digestive health. Just like with most other vegetables, too many onions will make you fat. It is best to eat a couple of onions a day to get the benefits, although you should avoid eating them raw because they contain a lot of calories and have a very strong, pungent taste. When preparing food with onions, don’t put them in at the beginning because then they will overpower everything else when cooked and be hard to remove once cooked. You can use them to flavor pasta, soup, or stews. You can also make onion rings, or take a look at our recipe for Garlic & Onion Smoked Salmon.
7. Measure Fluid Wisely
When you are making low-calorie drinks, you need to be especially careful about measuring the right way. This is especially important when making homemade shakes because even a teaspoon of fluid can make or break the recipe. After you have calculated the necessary amount of ice and measured it accurately, add the rest of the liquids and stir thoroughly. If you drink this slurry immediately, it will taste extremely watered down because there is no way of measuring the precise amount of liquid in your mouth at the time you are drinking it. When you are storing liquid in a glass, you should use a sealable container to ensure that it does not go bad and to keep track of how much you have left. You will need to drink the shake immediately after making it to get the full benefit. Otherwise, it can get a little icy in the middle once you start stirring and diluting the ingredients before you drink it.
You should avoid storing fruit juices or other clear liquids in the same container as your ice cream because the juice or liquid will soften the ice and ruin your frozen dessert. You should also take care not to mix acidic and basic foods or eatables in the same meal. For example, it is a no go to combine orange juice with grapefruit or cranberry juice because the acidic juices will dissolve the sugars in the basic food. This will cause unhealthy spikes in your blood sugar levels. If you want to enjoy both kinds of juice in separate meals, then that’s okay, but mixing them can ruin your day without a doubt.
The sweetness in sugar can be counteracted with acidic foods like tomatoes or lemons, so when you eat a tomato, you are actually boosting your body’s ability to fight cancer because the compounds in the fruit act as antioxidants. On the other hand, drinking excessive amounts of lemon water can upset your stomach because it is very acidic. You should strive to eat fruits and vegetables that are high in Vitamin C because they will keep your body healthy. Fruits like oranges and apples contain lots of natural sugars, which give them their sweetness, and they also contain a lot of antioxidants, which help protect your body from damage.
As you can see, there are a lot of easy ways to prepare healthy, low-calorie foods. If you want to enjoy tasty, fresh produce without the worry of ruining your waistline, then you should try some of these out. When you eat food that is low in fat and calories, you send your body a message that says it is okay to lose weight, and it encourages your body to try and maintain a healthy weight.