Eat Real: How to eat healthy without the cost or compromise

YOU can eat healthy without spending lots of time and money, without having to shop in specialty health food stores and definitely without compromising on great-tasting dishes. Here’s how.

EATING healthy doesn’t mean spending a lot of time and money. It doesn’t mean shopping in specialty health food stores. And it definitely doesn’t mean compromising on great-tasting food. Everything you thought you knew about healthy is about to change. Welcome to Eat Real.

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Eat Real is a taste.com.au initiative that breaks down the healthy eating myths and provides great-tasting recipes that are quick, easy, affordable, family friendly and, importantly, tasty.

According to taste.com.au nutrition editor Chrissy Freer, healthy eating doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune on fancy ingredients.

Black bean Buddha bowl with creamy cashew dressing.

Brussels sprout salad with pancetta, parmesan and currants.

“Many nutrition all-stars are pantry staples such as tinned beans or humble spinach,” she says.

Chrissy has found 10 surprising food superheroes that provide the biggest nutritional bang for buck.

“Each of the ingredients in our top 10 offers excellent overall nutrition, being rich in several key nutrients, as well as being great value for money,” she says.

And, importantly, they are all available at your local supermarket.

Put them in your shopping trolley and you will find that eating healthy is surprisingly simple — and simply delicious.

1. Tinned salmon

Not only rich in omega 3 fatty acids, tinned salmon with bones is also an excellent source of calcium. One small (95g) tin contains as much calcium as 200ml of milk plus has more than 15g of protein.

2. Kangaroo

Kangaroo is super lean, low in saturated fat and rich in the minerals iron and zinc. In fact lean kangaroo mince is more than 50 per cent higher in iron than lean beef mince, yet it is more cost effective and lower in calories.

3. Cottage cheese

Just half a cup of cottage cheese (normal fat) contains 20g protein! That is almost as much protein as 100g of uncooked chicken breast (22g). It is also a good source of magnesium, vitamin B12, and calcium, which is essential for healthy bones.

4. Black beans

The humble black bean is not only an excellent cost-effective source of protein (15.8g per cup cooked, which is equal to 75g raw weight of lean lamb or beef), they are also loaded with dietary fibre (16g per 1 cup, which is more than 60 per cent of the recommended dietary intake), as well as being rich in anthocyanin pigments, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent cancer and heart disease.

5. Brussels sprouts

These tiny cabbages are packed with disease-fighting phytonutrients, but did you know that just one cup of steamed brussels sprouts contains more vitamin C than a medium orange? And half a cup raw contains more than 100 per cent of your RDI for vitamin C!

6. Spinach

With the current popularity of kale, good old spinach is often forgotten, and yet is the all-round nutrition hero of leafy greens. Packed with nutrients including folate, vitamin C, calcium, iron and beta carotene, it has 50 per cent or more magnesium and dietary fibre than kale, rocket or silverbeet.

7. Tomato paste

Tomatoes are a rich source of the powerful antioxidant lycopene. Tomato paste (2 tbsp) contains more than three times as much lycopene as one fresh tomato.

8. Raspberries

Just one cup of fresh raspberries contains a whopping 8g dietary fibre, thanks to all the tiny seeds, which is as much fibre as three slices of wholegrain bread! They also are loaded with vitamin C, low in kilojoules, and a good source of folate.

9. Red kidney beans

These protein-packed legumes are also a surprising source of plant-based iron, making them the perfect food for vegetarians, with 3.1mg per cup cooked (versus beef which contains 3.5mg per 100g).

10. Oats

The humble oat is a heart disease-fighting warrior. It’s packed with soluble fibre, in particular beta glucan, which is proven to help lower cholesterol and is linked to reduced risk of heart attacks. Consumption of oats is also associated with improved blood glucose control after meals and insulin response. To top it off, they are rich in protein and contain several antioxidants that are beneficial to health.

For more healthy eating inspiration and to sign up for the Eat Real newsletter, visit taste.com.au/eatreal.