A misconception is that healthy eating is boring, bland, hard, involves salad and the need to be on a diet! However, a healthier lifestyle starts with small manageable changes over time that become part of our daily routine. A healthy change is one that benefits your physical, mental and emotional health, improving your overall well-being and reducing your risk of health problems in the future.
“Small ways to fill in those nutritional gaps can make a huge difference over weeks and months,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, author of Slim Down Now.
The benefits, for example, of swapping white potatoes to sweet potatoes include a lower glycaemic index, a richer source of nutrients (Vitamin A and Beta-carotene), more fibre, whilst providing the body with sustained energy. Milk chocolate contains added sugar, milk and cream, so swapping to dark chocolate reduces the fat and sugar content and increases flavonoids which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol whilst providing more minerals to the body. Switching from sour cream to Greek yoghurt provides a higher level of protein, vitamin B12 and healthy probiotics. Using a good-quality butter, compared to margarine, provides a nutritional powerhouse of vitamins A, D, & K. It is also rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to help lower body fat percentage.
Have a look at the 14 swaps below to give you and your family a daily nutrient boost with extra vitamins and minerals, sustained energy, reduced calories and mood boosting feel good factors. Consider healthy swaps a fun way to spice up your normal meals, rather than a diet or something that you have to give up.
Spaghetti to courgette spirals, I’m also going to remove refined sugar from my diet
I don’t mind coconut oil occasionally but I wouldn’t swap it for the rapeseed oil I use. There’s a huge amount of saturated fats in coconut oil compared to rapeseed.
Himalayan pink salt is something I’ve never tried so definitely swapping to that.
Hey Jodie, Rapeseed Oil is also fantastic for your health. Something to consider is that Coconut Oil, although it does have a slightly higher fat content as you suggest, has extra benefits including anti bacterial, anti-viral and anti-parasitic properties and gives you more energy. Enjoy your Himalayan pink salt….Perfect on your Sweet Potatoe Wedges!
Excellent information thanks for letting me know about the other benefits. Coconut oil is my go to oil when wild camping in Scotland. I’ve just completed all the Scottish 4000s this weekend, I’m sure using said oil has help a lot. Especially as I collect my water from the mountain streams.
Loved all swaps…brilliant 👍
[…] addition by logging food you can start to implement simple food swaps. Brown Bread for White Bread for example. These are quick wins for you and more likely to be […]