At this time of year, many of us will be making resolutions in an effort to improve our lives in some way. Often, this takes the direction of health and fitness, prompted by the excesses of the festive season, or maybe just because we feel that we are not currently our best version of ourselves.
However, the majority of New Year’s resolutions tend to fall by the wayside within just a few weeks as we settle back into our usual routines. So how can we help ourselves to stick to our goals even when motivation starts to dwindle?
Here’s a look at how incorporating super organic foods in your diet can help you to manage weight, feel more energised, and eat cleaner in 2025 without eating into your precious time.
Swap out sugar for natural sweeteners
One of the simplest ways to lose weight and reduce your risk of disease is to replace sugars with natural sweeteners. If you are used to eating a lot of sugary snacks and adding sugar to hot drinks, it’s probably not realistic to suddenly cut out all sugar from your diet because you will have cravings and in all likelihood give in to them sooner rather than later.
However, by switching to a natural sweetener such as stevia leaf powder, agave syrup or coconut palm sugar, we can satisfy our sweet tooth while limiting our intake of the most harmful processed sugars. Also try simple swaps such as adding fruit instead of sugar to cereals, and choosing plain yoghurt sweetened with a handful of berries.
Start your day with a superfood smoothie
Organic superfood powders are powerhouses of vitamins and minerals, and you can easily include them in your diet by adding them to smoothies. For example, you could add a tablespoon of spirulina to a banana and berry smoothie, and sprinkle a tablespoon of chia seeds on top.
This will set you up for an energising breakfast and reduce your temptation to reach for sugary snacks with your morning coffee.
Use cacao powder to satisfy chocolate cravings
Cacao powder is a minimally processed version of cocoa powder, which means that it retains many of the nutrients that are removed from the more highly processed version. For example, it’s very high in antioxidants and flavonoids, which may lower the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Some research suggests that it can also lower inflammation.
Cacao powder can be used as an ingredient in cakes and biscuits, added to hot drinks or smoothies, or simply sprinkled on top of fruits, cereals and yoghurts. It can also add depth to spicy dishes such as curries and chilli con carne. It is slightly bitter, so you may wish to add a little agave honey or other natural sweeteners.
Finally, be kind to yourself and don’t give up or have a guilt trip when you slip up. Simply see it as a blip, and keep focusing on the bigger picture of more energy and maintaining your ideal weight.