Healthy eating is one of the most popular goals or resolutions among adults, yet it can also be one of the hardest. Everyone’s idea of “healthy” is different, and with so many different takes on what you should or shouldn’t eat, trying to reach this goal can get pretty overwhelming. On top of the conflicting information about certain foods, it can be hard to let go of your favorite snacks and meals, making healthy eating seem near impossible. How do you give yourself what you need and what you want?

One simple way to health-ify your favorite foods is to find nutritious substitutes for the problem ingredients. Not all of these substitutions are going to keep the flavor of the original item exactly the same, but that’s a small downside compared to the benefits of the substitutions. Here are five easy food substitutions to help you get started:

1. When baking, switch eggs for applesauce.

Sounds weird, but it totally works! Replace one egg with a quarter cup of applesauce (preferably unsweetened) in pretty much any baking recipe, you can’t even taste a difference! By avoiding the eggs while baking, you can significantly reduce the amount of cholesterol in your cookies, muffins, or cakes. This substitution is especially handy if you’re baking for someone who has an allergy to eggs or wants to avoid them.

2. Swap out your mayonnaise or sour cream with greek yogurt.

Mayonnaise and sour cream both have a lot of fats and calories. If you’re trying to avoid those, try greek yogurt instead! The consistency is very similar, and a plain greek yogurt can be perfectly savory on your sandwich or taco. Greek yogurt can also add a lot of protein to your meals, since the average greek yogurt has around 20 grams of protein per serving.

3. Ditch soda in favor of fruity sparkling water or seltzer.

This switch is definitely a change in flavor, but it’s totally worth the health benefits. We all know how bad soda is between the high amounts of sugar and chemicals. If you’re looking for something bubbly like soda, try a flavored seltzer that’s naturally sugar-free. If you’re craving something sweet to drink, go for a lightly fruit-flavored water. For extra health benefits, you can simply add lemons, strawberries, or another favorite fruit to your water for an alternative drink that is free of fake sugars and chemicals and promotes high energy and healthy skin. 

4. Skip potato chips, eat popcorn!

It’s no secret potato chips are high in unhealthy fats and oils. Skip on the chips and go for homemade popcorn instead! Popcorn is inexpensive, easy, and fun to make at home, especially with friends and family for a movie night. If you’re missing a specific flavor of chips, you can even cover your popcorn with homemade spice mixes to make your perfect flavor.

5. Once you’ve tried these swaps, get creative and see what other replacements you can make!

Comments

comments