You've started university, and this could be a time of complete change for you. A new home or dorm, new friends, new classes... It's truly a fresh start!
University life is subject to various sociological and cultural changes. Many students become responsible for their own eating habits, time management, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and scheduling, rather than relying on their families to do it for them. All of this can lead to skipping meals, eating fast food, consuming alcohol, smoking, and even developing eating disorders.
A study conducted at Oregon State University in 2011 found that the average college student consumed less than one serving of fruits and vegetables per day. For you, who should ideally be consuming about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, this data is quite alarming.
In this seemingly intense and complex process, prioritizing healthy eating might be a challenge. To make this process easier and improve your quality of life, we'll provide you with a few tips.
Healthy breakfast suggestions:
Start your day with a healthy breakfast that includes high-fiber carbohydrates (such as fruits and/or whole wheat bread) and protein and/or healthy fats. Having breakfast not only helps boost your metabolism, balance blood sugar, control hunger, and increase energy, but research has also shown that students who have a healthy breakfast tend to perform better in their classes. However, if you're not a fan of traditional breakfast foods, you can create an eating pattern that suits your preferences.
Even if you don't have time to sit down for breakfast, make sure to have healthy on-the-go options available at home or in your dorm room. For example:
Oatmeal
Toast (with cottage cheese or sliced cheese)
Packaged milk, kefir, probiotic yogurt
Unsweetened peanut butter
Fruits (you can also buy from the cafeteria)
Nuts, dried fruits
Hard-boiled eggs
Pre-portioned hummus
Small cheese varieties with breadsticks or crackers
Quick breakfast combinations:
Hard-boiled egg, fruit
Oatmeal, milk/yogurt, nuts
Peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread
Yogurt, chia seeds, and nuts
Choosing meals in the cafeteria
Opt for Grilled: Choose grilling as a cooking method over frying or roasting. For example, you can select grilled meat/chicken with a side of soup and sautéed vegetables.
Don't Forget the Veggies: Main dishes often come with sides like mashed potatoes. In addition to these, make sure you have vegetables on your plate. The daily recommended intake of fiber ranges from 25 to 40 grams. Eating a fiber-rich diet is crucial for improving your quality of life and overall health. Remember that vegetables are among the best sources of fiber. Use cooking methods that minimize the loss of vitamins and minerals in vegetables. Opt for steamed or oven-roasted vegetables instead of frying.
Eat Like a Rainbow: Aim to have all the colors of the rainbow on your plate. Foods like greens, avocados, and pomegranates are excellent for enhancing focus and boosting brain function.
Avoid Excessive Sauces: Avoid adding too much sauce to your dishes and salads. Soy sauce should be consumed in moderation as it can lead to water retention in the body, but you can safely add balsamic vinegar and lemon to your salads.
Choose Natural Mineral Water or Water Instead of Carbonated Drinks and Fruit Juices: Water makes up about 60% of our body. It can also help combat seasonal fatigue during colder months. Our body's water requirement is around 30 ml per kilogram of body weight. Failing to meet our daily water intake can affect our body's functioning rhythm.
Don't Spend Too Much Time in the Cafeteria: Finish your meal and move to a different area to chat with your friends. Lingering in the cafeteria can lead you to eat more than you actually need just because you're there.
If you're living alone at home, how can you plan your meal routine?
Practical Vegetable Alternatives: Especially for students living alone or sharing a house with a friend, cooking at home can be a challenge. While pasta is often favored for its convenience, there are plenty of practical vegetable alternatives you can consider!
Oven-Roasted Vegetables: If you have an oven, don't forget about oven-roasted vegetables that you can enjoy with great taste for up to 3 days without spoilage. Slicing seasonal vegetables and adding different spices can make them a comfortable choice for your main meals.
Ready-Made Cooked Foods: Nowadays, everything is geared towards making our lives easier and saving time. Consider the ready-made vegetable alternatives from reputable brands with clean ingredients.
Consumption of Salads: If you dedicate one hour of your week to washing and drying greens, you can meet your salad needs for a whole week. Having a small bowl of green salad with every meal helps increase your fiber intake, making you feel healthier and fuller.
Soup Preference: Plan for nutritious soup recipes at your main meals that are free from flour, cream, and extra fat, using alternatives like legumes or bone broth, chicken broth, etc.
Fast Food Consumption: Long-term consumption of fast food increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the future. Additionally, individuals with such dietary habits tend to develop potential diseases at a younger age. Excessive fat intake leads to a decrease in the number and diversity of beneficial bacteria in the gut, making it difficult to lose subsequent weight gains. Whenever possible, we should opt for homemade and healthy food choices.
Choose Legume-Based Pasta: Legume consumption is often insufficient in student homes or dormitories. Preparing or cooking legumes is usually a last resort due to the time and effort required. However, legumes, being a source of plant-based protein, are valuable in terms of satiety and nutritional variety. To make it more convenient, you can opt for legume-based pastas. While they might seem more expensive compared to regular pasta, remember that you're actually consuming vegetables rather than just pasta. You can also choose pre-cooked legumes for added convenience.
Engage in exercise
When you're planning your semester and know your class schedule, add where and when you will exercise to your schedule. Give the same importance to physical activity in your schedule as you do to your classes, meetings, social events, and other appointments.
Try to schedule exercise 2-2.5 hours after main meals and 1-1.5 hours after snacks. After exercising, you can opt for a practical meal to replenish your depleted muscle glycogen stores. Including complex carbohydrates and proteins in this meal will accelerate recovery. As a quick and practical option, you can choose dried fruits, milk with filtered coffee, and plain mineral water to replace lost minerals.
If you're considering using protein powders, make sure to consult your expert. Remember that incorrect protein powder selection can strain your kidneys and liver and with prolonged use, you might face serious health issues.
Keep caffeine nder control
While 1 to 2 cups of coffee a day can be fine, avoid relying on coffee or energy drinks instead of getting sleep. Excessive consumption of these beverages can lead to restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia. Strive for adequate sleep (around 8 hours per night) and take breaks to refresh yourself while studying.
Consume coffee mainly in the morning hours. Drinking coffee after 5 PM can affect the quality of your sleep even if you're not aware of it. Research indicates that it's better to consume coffee more during the day and avoid it before bedtime or in the evening hours.
Maintaining a consistent exercise routine and consuming nutritious snacks throughout the day will also help keep your energy levels high.
Never leave home/dorm without healthy snacks
Keep healthy snacks on hand to nourish your brain cells and balance your blood sugar between classes. Always have a non-perishable and healthy snack in your bag.
Here are some examples of non-perishable items you can keep in your dorm room (in addition to the breakfast items mentioned):
Homemade popcorn
Wasa crackers
Protein bars (with clean ingredients being crucial)
Roasted chickpeas
Roasted chickpea snacks
We've shared some fundamental healthy eating tips with you. Your habits you develop now are an investment in your health. I hope you have a fantastic semester.
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