How Variety Can Save Your Gut, Mood, and Meals The Same Plate Debate
NUTRIENTS NEED NEWNESS Your body needs a variety of nutrients and foods to stay healthy and balanced. If you are eating the same meals, you might miss out on the ingredients your gut microbiome and immune system crave.
If you are stuck on your go-to kale smoothie or healthy quinoa salad for lunch, it may be time to shake up your plate and add a little variety to the menu. Eating the same thing every day might seem like a safe bet and an easy way to meal prep in your busy routine. But your body and taste buds deserve new flavors to keep things fresh and boost your immune system. Even the most nutritious diets can easily turn into a food rut. Grab a plate as we explore why you shouldn’t eat the same food daily.
Repeating recipes too often could lead to nutrient deficiencies and starve your body of proteins and essential vitamins. While consuming some of the same foods every week is generally fine, change it up enough to get a good mix of antioxidant-rich foods.
FIXATION OR FOOD FRUSTRATION? Turning to the same recipes daily could signal
SAME BITES, SNEAKY SIGNS By avoiding new cuisine, you could miss essential food allergy or intolerance signs. If you have the same breakfast every morning but don’t feel well afterward, trying an alternative
something about your mental or emotional health. Variety isn’t just crucial for our physical well-being; it keeps our minds
engaged and helps prevent us from feeling blue. People who limit what and how much they eat may have an eating disorder called avoidant/ restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). ARFID can lead to health problems, as it causes people to avoid certain nutritious foods or not eat at all.
could show you that your preferred plateful is actually hurting more than helping. By restricting items in your diet, you could even develop new food sensitivities over time. Listen to your body and be willing to make adjustments if that routine treat is causing discomfort.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Take a Break
INGREDIENTS • 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more • 1 medium red onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth • 2 tbsp unsalted butter • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, chives, or green onions for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 2. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss cauliflower with 2 tbsp olive oil. 3. Arrange cauliflower in a single layer, sprinkle with a little salt, and bake 25–35 minutes until tender. 4. In a soup pot, heat remaining olive oil and cook onion and 1/4 tsp salt until soft. 5. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add broth. 6. Add all but 4 cauliflower florets to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. 7. Transfer mixture to a blender, add butter, and blend until smooth. Then blend in lemon juice and nutmeg. 8. Garnish with cauliflower florets and serve. Add parsley, onion, and chives as desired.
Inspired by CookieAndKate.com
3
951-304-2866 877-484-3522
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator