38 Healthy swaps that can change your life.
Reblogged from realfoodology
Health
1. Cooking for eating out. Even if we try to eat healthy at a restaurant, that pesky bread bowl orsneaky salad may pack more calories than we planned for. Trust those top-chef skills and turn on the (skillet) heat. Cooking at home will more likely result in a healthier meal, not to mention a happier wallet.
2. Pan-fried for deep-fried. Obvious news flash: Deep-fried food is unhealthy. Keep things crispy by pan-frying lean protein or veggies in the skillet with some cooking oil. We promise it’ll be just as tasty!
3. Local produce for supermarket veggies. Take a trip to the farmer’s market instead of Walmart’s produce aisle. According to the USDA, local, seasonal fruits and veggies may be more nutritious. It helps out local economies, too!
4. Oil and balsamic for other dressings. Ever flip that dressing bottle around and see a million ingredients listed? Think “less is more” and lightly dress a salad with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar— no additives included!
5. Whole fruit for fruit juice. A glass of O.J.’s missing the pulp, skin, and full fiber content of an orange. Skip the glass and go with the whole piece of fruit to reap the benefits of this sweet, healthy snack.
6. Raw spinach for iceberg. Let’s be real, iceberg lettuce is boring. Besides, spinach is full of vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. Plus, Popeye loves it. Can’t go wrong!
7. Greek yogurt for sour cream. Sour cream can taste pretty good in a burrito. To get that same creamy coolness, add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to amp up the protein and slash the fat.
8. Cinnamon for sugar. Here’s a spicy suggestion: Using cinnamon, rather than sugar packets,in coffee can heighten the flavor without adding extra calories. Try it in oatmeal, too!
9. Air-popped popcorn for chips. On a salt spree? Air-pop some popcorn and add a dash of salt— three whole cups is only about 100 calories. That’s way more satisfying than six measly and greasy chips.
10. Salsa for cream cheese dips. You say tomato, I say salsa. Dip the chip into this healthy alternative to cheesy spreads. Plus, salsa packs a fiery, flavorful punch!
11. Frozen grapes for popsicles. It may sound a little weird, but hear us out. Stick a bunch ofgrapes in the freezer and snack on them a few hours later— it’s like eating bite-sized Popsicles with no added sugar!
12. Sparkling water for soda. Need a carbonation kick? Say sayonara to fructose-filled sodas and fill up with sparking water. Try a fun flavor like lemon-lime, or even vanilla. So long, Vanilla Coke!
13. Fresh fruit for syrup at brunch. Every now and then, there’s nothing like a good stack of pancakes. Cut calories by skipping Aunt Jemima and spreading those cakes with fresh fruit.
14. Red wine or beer for a margarita. Wanna’ stay healthy at the bar? Ask for a glass of red wineor a beer on tap over a sugary-filled margarita. About half those calories will disappear!
15. Brown rice for white. It’s in our manifesto, so we can’t ignore it: White rice is stripped of many essential nutrients (like fiber), so get the full, nutritious benefits of brown rice that’ll also help fill us up!
16. Whole-wheat pasta for white. Just like rice, whole-wheat pasta has a nutty flavor that’s filled with antioxidants and fiber. White pasta just doesn’t do the trick!
17. Oatmeal for sugary cereal. Cap’n Crunch and Frosted Flakes should stay a part of our childhood past. One bowl of cereal can be filled with sugar (and who eats only one bowl?), so choose some heart-healthy oatmeal instead.
18. Biking to work for driving. If the office is a few miles away, skip the Sedan and hop on the bike (weather permitting). A little bike-ride can boost endorphins before the workday starts [1]! (Paying for gas is no fun, anyway.)
19. Packing lunch for eating out. Lunch boxes aren’t just for middle school. Pack a sandwich or some leftovers to bring to school, work— wherever. It’ll make that vending machine look far less appetizing.
20. Eating three meals for skipping out. We should only eat when we’re hungry, but being too busy to squeeze in a mid-day meal can leave us feeling tired and grouchy— not to mention depriving us of essential nutrients to get us through the day!
21. Mustard for mayo. For tomorrow’s turkey sandwich, skip the fat-filled mayo and spread some tasty (and naturally fat-free) mustard on the bread!
22. Avocado for butter. Take plain old bread to the next level with avocado spread instead of cholesterol-filled butter. Add a dash of sea salt and some sliced tomato for a mid-day snack!
23. Lean meats for fatty ones. Bacon is overrated. For a boost of protein when watching fat intake, go after lean meats like turkey and chicken over pork and beef.
24. Marinara for white sauce. We doubt penne ala vodka is made with Grey Goose, and besides, all the extra calories in white sauce aren’t worth it. Choose marinara sauce for that next bowl of spaghetti— the garlic and tomatoes will spice the meal right up!
25. Doggy bag for food coma. How often do we leave a restaurant actually having room for dessert? Forget trying to lick the plate clean, and take half the meal to go. To avoid eating more than planned, ask the waiter to wrap half of it up before serving!
26. Chewing slowly for speed eating. What’s the rush? Slow down and chew food— studies show people who eat faster consume more calories.
27. Hard-boiled eggs for fried. Who needs extra grease in the morning? Drop some eggs in boiling water and cook them up for a protein-packed breakfast.
28. Eating at the table for chowing in front of the T.V. Dining in front of the television can lead to serious over-eating. So forget multitasking and carve out time in the day to enjoy a meal at the table.
29. Eating breakfast for hitting snooze. It may be temping to hit the snooze button more than once in the morning, but allow some time for breakfast— it may help jumpstart metabolism, and at the very least could help some of us wake up before heading to the office.
30. Black coffee for latte. If that caffeine fix is calling, order a simple black coffee. A soy-mocha-extra-shot-frappuccino extravaganza isn’t worth the calories (or dolla dolla bills).
31. Toast for bagel. How often do we eat five slices of toast for breakfast? Well, that’s what a bagel can amount to, so fight that Dunkin’ Donuts craving and enjoy a slice or two of whole-wheat bread.
32. Medium plate for large one. Using a larger plate may have us eating more than planned. Switch to a smaller one (about 8 to 10 inches) and save more than 20 percent of the calories a large plate could pile on.
33. Eating from the bowl over digging into the box. Some mindless handfuls of cereal can turn into more than a bowl’s worth. So portion out food rather than eating straight from the (soon-to-be-empty) box.
34. Chopsticks for forks. Slow down and eat that Pad Thai with some chopsticks. It may be a challenge, but it’ll stop us from speed-slurping those noodles with a fork.
35. Grocery shopping when full for shopping while hungry. Whole Foods may damage our bank account if we head in with hungry eyes. (Wait, how did three packages of all-natural cookies get in the pantry?) Shop when full to avoid buying more than what’s necessary.
36. Stopping when full for cleaning the plate. Sorry mom, but telling us to clean our plates before leaving the table has led to some bad habits. Listen to the body and stop eating when it’s had enough— a plate half-full means more leftovers and fewer calories!
37. Raw nuts for nut butter. Nut butters can sneak in extra fat and sugar that raw nuts don’t have. Plus, eating three spoonfuls of peanut butter may be easier than we think!
38. Power nap for energy drink. For a quick pick-me-up, take a 10-minute snooze rather than grabbing a Red Bull. Energy drinks can pack as much sugar as six Krispy Kreme donuts, while a catnap is always calorie-free.
