As you may know, the nutritional value of your meals is crucial for your health and lifestyle. Nutrients can help us grow strong and healthier bodies, but it can be difficult to get enough from just food–especially if you have certain dietary preferences. However, that doesn’t mean we need to take supplements all the time to be healthy. In fact–that’s very far from the truth!

There are actually many ways for people to boost the nutritional value of their daily meals. So in this post, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the most convenient ways to boost the nutritional content of your meals, so that you can live a healthier lifestyle.

Be mindful of the way you cook your food

The way we cook and prepare our food often changes its nutritional value. For example, cooking with butter instead of oil can drastically increase its calorie value, which may be desirable in some cases. However, the result is generally the same, so you might be wary about what you use to fry your eggs. 

Another good example would be the way you prepare vegetables. When we chop and crush things like onion and garlic, it releases an enzyme known as alliinase that forms a nutrient called allicin. When eaten, this nutrient can form other compounds that can protect us from various diseases. Another example would be soaking beans and grains. This reduces the phytic acid content, making it easier for our bodies to absorb other nutrients like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

In some cases, it’s not about boosting the nutritional value of your daily meals, but more about reducing the bad stuff that comes from a cooking or preparation method. For instance, making your own fried chicken at home usually involves a huge pot of hot oil. Frying it in oil is a quick but unhealthy way to prepare fried chicken, so you might be interested in using an air fryer instead. This is a much healthier option that leads to similar results. Even if you’re not a fan of this alternative, there’s no denying its nutritional qualities.

Add supplements to your food

It’s become extremely popular to add supplements to your food to make them a bit more nutritious. For instance, you can sprinkle a plain protein powder over your food to add extra nutrients, or you can use a flavored CBD oil in your drinks and smoothies. This adds a lot of extra nutrition and can be a fantastic way to fortify your favorite meals. Just keep in mind the nutritional value of all your food, so that you don’t go over the nutritional value that you’re trying to aim for.

If you’re struggling for ideas, you can always try looking up recipes that specifically use supplements as an ingredient. This is a good way to learn more about how other people use supplements in their cooking for added nutritional value.