8 Food Swaps to Make Healthy Eating Easier
Let’s face it. Eating healthy all the time is difficult. It can be easy to be tempted by your favorite foods. One way to ensure you are staying on track is to replace unhealthy ingredients with healthier options. Here are 8 food swaps you can make to help maintain healthy eating habits.
1. Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
Enjoy making dips with sour cream? Next time try Greek yogurt instead. It will give you a similar tang but has about one quarter of the calories, 50 times less fat, and 10 times less cholesterol.
2. Quinoa instead of white rice
They don’t call quinoa a super food for nothing. It is packed with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It is also a great source of fiber and has nearly five times more protein than white rice.
3. Avocado instead of mayo
Avocado is a far healthier and equally delicious alternative to spreading mayonnaise on a sandwich. Avocados are packed with good fats that help reduce cholesterol and are also an excellent source of dietary fiber. To top it off, an equivalent serving of avocados has 325% fewer calories than mayonnaise and nearly 9000% less sodium!
4. Tea instead of soda
Need an afternoon pick-me-up that won’t leave you feeling guilty? Reach for the tea instead of the soda. Soda is packed with sugar and calories. Conversely, tea is sugar and calorie free and is also an excellent source of antioxidants.
5. Water instead of juice
Juice has fruit in it so it must be healthy, right? It’s easy to think that, but the fact is that many juices are loaded with sugar, often more than soda. Cutting back on juice can help eliminate unhealthy sugars from your diet. Still craving something flavored? Try adding cucumber and mint to your water for a refreshing drink.
6. Popcorn instead of potato chips
Potato chips can be hard to resist, but next time you have a craving, try popcorn instead. Per serving, it has about one third the calories and about nine times less saturated fat than potato chips.
7. Lettuce instead of a tortilla
Avoiding tortillas can be difficult in Texas, but tortillas are a high source of fat and sodium. Next time you make tacos, wrap the filling in a lettuce leaf rather than a tortilla. Bibb and Boston lettuce work well.
8. Almonds instead of croutons
A little crunch in your salad can be nice. Croutons are basically empty calories though. Try slivered almonds instead. They are loaded with protein and fiber and are great for cardiovascular health.
Getting in the habit of replacing unhealthy options with healthier choices will go a long way in contributing to your overall wellness. Contact us today to discuss your personal nutritional options.
