Habits are hard to break. And if you’re like most people you probably have eating habits you have had for a long time. Even way back to your childhood.
We all want to get healthier, but we can feel overwhelmed at how to start making necessary changes for better health. It doesn’t have to be as monumental as you may think. By making small incremental shifts in your daily habits, you can slowly become accustomed to better habits that result in better health. One easy way to start this shift in your daily habits is swapping out some common foods you eat for healthier food choices. Here is a list of some typical food items you may eat with their healthier substitutions.
Healthy Food Swaps
SWAP cow’s milk with almond or other nut milk. Nut milk has no inflammatory casein, no sugar, and fewer calories.
SWAP spaghetti pasta with spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini. These are far lower in calories and much higher in nutrients.
SWAP white potatoes with sweet potatoes, which have more fiber and are much lower on the glycemic scale, so they absorb more slowly and won’t spike your insulin level.
SWAP fruit juice with coconut water or lemon water for far less sugar intake and higher nutrients like the potassium found in coconut water.
SWAP white rice or potatoes with cauliflower rice or cauliflower mashed potatoes, which are much higher in fiber and vitamins C, K, and B6.
SWAP table salt with Himalayan sea salt. This pink salt contains more minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron.
SWAP creamy chicken soup with organic chicken bone broth, which is far lower in fat and contains gut-healing properties.
SWAP bread or tortillas with lettuce wraps. Lettuce is lower in carbs and higher in nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K.
SWAP frozen yogurt with full-fat yogurt, which will offer more protein and generally a lower sugar level.
SWAP milkshakes with green smoothies. Of course, it depends on what you put in your smoothie. But they are typically lower in sugar and higher in nutrients and fiber. Plus they make great meal replacements.
SWAP popsicles with frozen grapes. While fructose is still sugar, it is a natural form of it and it contains plenty of vitamins C and B1.
SWAP a cafe latte with chai tea or herbal tea. Teas contain natural healing herbs and are lower in calories.
SWAP white onions with red onions. All onions are pretty good for you, but red onions have the most antioxidants, many other nutrients, and lower sugar levels.
SWAP sugar and artificial sweeteners with honey or dates. Natural foods like these are still sweet, so use them in limited portions. But they are not processed and contain more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
I hope these easy swaps are useful to you. Even making one substitution at a time over a period of time, can help you make improvements to your health in a painless, natural way.
You may be in a position to take some baby steps that will optimize your health and nutrition levels. If you are at that stage, check out this article to learn how to implement a healthier lifestyle: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-baby-steps-optimal-nutrition
Of course, it may also be more effective to work directly with a health coach to become the healthiest version of yourself possible. Find out more about how health coaching works here: https://bewellwithjanel.com/health-coaching/
Wishing you the very best of health and wellness as you kick off the new year!
