Covid-19 Lockdown: 7 Healthy Eating Tips To Easily Follow At Home

With the coronavirus pandemic keeping us homebound, these few weeks have caused quite a ripple in our daily lifestyle. The important thing to remember right now is to take care of our health and stay safe. What can help is to follow a daily routine that will give you a purpose, help you stay focused and keep up the positivity. And in this, being mindful about your eating habits is crucial to stay healthy and also boost your immunity. Like they say that an ideal mind is a devil's workshop, don't give into ordering calorie loaded foods and munching on junk just because you are bored.

During this Covid-19 outbreak, it is all the more important for you to follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, stay hydrated and also get good sleep of about 7-9 hours. So start right away by getting into the habit of eating healthy.

Healthy Diet Tips You Should Follow

We list down 7 healthy eating tips that you can easily integrate in your daily lifestyle:

1. Legumes - Plant Protein

Not being able to get your hands on meat during this lockdown? Get your daily dose of protein by switching to plant-based sources instead. Legumes are a good source of protein which can be cooked in multiple ways to create delicious dishes. From red kidney beans, white peas, chickpeas and black eyed peas to Bengal gram, urad, masoor and moong, you can use them to make soups, salads, stuffings, stews, croquettes and pancakes too.

(Also read: Say Thanks To Honey Because Of These 5 Amazing Home Remedies)

^{Legumes are plant-based sources of protein}

2. Switch To Whole Grains

It is a commonly known fact now that whole grains are a better choice to get your dose of nutrients rather than consuming just calories like with refined grains. Get into the habit of picking not just brown rice or whole wheat flour, but also nutritious grains like barley, millets, couscous, buckwheat, bulgur wheat and quinoa. They are high in iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, B vitamins and dietary fiber.

(Also read: How To Boost Your Immunity Naturally Without Leaving The House)

^{Get into the habit of picking barley, millets, couscous, etc.}

3. Fruits Like Banana, Apples

Fruits are essential in your daily diet to get your dose of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. While fruits like apples and oranges are a powerhouse of vitamin C, banana on the other hand is great for gut health too. Fill up your cereal bowl with these fruits or for mid-meal snacking, munch on them.

^{Bananas are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals}

4. Nuts About Nuts

It's not without reason that health experts advise all to include nuts in our daily diet. They are an excellent source of vital nutrients like omega 3 and vitamin E, as well as fiber. Be it almonds, cashews, pistachios or exotic options like Macadamia, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts, add them in your salads and stir-fries or munch as is for a healthy snacking.

^{Work from home: Add nuts to your diet}

5. Super Seeds

The good part is that now seeds like chia, sunflower, melon and flaxseeds are easily available in the stores. Pick any of them and include them in your daily diet to make the most of essential nutrients like antioxidants, omega 3 and fiber. You can use them in smoothies, salads, on toasts, parathas, etc.

^{Flaxseeds are an excellent source of fibre}

6. Stay Hydrated With Flavoured Water

With the temperature rising, this is the perfect time to relish flavoured water and stay hydrated along with an extra dose of nutrients. Add slices of lemon or watermelon, cucumber, mint, dill, basil or other herbs and fruits in a jug of water. It will help you detox your system too.

^{Stay fresh with flavoured water}

7. Stay Cool With Yoghurt

Take care of your gut health with yoghurt. Besides it will also help you meet your calcium requirement. Yoghurt will keep your stomach cool while also being a delicious way to beat the heat. Add in a drizzle of honey or some fruits for added flavour.