By Health Square desk Healthy eating is not about eating complicated diets. The first move can be swapping high-calorie foods with something more robust, such as fruits and vegetables. Even small changes in dietary choices can add up to a significant difference in your health. The right move is bagging up more beneficial nutrients which sustain energy levels and can make you feel good inside out.
Eating healthy can:
- increase weight loss
- improves mood
- reduces the risk of diseases
- helps you feel energetic
Despite being aware of the benefits, it feels challenging to take a balanced diet.
How do I switch to Healthy Eating?
When switching to a healthy diet, you should not make drastic changes at once. It is not fruitful to instantly eliminate the food you love from your diet; instead, you need to plan wisely and set long-term goals that are practical to achieve.
Here are a few ways to take initial steps towards a healthy diet.
- Pile your fridge with low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits and whole-grain foods
- Make a habit of eating regularly instead of satisfying hunger cravings with unhealthy junk food
- Try to cook for yourself as it will help you calculate calorie intake by knowing the ingredients in your diet.
- Pack healthy lunches for your workplace to avoid snacking on unhealthy foods.
- Do not skip your meals. Eating after your hunger is over leads to overeating.
- Drink much water to keep you hydrated, reducing unnecessary food cravings.
As discussed above, swap high-calorie food items with other healthy options. Some of the swaps that you can make this year are
Swap Snacks with Popcorn
Popcorn is best to swap with snacks such as crisps or other calorie-dense dishes. Popcorns are a healthy snack in terms of
- No sugar
- low-fat
- More iron per ounce than eggs or spinach
- High protein
- More fibre
- A high amount of antioxidants
“According to research conducted by scientists at the University of Scranton Pennsylvania, the antioxidants level of popcorn is higher than fruits and vegetables. “
Air-popped popcorn is the best option as it is 100% unprocessed whole grain. There are only 150 calories in a giant bowl and contain more protein, iron and antioxidants than snacks like chips, spinach and fruits.
Swap Ice Cream with Frozen Bananas
When the day is hot, and the hat is on, there is nothing more refreshing than a scoop of delicious ice cream. However, next time try something different to treat your ice cream cravings.
Frozen bananas are the best option as one banana contains only 90 calories and gives you a break on at least 200 calories per serving.
Additionally, it gives you nutrients such as fibre, vitamin C and potassium, which help lower the blood pressure. You can make a healthy dessert by freezing the bananas for an hour and then blending them according to taste. You can add toppings like cherry, cocoa, or fruit slices to enhance the flavour.
Another way is to put the peeled banana on an ice cream stick and freeze it for an hour. Then dip it in the yoghurt, sprinkle some toppings, and freeze for another 30 min. A low-calorie, delicious and more healthy treat is ready.
Swap Fruit Juices with Fruit Water
Next time you drink a glass of fruit juice, rethink for a few seconds. The fruit juices contain high natural sugars and low fibre content. Ditching your choice of fruit juices and swapping it with fruit-infused water has excellent nutritional and health benefits such as
- Increased liquid intake containing low calories
- Helpful in reducing weight
- Removing toxins from the body.
A good option is making a refreshing and healthy drink by adding fruit slices in sparkling water and having all the great taste for just a few calories. You can also freeze the chopped fruits and use them as ice cubes in water, making a refreshing drink.
Swap Mayo Dips with Greek Yogurt
Dips and sauces are the most exciting part of salads and barbeque food but have many calories. A whole tablespoon of mayonnaise has 100 calories in one tablespoon. In contrast, Greek yoghurt is lower in fats and sugar than mayo and many low-fat yoghurts. One tablespoon of Greek yoghurt has only eight calories. Make this healthy swap and eat the salads without guilt.
Swap White Pasta for Whole Wheat Pasta
If pasta is integral to your daily meal, do not feel bad as carbohydrates are a vital daily nutrient, and there is no need to ditch them altogether. Just switch over to whole wheat pasta as it is a a healthier option containing more fibre and vitamins than white pasta.
Swap Butter with Olive Oil Margarine
An olive oil-based bread spread is healthier than butter, which is healthy unsaturated fat. Butter is saturated fat and increases the level of bad cholesterol in the body. So, if you love to give yourself a treat by slathering butter on your toast, it is worth swapping it with olive oil-based margarine.
Rethink Your Burger
Barbeques are the best thing about summer, but a typically processed beef burger has many calories. Few swaps can be made to cut off the number of calories, such as
- Swap buns with lettuce wrap providing more fibre and fewer calories
- Swap processed bread with low grain bun causing a reduction in the number of calories and providing more fibre into the diet.
- Swap beef or pork burger with chicken and turkey meat which is low in fat quantity and rich in protein.
A Last Thought
Summer is everyone’s favourite season for the menu with foods like ice cream, burgers and chilled drinks. One or two days of enjoying treats is not a big deal, but an unwatched intake of calories for the whole summer is not suitable for maintaining weight. But few seasonal foods are a treat for your taste buds and are not a wrong choice regarding healthy eating. Make a few swaps to have a slimmed menu and fulfil your summer diet cravings by eating well in the heat.