5 Healthy Food Substitutions
Contrary to popular belief, taste does not have to be compromised when preparing healthy meals. More often than not, you will be able to find a low fat or low calorie substitution for many of the ingredients you’re using. Replace some items in your kitchen with the ones below and you’ll be well on your way to a slimmer waistline.
- Whole wheat - Replace white bread and regular pasta with 100% whole wheat bread and 100% whole grain pasta for a more nutritious meal. You can also try whole grain crackers and whole wheat couscous.
- Fresh Herbs – Try substituting salt with fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme and basil. Fresh ground pepper will also help season any dish without the added sodium. Experiment with different herbs until you find the ones you like most.
- Low or non-fat dairy – Select low fat or non fat dairy milk and yogurt. You can replace sour cream and mayonnaise with non-fat Greek yogurt in most recipes and you can switch out your whole milk for skim milk to cut some extra fat. (We do not recommend using non-fat cheese or pre-shredded cheeses)
- Applesauce – Substitute applesauce for butter in baking recipes to cut down the fat and calories. You will notice a significant difference in your caloric intake for the day. Getting rid of the butter will also get rid of some of the guilt you might be feeling for eating that extra cookie. Try this delicious cookie recipes.
- Turkey and chicken – You’ll be surprised how much more you can do with turkey and chicken as opposed to using fattier meats such as beef. Chicken and turkey are also much leaner which means less fat.
