VITAMINS THAT SUPPORT YOUR BEST LIFE™
VITAMINS THAT SUPPORT YOUR BEST LIFE™
With a new fad diet that seems to come along every other day, it can be difficult and overwhelming to stick to a healthy eating plan. Plus with the stress of every day busy life, there's always the challenge of finding a quick and easy meal for you and your family.
Our suggestion is don't worry about sticking to some complicated food plan. Go back to the basics with your food and just pick better ingredients.
The simplest thing that has the most impact on health is healthy food swaps. For instance, instead of cooking in canola oil or vegetable oil, pick an oil that is healthier like coconut oil. Instead of all-purpose flour, try out almond flour. This way you're not actually changing the meals that you like, but just switching some of the ingredients out for healthier options. Check out these 20 Healthy Food Swaps below!
You might ask yourself, is it really worth it to make the swap from my favorite foods to the "healthier" options? The answer is yes! Not only will these few swaps help you and your family become healthier, but could also help you feel better overall, have more energy and maybe even lose a few pounds. Who doesn't want that? Here are a few of the benefits of healthy food swaps and how they can positively impact your life:
-No artificial ingredients
-More nutrients
-More fiber
-Less sugar
-Fewer (or no) additives
-Fewer calories
-Healthy, essential fats
-Health-supporting antioxidants
-Beneficial probiotics
1. Almond Milk for Cow’s Milk
Cow’s milk can often be a trigger for digestive issues, so nut milk like almond, cashew, oat, or coconut milk is a great swap.
2. Cauliflower Rice for White Rice
Sub out white rice for cauliflower rice for a lighter meal. Simply just process a head of cauliflower in your food processor until it becomes a rice texture.
3. Avocados for Mayo
Switch out avocado for mayo in chicken salad and egg salad to get some healthy fats into your diet.
4. Pure Maple syrup, Honey, or Coconut Sugar for White Sugar
These natural sweeteners are a great substitute for refined white sugar.
5. Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Extra Virgin Oil, Ghee Or Grass-Fed Butter for Canola Oil
It’s no secret that we need to stay away from vegetable oils, but there are some great, healthy substitutes like coconut oil, avocado oil, extra virgin oil, ghee (clarified butter), or grass-fed butter.
6. Sweet Potato Fries instead of Regular Fries
Sweet potatoes are a healthier option than regular white potato fries. Also, instead of buying frozen fries that contain no telling what, try making your own at home. They're pretty simple to make and tons of great recipes out there!
7. Cauliflower Mash for Mashed Potatoes
Ditch the heavy mashed potatoes side dish for a lighter version of cauliflower mash. You can make cauliflower mash creamy with almond milk, grass-fed butter, and Himalayan sea salt.
8. Infused Water or Coconut Water for Juice
Most juices are packed with sugar. Even though they’re great for electrolytes, a healthier swap to get your electrolytes would be infused water or coconut water, which is loaded with potassium as well.
9. Spaghetti Squash or Zoodles for Pasta
Skip the heavy, high carb pasta for guilt-free spaghetti squash or zoodles.
10. Greek Yogurt for Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt is loaded with sugar and emulsifiers, so a healthier swap would be greek yogurt, which is loaded with protein and low on sugar. Just add your own toppings to make it extra special!
11. Cacao Powder for Cocoa Powder
Since cocoa powder is processed and stripped of any nutrients, cacao powder is a great swap. Cacao powder is high in antioxidants and promotes healthy skin and a healthy heart.
12. Himalayan Sea Salt for Table Salt
Table salt contains no natural minerals and Himalayan sea salt contains over 80 essential minerals that your body needs and is a great source of magnesium.
13. Lettuce Wrap for Bun or Tortillas
Hamburger buns and tortillas are empty calories made from refined white flour or corn. Sturdy lettuce can be used in the place of a tortilla or hamburger bun and has considerably fewer calories, as well as lots of nutrition value.
14. Fresh Fruit for Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is much easier to over-consume and most of the time has added sugar. Instead grabs fresh fruit that is full of water and can help you stay hydrated, plus has no added sugar.
15. Popcorn for Chips
Both are high on carbs but if you’re really craving that salty snack, 3 cups of popcorn vs 9 chips have the same amount of calories, 100.
16. Pasture-Raised Eggs for Conventional Eggs
No matter what type of eggs you eat, they are not bad for you. But if you’re going to make yourself some eggs, why not get ones that are most nutritious? Pasture-raised eggs have significantly more omega 3s and carotenoids that are indicated by the darker color of the yolks.
17. Nutritional Yeast for Processed Cheeses
All processed cheese contains more unhealthy oils, emulsifiers, and sugars that you probably would think. Nutritional Yeast is a great alternative because it tastes just like cheese, especially when mixed in with things and has tons of proteins, fiber, and B vitamins.
18. Gluten-Free Organic Tamari for Soy Sauce
Most soy sauces are half wheat and half pesticides laden soy. Why not change out for Gluten Free Organic Tamari which is pure fermented soy.
19. Dark Chocolate for Milk Chocolate
The nutritional value of milk chocolate is minimal compared to dark chocolate. It is higher in sugar and can be a potential allergen. Plus, when consumed in moderation, dark chocolate can benefit your heart, eyes, brain, and more. Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants that can fight free radical damage to your cells. So it's healthy while also being a tasty treat!
20. Homemade Baked Goods instead of Store-Bought Snacks
Store-bought baked goods or snacks contain tons of refined sugar, as well as hidden ingredients for texture and color and longevity for more shelf time. But when you bake your own treats at home, you know exactly what you're putting in them and can find healthier recipes or substitute for healthier ingredients. So more than likely, what you make at home will be a lot better for you than a store-bought option.