Easiest Ways Ever to Improve Your Diet

You won't even notice these changes—swear!

Of course you know that eating healthy is a lifelong goal—but that doesn't mean that it takes ages to make it happen. In fact, there are tons of quick, easy ways to be sure you're eating well that basically involve zero effort. Here are a few to get you started:

Add Broccoli Sprouts to Salads and Sandwiches
Here's an easy way to be sure your lunch is extra healthy: Add broccoli sprouts. A recent study from Cancer Prevention Research found that they're the one veggie that may actually remove pollutants from your body. That's because the sprouts contain a compound called glucoraphanin, which has been linked to anti-cancer properties in animal studies. The best part? They don't have a strong flavor, so you'll barely even notice they’re there.

Use Red Plates
Yep, you read that correctly: Your health could be determined by the color of your dinnerware. Gotta love science! Seriously, though: A study from Appetite found that people who eat off of red plates tend to eat less than those who eat off of red and blue. The researchers say that could be because our brains associate the color red with stopping—meaning just seeing the bold hue could send a signal to your brain not to overeat.

Mediterranean Diet Plan: The World's Healthiest Diet

The more doctors test it, the more they find that eating Mediterranean is the absolute best way to lose weight. Based on the cooking and eating styles of Italy, France, Greece, Spain, and other Mediterranean countries, the plan features olive oil, fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish and poultry, whole grains and, yes, wine! It's high in heart-healthy fats and, unlike other diets, doesn't forbid any food group. "It's hard to stay on extreme diets," says Harvard nutrition expert Walter Willett, MD, PhD, whose book Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy popularized the approach in the United States. "This diet has lots of variety and wonderful flavors so people stick with it."

Anti-Aging Diet Plan

Anti-aging isn't just about choosing the right skin care ingredients—it's also about eating right. Here, the best anti-aging superfoods, anti-aging diet plans, and healthy recipes that keep you looking (and feeling) youthful.

Slim for Life

What to Eat in Your 20s

Cereal for breakfast. A turkey sandwich for lunch. Chicken for dinner. If this sounds like your daily menu, it's time to shake things up. "Just as your lifestyle changes in each decade, so do your nutritional needs," says Melina B. Jampolis, MD, an internist and author of The Busy Person's Guide to Permanent Weight Loss. "For example, a twentysomething needs to take calcium and vitamin D for strong bones, while a woman in her 40s should eat plenty of lean protein to help maintain muscle mass." Dig into the tips, tools, and meal plans you need to stay slim, strong, and healthy at every age.
What to Eat in Your 20s

Should You Go Vegan Like Beyonce?

Is there anything Queen Bey doesn't do? She's now launching a vegan food delivery service called 22 Days Nutrition with her trainer, exercise psychologist Marco Borges. The program is based on the 22 Days Nutrition challenge she took in 2013 with her husband Jay-Z, according to the news release. The program offers three meal plan options that range from $9.76 to $16.50 per person. All meals are 100 percent plant-based and made with organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free ingredients. The theory behind it: It takes 21 days to change a behavior, and the 22nd day marks the day your small changes become a full-fledged habit.

Whether or not you're considering Beyonce's specific plan, is it worth giving veganism a go? The fact of the matter is, a vegan diet isn't virtuous in and of itself—you can be a vegan who eats bread and sugar all day. "Just because a cookie is vegan does not mean it is low in calories and sugar," says Alexandra Miller, RDN, LDN, a corporate dietitian at Medifast. But if you swap processed foods for fruits and vegetables, you can reap the rewards of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins C and E, folic acid, and magnesium, she says. These nutrients can help prevent diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease—the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Plus, a vegan diet forces you to read labels and think about where your food comes from—never a bad idea.

Just remember: While vegan diets offer a healthy dose of many key nutrients, there are certain ones that may be lacking due to the elimination of animal products, such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. Look for foods fortified with these nutrients and talk to your doc about supplements.