Healthy eating for office wellness

Lots of us are heading back into the office, whether it’s full time or part time, and wellness is at the forefront of our minds (well, that and a trip to the pub). As huge advocates of wellness at work ourselves, pre-pandemic we invited Geraldine from treatyourselfbrighton.com to talk to our team about healthy eating at work to maximise wellbeing. Here are some of her top tips.

Eat dark chocolate

A little bit of what you fancy does you good. Contrary to what we know about the sugary, dairy-based chocolate, really good quality dark chocolate isn’t just a joy, it also has health benefits. It contains iron, magnesium and zinc and can actually help brain function. As it doesn’t spike insulin levels the way refined sugar does, it also boosts your mood.

Nuts to boost your mood

Nuts are often dismissed because of their high calorie content, but that’s no reason not to enjoy them. They are excellent for filling you up and they contain all the good fats that help to boost your mood. Cashews and walnuts, for example, contain selenium, calcium and vitamin B. They’re also a great swap for snack foods as part of a healthy eating lifestyle. For example, you could try swapping your crisps for cashews and see how they make you feel.

Bananas for energy

Bananas are so good for you, and they’re also really accessible/easy to take to work thanks to their skins. Ease is really important when it comes to healthy eating and feel-good foods during a busy day. They’re a great source of potassium and vitamin C, they’re good for digestion and they’re excellent for boosting energy. Watermelon is also great. It contains as much potassium as bananas and it’s another food that’s really good for your mood. It’s also good for hydration, which is a bonus in air conditioned offices.

High quality for healthy eating

Opt for products with high quality ingredients. Butter instead of spreads for example, avoid factory food. Try to think about the Mediterranean diet - having things like olive oil and cheeses, but all locally made and beautifully prepared. It’s also a great way to support local suppliers!