The obesity problem in America continues to grow out of control. There are fast food restaurants on every corner, and it’s cheaper to buy sugar and carbohydrate eats than fresh produce and healthy food. You don’t have to break the bank to get healthier. You can make healthy food swaps that can have a vast improvement in your life.
20 Food Swaps That Work
Dieting is hard. If you’re tired of fighting the battle of the bulge, it’s possible that you are making it way more complicated than it needs to be. Perhaps, you can just make some simple food swaps and lose the weight you want and be healthier. Here are some easy food swaps you can make to help you become a better you.
1. Coconut Flour for White Flour
Coconut flour is sweet and looks like white flour. Those on low carbohydrate diets know that it can be substituted for traditional flour when you add a bit more moisture to the mix. That means that you can make beautiful desserts and baked goods with this simple food swap.
Keep in mind that you will need to adjust the recipe’s moisture content to ensure your goodies aren’t too dry. Coconut flour cannot be used as a 1:1 ratio with traditional flour, but it’s a great substitute.
2. Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream
Greek yogurt is full of essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs. However, it can easily be replaced in recipes for sour cream. You can spice up plain yogurt and use it on tacos and in other Mexican dishes. What could be easier than this simple, healthy food swap?
Greek yogurt is so good for you because it has probiotics that you need for gut health. It’s creamy, delicious, and can be used in so many recipes.
3. Tofu for Scrambled Eggs
One of the great benefits of Tofu is that it’s tasteless, and it will take on the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with. However, you can season tofu and make scrambled type eggs with ease. Vegans who crave those egg delights but don’t eat animal products have been using this simple swap for years.
4. Air Fried Chickpeas for Peanuts
Your air fryer is your friend when it comes to healthy cooking. While peanuts aren’t super bad for you, they do have a high mold content as they contain aflatoxin.
While they are stored in silos with high heat and humidity, the carcinogens found in these nuts can be dangerous to someone with a compromised immune system. Thankfully, chickpeas are the perfect solution.
If you love peanut butter but worry about the aflatoxin, use almond, cashew, or another nut butter variety.
5. Avocado for Mayo
What can’t you do with avocado these days? If you love the creamy zing that mayo gives to sandwiches, why not substitute it with a healthy avocado? It’s genuinely going to amaze you by how much flavor it adds to your food.
While you’re mashing that avocado, why not make some guacamole? How amazing would it be to slab a bit of that on your sandwich?
6. Almond Flour for White Flour
Almond flour is another flour product that is easily substituted for the white varieties. You will need to adjust the water or milk amounts as it tends to be a bit drier, but you can have baked goodies that are keto-friendly and yummy.
Ensure that you use pure, blanched almond flour and not almond meal as they are not created equal. The meal will give your product a grainy and chunky consistency while the flour will be more like traditional flour.
7. Ghee for Butter
Who doesn’t love ghee? If you want to cook healthy, then gee is a great choice instead of butter. It has a high smoking point and is full of flavor. It a healthy fat that you should add to your diet.
Some people say ghee has healing powers, but unlike butter, you don’t need to store it in the refrigerator. So it’s easier to manage and lasts way longer.
8. Cauliflower for Rice
Cauliflower has become a wonder food in the low carb world. You can make it into a mock macaroni and cheese, potatoes, or even rice. When you mix with seasonings and fresh herbs, you can’t tell you’re not eating traditional rice.
All you need to make rice is a cheese grater and a few minutes. Though you can buy it in the freezer section already made, the preservatives they use to give it an often weird taste. It’s best to use fresh cauliflower and make your dish.
9. Olive Oil for Vegetable Oil
Olive oil is a staple that should be in everyone’s cabinets. It’s far healthier than vegetable or canola oil, which is high in saturated fats. This immune-boosting oil is full of flavor and antioxidants.
10. Dairy Milk for Almond Milk
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or don’t like cow’s milk, then almond milk is a great food swap to consider. It has little to no sugar and won’t bring on all those lactose related problems either.
11. Spaghetti Squash for Spaghetti
The spaghetti squash is one of the most exciting vegetables around. When you roast this vegetable, the insides turn to spaghetti-like consistency. Mix it with your favorite sauce, and you have a healthy, delicious meal.
12. White Sugar for Pure Maple Syrup or Honey
Unlike white sugar, maple syrup and honey have a low glycemic index, which means it won’t impact your sugar the same. Both are from nature and provide the sweetness you desire in your coffee, tea, or baked goods.
13. Dried Fruit for Fresh Fruit
When fruit is dried, it increases the sugar content. However, fresh fruit is much healthier for you. While dried goodies may be easier to transport, make the food swap for fresh to decrease sugar and carbohydrates.
14. Potatoes for Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes get a bad rap because they are full of starches and sugars. However, the sweet potato is a healthier option. You can use sweet potatoes in a pie, French fries, or to top with cinnamon and ghee for a full delight treat.
15. Sugary Drinks for Water Infused with Fruit
Put down the sodas and fruit juices as you should eat your calories and not drink them. However, you can fill your water with fresh fruit and allow it to infuse with flavor. The best part is there is little to no sugar, and the taste is fantastic. You can get creative with your infusions.
16. Rice for Quinoa
Quinoa and rice are both grains, but quinoa is considered the super seed. It has three times the vitamins and minerals of rice, and it has anti-inflammatory properties that your body needs. You can use it in place of rice for an exciting alternative that’s better for you.
17. Potato Chips for Kale Chips
Food swaps like kale chips for potato chips have become staples. Kale chips have almost no calories, and you can flavor them however you want. The best part about these chips is that they have no fat or carbohydrates. Keto dieters have found it’s the best way to get their crunchy fix without running their carb count.
18. Granola for Oatmeal
Oatmeal is delicious, and it has way less fat, sugar, and carbs than granola. Granola is highly touted as healthy, but it’s full of so many extras that your body doesn’t need. If you love that crunch, then use oatmeal and nuts to give you that crunch without all the extras your body doesn’t need.
19. Mayonnaise for Mustard
Mayonnaise isn’t all bad, but it’s full of fat. If you want to eat a low-fat diet or are vegan and don’t do animal byproducts, mustard is the best choice. Mustard is full of flavor and comes in many varieties. It’s one of the great food swaps because it has no calories, fat, sugar, or anything harmful.
20. Milk Chocolate for Dark Chocolate
Okay, if you absolutely must have chocolate in your diet, then you do have options. Dark chocolate is not remotely in the same playing field as the milk varieties. Dark chocolate is full of heart-healthy antioxidants, it has a lower sugar and carbohydrate content, and it tastes delicious.
It’s been known to raise HDL and Protects LDL from oxidation as well as lowers your blood pressure. Some food swaps are delicious.
Final Thoughts on Making Food Swaps for Improving Your Health
If you’re concerned about your health, then making a few simple food swaps can increase your immunity, reduce inflammation, and keep heart disease at bay. If you incorporated just a few of these simple swaps into your life, you would tell the difference in your waistline and overall well-being.
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