Healthy Food Swaps

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In the spirit of getting healthy for the new year, I thought I would share a few of my favorite Healthy Food Swaps. All of them are easy and take almost no effort: with just a little bit of mindfulness and these basic food swaps, you’ll be on your way to eating healthy for the new year!
 

1) Agave, Honey or Pure Maple Syrup instead of sugar.

Agave, Honey and Pure Maple Syrup are natural sweeteners. Why is it good? Sugar is a processed sweetener that has no nutritional value, other than calories. These three have a low-glycemic index, which means it won't cause a sharp rise or fall in blood sugar. It will help keep your body consistent.  

2) Wheat instead of White.

Wheat bread...We all know that is better than white bread! White bread is made with bleached, enriched flour. You want to look for whole wheat bread which contains nutrients our body needs!  

3) Greek Yogurt vs. Sour Cream.

 

Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream. It adds less fat and calories. It is also protein rich. Greek yogurt has almost double the protein content of regular yogurt. It is more filling so you fill full faster. The carbohydrate count is less than that of regular yogurt so it is a good choice for those on low-carb diets. One more thing, it contains half the salt of regular yogurts. 

4) Turkey vs. Ground Beef.

Extra Lean ground turkey is a great way to go if you are looking for lower calories and fat. Turkey is lower in saturated fats and calories, higher in calcium, selenium and Vitamin D.

 

5) Spaghetti Squash vs noodles.

Spaghetti squash is low in carbs and easier for the body to digest. It has so many nutrients and vitamins. 

 

Cooking Spaghetti Squash is simple. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, clean out the seeds and place face down on a cooking sheet. Cook the spaghetti squash for about 30 minutes or until you can spoon the squash out of the shell. It is as simple as that. Try it with all your favorite recipes that call for noodles for a healthy substitution!!  

Chicken Teriyaki with Spaghetti Squash

2-3 Chicken breasts, chopped

Zucchini, sliced

Mushrooms

Snap Peas

Bean Sprouts

Broccoli

Any other vegetable you can think of.  

Spray your skillet with Non-stick spray and lace a little teriyaki sauce in a skillet. Sauté the chicken in the skillet until cooked. Add the vegetables and sauté together until cooked. While doing this, prepare your spaghetti squash. Add teriyaki sauce to your dish as needed. I sometimes add a little soy sauce, ginger and garlic also for added taste. You can also add a little evaporated milk to make the dish creamy. Serve Chicken and veggies over spaghetti squash for a light, healthy dish full of so many nutrients and vitamins!

 

6) Milk Products.

Always use low fat (1%) or fat free milk instead of full fat (regular whole) milk. Also, try using an unsweetened Almond Milk. Almond milk usually contains more calcium then any milk you can buy and has less calories.

 

Also, as far as cheese goes, try laughing cow cheese wedges. They are amazing. You can use them in sandwiches, crackers, etc.

 

7) Restaurant Side Dishes

Ask for carrot sticks, fresh fruit or a salad instead of fries when ordering out. That will be a huge difference in your calorie, fat and nutritional content of your meal!

 

What foods do you swap? What foods are you not willing to give up?

 

 If anyone has a healthy food swap for cinnamon bears, could your please send it my way!?!