We all want to be healthy, but if you’re still struggling to reach your goals, consider making a few of these simple food swaps.
Continuing with the list of healthy food swaps, this article further explores healthier and better alternatives to the many health-deteriorating foods we commonly find around us today. Any swap and change for the better can make a significant and positive impact on the healthy function of our bodies, down to the cellular level! So, even though we can’t always be perfect one hundred percent of the time, we can make simple and small swaps that will make a difference!
Pasta for Spaghetti Squash:
Spaghetti squash is nature’s version of pasta! It’s a vegetable and therefore provides the body with naturally occurring vitamins and minerals and other health promoting constituents to boost health. It’s not processed and is lower in carbohydrates and starches than traditional pasta noodles. You may even be surprised at how delicious spaghetti squash tastes; you’ll feel like you’re actually eating the real deal!
Soy Sauce for Coconut Aminos:
Soy sauce is a highly processed form of soy, which can disrupt hormones and lead to issues such as autoimmune problems and even cancer. Coconut aminos are similar to soy sauce, they are a tiny bit sweeter, but come without the wheat or soy that traditional soy sauce does.
Agave for Raw Honey:
Agave is still considered by many to be a health food. This, however, is not the case. Agave is typically highly processed and is primarily fructose. Fructose is the one sugar metabolized differently in the body and can lead to both health problems and weight issues. Opt instead for a raw and, ideally, local honey, which is full of enzymes and nutrients for the body!
Tortillas for Collard or Leaf Lettuce Wrap:
Replace those highly processed tortillas lacking in nutrition for a crisp and delicious collard or leaf lettuce! The taste is very similar, and this swap will not only save you calories and likely some artificial ingredients, but will provide you with enzymes and nutrients to support the digestive process.
Store-bought Salad Dressings for Homemade:
Instead of using store-bought salad dressings that are typically highly processed and loaded with toxic ingredients, simply make your own at home! A great and easy swap for your salad dressing is to mix olive oil and a vinegar of choice together with some freshly chopped herbs for a delicious blend to top your salad! Not only is this cheaper, but you’ll save the body from having to ingest a lot of inferior ingredients!
Iceberg Lettuce for Spinach or Kale:
Rather than choosing “light” greens such as iceberg lettuce, choose instead a dark green option: red leaf lettuce, kale, spinach, collards, or a blend of various dark greens. This one swap will provide the body with a great deal of extra nutrition from vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and enzymes.
Cheese for Nutritional Yeast:
Instead of reaching for the cheese grater, opt instead for sprinkling on some delicious nutritional yeast. Not only is the yeast lower in calories, but it provides a number of nutrients, including vitamin B12, and is also a complete source of protein!
White Potato for Sweet Potato or Yam:
Whether it’s a homemade dish or a purchased meal or product, opt for sweet potato or yam choices, like making sweet potato fries over traditional white potato fries. Sweet potatoes and yams are a greater source of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than the white variety, and they taste just as good!
White Rice for Cauliflower Rice:
Instead of eating the highly processed white rice, easily and quickly “rice” or grate cauliflower and cook it as desired! It tastes almost identical, yet it is natural and unprocessed and provides the body with phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients!
Croutons for Chopped Nuts:
Instead of reaching for a handful of highly processed and often quite toxic croutons, reach instead for some chopped nuts or seeds! Nuts and seeds are a natural source of added flavor and crunch to top our salads or soups. They also provide healthy fats, fiber, and a number of essential vitamins and minerals to boost our overall nutrient intake!
As you can see, some simple swaps to what we are already doing can make a great improvement in our health, wellness, and longevity! It doesn’t have to take a large overhaul to start making progress and improvements!
