mbg Deputy Commerce Editor
mbg Deputy Commerce Editor
Braelyn Wood is the Deputy Commerce Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism from Northwestern University, along with a certificate in marketing.
January 20, 2025
Raise your hand if you think the nutrition space can feel crowded with advice. Even with my knowledge as a dietician, I can see how the influx of information can be overwhelming (especially when a lot of it is so contradictory).
The main thing to remember? Eating for your well-being doesn’t have to be complicated. Research shows making your diet just 25% more nutrient-dense1 can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and respiratory disease by up to 46%.
Rather than removing entire food groups from your diet, focus on ways you can make your current go-to recipes even more nutritious. Below, you’ll find my favorite tips to making healthier choices throughout the day as a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Add a protein to your breakfast spread.
Protein is essential for feeling full. It’s the most effective macronutrient for keeping your body satiated2, and your breakfast probably doesn’t have enough of it. There’s only 6 grams of protein in an egg or a cup of oatmeal, which won’t put you on track to hitting 100 grams of protein per day.
An easy way to round out your plate is adding a serving of Greek yogurt or turkey bacon to your spread. You can also add protein powder to your morning coffee—which comes with a side of inflammation-fighting polyphenols— to turn it into a tasty, creamy latte.
Skip the sugary sodas and replace them with sparkling water.
Research found that those who drank one or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily had an 85% higher risk of liver cancer3 compared to those who had three or fewer sugar-sweetened beverages per month.
A crisp can of sparkling water is the perfect alternative to get your carbonated fix without any sugar or sweeteners—and I’m partial to Waterloo Sparkling Water. The brand creates unique flavor combinations like Raspberry Nectarine and Cherry Limeade—and they actually taste like their inspiration (rather than a whisper of flavor).
Waterloo Cherry Limeade Sparkling Water
Use fresh herbs and spices to flavor your food instead of salt.
Excess salt consumption is linked to heart disease, and it’s easy to go overboard when trying to enhance the flavor of your favorite foods. A fellow dietician shared their preference for fresh herbs and bold spices as a replacement for using salt with me last year as one of her non-negotiable healthy choices—and I’ve been trying to follow in her footsteps ever since.
Add one new vegetable or fruit to your grocery list each week.
It’s easy to lose sight of plant diversity when you’re focused on protein—and a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 30 different plants per week to support your gut health. Since that number can feel intimidating for many, I like to recommend adding at least one new fruit or vegetable to your grocery list each week. This encourages you to seek out new produce that you may have previously ignored to increase the biodiversity of your diet.
Replace regular pasta with a bean alternative to boost fiber.
At least 95% of Americans are not eating the recommended amount of fiber4. Eating more vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds can help bring you closer to the goal—and I like to look for opportunities where I can sneak more of these into my diet.
My favorite swap is replacing regular pasta with lentil pasta. It adds extra fiber to my plate without drastically changing the taste of my favorite recipes. What’s more, it offers a small bump of protein to my plate. Just be sure to look for glyphosate-free options.
Make sure your snacks also include protein and fiber.
Let’s face it: Carbohydrate-heavy foods tend to dominate the snack aisle. That’s why I like to make an active effort to always include protein and fiber into my afternoon pick-me-up. My go-to is cottage cheese and fresh peppers. It’s healthy, delicious, and satisfying.
Find more nutrient-dense versions of your favorite foods to satisfy a craving.
I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rule; you’ll often see me talk about my love or peanut butter cups in content. While I don’t plan to remove them from my diet altogether, I also know these tasty treats don’t offer the same fuel as other foods.
That’s why I like to find ways to recreate my favorite sweat treats with more nutrient-dense ingredients. For example, peanut butter stuffed dates often satisfy the same dessert craving—and they come with added fiber and antioxidants.
Bulk out your recipes by adding frozen veggies.
Produce is typically flash-frozen right after harvest, which means it can actually have more nutrients than its fresh companion that’s traveled thousands of miles to arrive on your plate. This makes frozen produce a great way to bulk out your meals without racking up your grocery bill.
My favorite way to use this hack is with rice. I’ll add frozen cauliflower rice to my stir-frys or grain bowls to help add even more nutrients to my meal without drastically impacting the flavor or texture of the recipe.
Dress up plain greek yogurt.
My most self-practiced dietitian advice is choosing plain Greek yogurt instead of flavored. Some yogurts pack upward of 17 grams of added sugars per serving (more than a doughnut).
Cutting out all added sugars isn’t necessary or feasible for me, but avoiding unnecessary sugars really helps your blood sugar, gut, and feelings of satiety.
Plus, it’s so much more versatile to have plain Greek yogurt for other recipes.
Waterloo Raspberry Nectarine Sparkling Water
The takeaway
The best way to make your diet feel more nutritious is by focusing on what you can add to your plate rather than what you should go without. My advice is to find ways to add satiating elements to your plate with protein and fiber that can help fuel your body. You’ll not only feel more satisfied in the near-term, but you’ll help give your body the tools it needs to protect itself in the long-run.
