Healthy Food Swaps

Healthy Food Swaps

When you think about healthy eating, you probably think about giving up some of your favorite foods, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Eating healthier can be as easy as making some simple substitutions. These small changes can add up to make a big difference to your health. Here are some ideas to help you reduce the amount of saturated fat, salt, added sugar and calories in your meals.

• Try Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt. Greek yogurt has nearly double the amount of protein when compared to regular yogurt. The extra protein helps you feel more satisfied. Look for low-fat or nonfat options to limit saturated fats.
• Select fresh fruits instead of fruit juices. Fruit juices contain very little of the pulp and skin from the fruit, which means they are very low in fiber. Most fruit juices also have lots of added sugars.
• Eat raw spinach instead of iceberg lettuce. Spinach is more nutrient dense than iceberg lettuce. It is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium and iron.
• Snack on air-popped popcorn instead of chips. Three cups of popcorn contain less calories, less fat and more fiber than fifteen chips.
• Choose brown rice instead of white rice. White rice goes through a milling process that increases its shelf life but removes most of its nutrients including fiber, vitamins and minerals.
• Have oatmeal instead of sugary cereals. Sugary cereals are high in sugar while low in fiber. Meanwhile, oatmeal has no added sugars and is high in soluble fiber, which helps you feel more satisfied and improves your cholesterol.

Anna Garcia, RD, LD, CDE
Resources: www.eatright.org