Craving Clarity: 5 Essential Food Questions Everyone Asks
- Jana Fotos
- Sep 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Finding the trick to a healthier gut can be hard and overwhelming. The internet is full of different answers and “guides,” making it difficult to know where to start. But if you’re reading this post, congrats! You’re already on the right track. Research is the first step to self-improvement. Now, let’s explore some healthy eating habits that will help regulate your digestive system and lead to a happier, healthier gut.
1. Should I Still Eat Breakfast if I'm Not Hungry?
Eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and helps balance hunger throughout the day. It's a crucial source of energy and plays a big role in managing your weight by reducing nighttime overeating. We’ve all heard, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” growing up, but what if you find yourself feeling nauseous or just not hungry in the morning? The simple answer: don't eat breakfast!
Instead, let’s explore other ways to nourish your body in the morning that work better for you. A simple, nutritious smoothie or a breakfast shake from the grocery store can be a great substitute. If you're nauseous, add some ginger to the smoothie for a natural tummy-ache remedy! Personally, I love sipping on a light smoothie when I wake up feeling off, but when I have an early morning sports event, I opt for a convenient breakfast shake to keep me fueled.
2. How Can I Help My Late-Night Snacking?
Feeling a little hungry before bed is completely normal but how do we regulate it? First, let's evaluate this feeling by asking ourselves a few questions:
1) Am I just thirsty? Often dehydration can be confused with the feeling of hunger. Drink a glass of water or something hydrating and see if that helps.
2) What am I craving? After a big meal, it’s common to crave snacks like a sweet dessert, chips & dip, or even a sweet & salty combo. But after a heavy or salty meal, those might not be the best options. Take a moment to pinpoint exactly what you’re craving, and give yourself time! The longer you wait after dinner, the more your meal will digest. You may find you’re not as hungry as you thought depending on how much time has passed.
3) What can I substitute? You evaluated your thirst and cravings! Now let's choose our snack. We can curb our cravings with a healthy, light but filling snack to prevent overeating or late-night tummy aches.
Craving something sweet? Eat your favorite fruits with some honey (or sugar) drizzled on top or some homemade ricotta ice cream.
Craving something savory? Try dipping some veggies into a dressing or a rice cake with your favorite spread like peanut butter (add slices of banana for a sweet touch) or smashed avocado.
In the end, having an unhealthy late-night snack won't cause much harm within moderation. Treat yourself to an ice cream or chip & dip every now and then- just keep portions reasonable and be mindful of your snacking afterward. And always remember to brush your teeth before bed, especially if you have citrus water, juice, soda, or fruits which will break down your enamel faster!
3. Are Frozen/Canned Foods Less Nutritious?
Frozen produce is picked off the plant at its peak ripeness and then flash-frozen. This locks in most of the nutrients until thawed and cooked. When fresh produce is picked, it continues to ripen as time goes on, losing its nutrients along the process.
Canning is quite similar but, instead of flash-freezing, the air is pulled from the container keeping the food safe from contaminants and stopping its aging process.
Overall, canning and freezing produce can be equal or even more nutritious than fresh produce. It's best to freeze your own produce or store-bought produce to avoid the preservatives in canned foods.
4. Does Eating Slower Aid Digestion?
Digestion starts in the mouth when you chew. Therefore, if you take your time to chew and take a breath or sip of water between each bite, you will be helping yourself break down the food. This will allow your food to digest better and give your brain/stomach time to catch up, so you’ll feel full sooner—ultimately helping you avoid overeating.
Next time you eat try to enjoy every bite, take a breather, sip on your hydrating beverage, and remember having a relaxing meal is essential!
5. What Role Does Hydration Play?
Hydration holds one of the most vital roles in our health. While we all know that a person can’t survive more than a week without water, many of us still struggle to hit the recommended 8 cups (64 ounces) daily. Here's how we can avoid this:
1) The 3 Bite Rule- a habit my family swears by during every meal. It's simple: for every 3 bites of food, you must sip water. This rule is for all ages, especially our little ones, helping them build healthy hydration habits while encouraging mindful eating and savoring each bite.
2) Naturally-Flavored Waters- Mix your favorite fruits, cucumber, mint, or even edible flowers into your water for extra flavorings. This can help those who don't like drinking plain ole water and even make it exciting and fun to create different mixtures.
By staying on top of your hydration you will feel more energized, aid in digestion, and even see better skin complexion!
Conclusion
By answering these questions and practicing better eating habits, we can see improvements in our overall health. Changing our diets and habits can be tricky so, start slow and build the habits as you grow. We are all human after all!
If you have any more questions, you would like answered, send a chat or an email and I'll make sure to answer them personally and/or include your questions in my next post!
Such great info.