13 Healthy Ingredients You Should Have In Fridge

Health and fitness goals would be way simpler if someone would clean out all that junk in your fridge and restock it with nutritious supplies; having high sodium, high fat and empty calories out of sight, they would be out of your mouth too! Until you get a food bouncer to do you that favour, you might want to plan your shopping list ahead of your next purchase with these following items:

Eggs

Eggs are probably the cheapest yet most nutritious complete protein available. It is familiar and easy to whip up with just a dash of salt and pepper. You should store your eggs at the lower shelf in its cartons to reduce the loss of moisture. Even though eggs have shells, they absorb odours and flavours.

Olive Oil

The ongoing debate about team butter versus team margarine has been trending for a while now. Margarine contains trans-fat which increases bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol that does no good to the heart. Butter, on the other hand, has high levels of saturated fat. Healthier alternatives to butter and margarine will be olive oil, which is filled with beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat – good fats! Next time when you tear a loaf of bread, consider dipping it with olive oil sprinkled with some black pepper.

Lo-Fat Milk / Hi-Cal Soy Milk

Calcium is not only essential for your bones but also muscle actions. Just remember to buy them in opaque cartons to prevent lost of light-sensitive vitamins.

Yoghurt

Good bacteria is so important for a healthy gut. However, it has been much neglected in the local population. However, beware of the high sugar levels before purchasing anything off the shelves. It is only wise to read the food labels!

Mayonnaise

Go for low-fat mayonnaise rather than low-cholesterol ones. Mayonnaise does not have heaps of cholesterol to begin with but it has a great deal of fat.

Juices

Face it. Most of us love juices. Juices are fine as long as sugar is not topping the ingredients list. Once again, read the food labels! Choose those that are low in sugar and fortified in vitamins and minerals. Do not be tricked by concentrates! Fun fact: One glass of orange juice fulfils one-third of our daily calcium intake.

Vegetables

It is not just storing green leafy vegetables in the chiller but a rainbow of them. Different colours provide different phytochemicals (antioxidants) to fight those free radicals. It is your treasure box of jewels for glowing skin. For longer shelf-life, buy pre-washed vegetables in a single-variety bag. Some vegetables might spoil faster than others, running the rest of the package.

Sparkling Water

If you are not a fan of tap water (even though it's pretty safe here in Singapore) and have a tooth for carbonated drinks, then having sparkling water chilled would be a plus over colas that yield empty calories.

Prepared Food

At YOLO, foods are prepared in sensible portions for you to reheat during meal times. Most catering companies offer prepared foods with skyrocketing high sodium and fat to make them flavourful even when reheated. YOLO curates prepared meals with the science of cooking and nutrition to bring you the best of both worlds while making sure that you meet your fitness goals. Check out YOLO Mart and get some mix-and-match inspirations!

Brown Rice

Surprisingly, brown rice is better kept chilled or frozen than dry storage. Oxidation of the germ occurs because it contains fat. It is unlike refined rice (white rice).

Bananas

Bananas ripen pretty quickly in this tropical climate. Toss them in the freezer unpeeled. Once the skin turns black, it remains sweet and ripe. They make really good alternatives to ice-cream as a frozen dessert packed with potassium as a post-workout snack.

Nuts

Nuts are not only packed with protein but are loaded with antioxidants. Freeze an assortment. If you are worried about the fat content, chill. Nuts are mostly filled with monounsaturated fat, good fat! Like oils, they go rancid easily if exposed to oxygen. Store them cold. YOLO offers several options on nuts and seeds. Be sure to check them out here!

Leftovers

At times, we would like to save our pockets by not throwing out food that we cannot finish in a serving. Make sure that the containers that you use are microwave-friendly or risk getting poisoned by chemicals that might leach into the food unknowingly.

Interested in living a healthy life by eating good food? Check out our meal plans!

What other healthy food you have in yours that's not listed here? Let us know in the comment below!