According to a survey by the International Food Information Council, 39% of Americans engaged in a specific eating plan or diet during 2021. That translates to 130 million people.
Are you eager to join these ranks, but never seem able to stick to your diet? These healthy food swaps can help you get on top of your weight loss goals.
1. Substitute Sugar With Healthy Alternatives
Sugar is a great weakness for most people who want to improve their eating habits. It’s also a major cause of obesity, leading to diabetes and heart disease.
If you want to cut down your sugar intake, the first step is to check the sugar levels of everything you buy off the supermarket shelves. Secondly, you should avoid adding sugar to any of the meals or drinks you prepare at home.
There are two suitable alternatives you can use to sweeten these items, namely:
- Stevia, which has no calories or adverse health effects
- Natural sugars like honey
Honey is still a sugar, but it also has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
2. How to Eat Healthy Bread and Rice
Bread and rice are among the hardest things to give up when you want to embrace a healthy lifestyle. White bread is full of preservatives and empty calories, so, rather opt for sourdough bread if you can’t resist the urge.
Sourdough bread has more bioavailable nutrients, less sugar, and fewer preservatives than other types of bread.
Rice is another food that easily leads us astray, but you needn’t skip it altogether. Brown rice is a great substitute for white rice since it’s more natural than the processed variety.
Try it, you’ll find it’s tastier, too.
3. Oils Are Important Too
Your body requires a certain amount of oil to function optimally. What it doesn’t need is huge amounts of refined vegetable oil and processed margarine.
Substitute your usual oil for a healthy alternative like olive oil and skip the margarine in favor of tasty, healthy, natural butter. Remember, you should always use oils and butter sparingly, as too much oil can cause weight gain.
Do Healthy Food Swaps Work?
Behavior modifications, like swapping fattening foods for healthier ones, are a cornerstone of physician assisted weight loss. So, if you’re serious about losing those extra pounds, you know it’s a healthy choice.
Going without the foods you love while dieting is one of the major reasons you find it hard to stick to your diet. Swapping out some ingredients for healthier ones helps ease the transition to healthy eating.
Embrace Healthy Living and Thrive
Try these simple healthy food swaps to wean you off your bad eating habits, and you’ll soon look and feel a lot better.
Not only will you experience a sense of satisfaction when you start to lose fat, but it’s much easier to stick to a healthy eating plan when you ease into it.
Now all you need is an enjoyable exercise routine to help you improve your wellbeing even more. Find inspiration by browsing the health and wellness section of our website.