Healthy Food Alternatives – Reach for these when you’re in search of a snack!
4 min
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With candy, french fries, soda, grilled cheese & other tempting treats around, it isn’t always easy to choose healthy options. Want to eat a balanced diet or lose a few kilos? Replacing unhealthy choices with healthy food alternatives could be the key to your long-term success and greater well-being.
Want to have long-term success with your fitness goals? Don’t deny yourself so much! It shouldn’t feel like you’re forcing yourself to diet, especially when eating healthy can be just as fun! Even if it’s difficult at first, healthy alternatives can help you change your eating habits for the better. The best thing is that they’re still really tasty!
Rice vs. Cauliflower
Of course rice isn’t an unhealthy food per se – the whole-grain variety especially packs a real nutritional punch. Nevertheless, rice has more calories than vegetables. If you want to save calories or are looking for a light meal, cauliflower is a perfect substitute because it looks like rice, and it’s also easy to use. Since cauliflower doesn’t have a very strong taste on its own, it’s perfect for spices and sauces.
Prepare it properly in just three steps: Precook the cauliflower, chop briefly in a food processor, and saute in coconut oil with onions.
A base of cauliflower rice is what makes our Low Carb Bowl special. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, and an optimal ratio of macronutrients, it’s super satisfying without any of the unnecessary calories.
Spaghetti vs. Zucchini
Zucchini, in the form of zoodles (a.k.a. courgetti, depending which side of the Atlantic you live on!), is a low-carb, green substitute for conventional pasta. Just spiralize the zucchini into noodle-thin strips and put them in a pan with a little water. Let them simmer briefly until soft, then season with salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.
Zoodles are the foundation for a perfect dinner with fewer calories and fewer carbs, and contain more nutrition than spaghetti because they’re veggies with important vitamins like K & B6.
Our Zucchini Lentil Bolognese recipe makes it super easy and delicious to go without meat, pasta, and cheese. Give it a try and you might never go back!
Tortilla vs. Lettuce
Cutting calories and carbs can be so easy. Next time you make a wrap, just replace the tortilla with large lettuce leaves – iceberg or romaine.
Get started with our Sweet Chili Chicken Wraps. Spread the crème fraîche and the chilli sauce on your lettuce leaves, and then all you have to do is fill them with the chicken vegetable mix – and serve warm or cold!
Butter vs. Avocado
It’s suspected that saturated fat increases your levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol. So the general recommendation is that saturated fat shouldn’t exceed 10 percent of your total daily calorie intake. That means it’s a good idea in general to swap ingredients containing saturated fat for those containing polyunsaturated fats. Simply put: replace animal fat sources with plant fat sources, like olive oil instead of cream.
Avocados can be a wonderful replacement for butter and cheese on bread, in salads, and even in baking. They’re higher in mono- and polyunsaturated fats than butter, and have numerous essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements – including vitamins A, C, D, magnesium and iron.
For a quick avocado spread, mix a crushed avocado with the juice of half a lemon. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili flakes and you’re done! Wondering how you can make a vegan chocolate mousse rich and creamy without any cream or milk? The secret is avocado!
Sugar vs. Dates
Sure, sometimes you’ll get a craving – and a sweet smoothie might be just the trick. And replacing an ingredient in a smoothie with a healthier alternative couldn’t be easier.
Instead of adding sugar, put in a couple of dates instead! They’re also a perfect yogurt topping and can even be used as substitutions for sugar in baking.
Try our recipe for a green smoothie. If you like it sweeter, try tossing some dates into your blender!
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Chocolate Pudding vs. Chia Pudding
A nutritious breakfast is more than just an important foundation for your day, it can also be extremely tasty. It’s quick and easy to make – soak chia seeds in a milk of your choice overnight and top them off with a sliced banana in the morning.
Treat yourself to a delicious breakfast prepared in no time at all – without sacrificing that dark chocolate flavor. Check out our Chocolate Chia Pudding recipe now!
Fizzy Drinks vs. Infused Water
A tasty and healthy alternative to sugary sodas from the supermarket is infused water. You can make it at home in no time at all: Just add your favorite fruits, herbs, and vegetables to half a liter of water and let it steep for a while. The options are endless!
Our tip: Fill a carafe with water, lemon, cucumber, and ginger. In the summer, you can also add ice cubes and a little mint if you like. Or take it to the next level with some Peach Iced Tea. Ginger and orange peel meet juicy peaches in this refreshing take on a summer classic.
Wheat Pancakes vs. Protein Pancakes
It’s Sunday morning, and all you want is a leisurely cup of coffee with cream, and some delicious freshly-made pancakes to go with it.
Instead of refined flour and milk, our protein pancakes are packed with whole-grain flour and fresh fruit as a topping. Thanks to our vanilla whey protein, these pancakes are wonderfully fluffy with a hint of vanilla. Check out the recipe now!
Our Conclusion
A diet will only work in the long run if you avoid denying yourself. Nevertheless, processed foods are often high in sugar and fat, with hardly any nutrients. Looking for healthier alternatives can help if you want to consume fewer calories. Remember, in the end, it’s always important to find a balance between healthy choices, such as fruits and vegetables, and comfort food, like dark chocolate, potato chips, or mac and cheese.
Sources for this article
We at foodspring use only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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