Easy Food Swaps
Eat foods the way nature intended us to. Swap your refined processed foods for these naturally heathier alternatives and you will see a major difference in your energy and shape. Below are 10 easy alternatives that you can change into your diet right away.
SWAP Brown bread for a multigrain bread
While brown bread is better than white in every way, Multigrain bread helps prevent constipation, bowel disease, helps keep blood sugar levels and insulin levels more stable. Wholegrain breads are less processed and release energy more slowly.
SWAP Crisps for nuts
Crisps are so easy to eat and no preparation needed, this is why most people struggle when they are trying to cut out crips from thier diet. Try nuts, yes nuts. Most people will tell you not to eat nuts because they are full of fat, and alot of diets will not allow them. Nuts are actually full of good fats, omega 3,6 and 9's which are great for the body. They are also a great source of protein.
SWAP Bagels for Banana Cake
Refined white bagels have a very high GI score which means they release sugar into your body in a quick burst. Try this homemade sugar free banana cake instead which will give you a nice slow release of carbohydrates.
Heat the oven to 350F/180C/gas 4. Put 75g (1/3 cup) softened butter and one large beaten egg into a bowl. Sift in 225g (2 cups) wholemeal flour and 2 level tsp baking powder. Using an electric mixer, whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange. Slice 4 ripe bananas into another bowl, and mash to a pulp. Add to the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the tin or cases and bake until risen and browned, and springs back when pressed with a finger.
A loaf takes about 50 minutes. Leave it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
SWAP Burgers for steak
Ready made beefburgers full of saturated fat, breadcrumbs and often bad cuts of meat, don't have much to offer nutritionally. A nice cut of steak such as Sirlion, Fillet or Rib Eye is full of iron and has been proven to be one of the top healing foods. Your bodies lymphatic tissue needs it to function properly. It gives you B vitamins and minerals for your reproductive health. Grill or roast for healthier meals.
SWAP Margarine for butter
Although butter is higher in saturated fat as well as cholesterol than margarine if you are going to have one then have butter. Margarine is very highly processed and refined and although most margarines are now trans fat free, they are best avoided if you are trying to eat naturally as marge has a large amount of ingredients. Butter is completely natural apart from added salt, but you can buy unsalted.
SWAP Probiotics for live yoghurt
Most probiotic drinks have added sugar, some also contain chemical sweeteners such as aspartame. Even more disturbing is that some of the lesser known brands have be found to contain the wrong bacteria. Swapping probiotics for natural live yoghurt gives you all the goodness of the good bacteria without additives and sugar.
SWAP Fruit smoothies for fresh fruit
Although smooties are better than fizzy drinks or in the case of someone not having breakfast, better than nothing. Nothing beats a good peice of whole fruit. Although most fruit juices now contain the whole fruit so in turn retain the fibre, they usually are diluted with fruit fruit concentrates which are highly processed. The manufacturers of these concentrates can legally add chemicals without declaration. Vitimin C in a fruit quickly reduces after being squeezed. Smoothies are also very expensive and because the taste good people tend to drink more so consume more calories.
SWAP Milk chocolate for dark chocolate
Research has proven that mlk chocolate is much better than dark. Dark chocolate has shown to be full of antioxidants which help fight cancer. It is said that if you eat one small cube of dark chocolate a day it can help increase your bodies antioxidant levels by up to 20%. Remembering that drak chocolate is a usefull supplement to a balanced diet but it should not be a substitute for five pieces of fruit and vegetables each day.
SWAP Cereal for porridge
when most people have cereal in the mornings they think they are being healthy, i'm not talking about frosted cereal or chocolate covered cereal but your everyday cornflakes or maybe even rice based cereals. Cereal is full of sugar and is highly refined. Even most mueslis now are filled with sugar. A good alternative to all these cereals is porridge. Of all the cereals porridge has the highest protein content. Porridge stabilises blood sugar levels. Eating porridge on a regular basis can help reduce the risk of Type 2 (Adult onset) diabetes and eating porridge helps the brain to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a brain hormone that helps keep our spirits up and our appetites down. Levels of serotonin dip when sunlight is low i.e. during the winter months and can frequently lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder.
SWAP Milkshake for protein shakes
It is said that the average human is not getting enough protein in thier diet. It may be the key to successful weight loss, successful strength improvement. Substituting milkshake for a protein shake is great way to decrease the amount of fat your body takes in and increase the protein. Proteins are essential for growth and repair. They play a crucial role in virtually all biological processes in the body. Proteins in skin and bone provide structural support. Protein can also provide a source of energy. Generally the body uses carbohydrate and fat for energy but when there is excess dietary protein or inadequate dietary fat and carbohydrate, protein is used.