When it comes to eating healthy, many of us automatically think veggies and smoothies. So not the case — there’s so much more! Essentially you are what you eat (or drink!), so making healthy food substitutes, will allow you to eat the meals you love without all the guilt and extra calories. Here are my top 4 easy healthy nutrition substitutes that keep you on track.
Kick Simple Carbs To The Curb
If you’re waking up to enjoy a nice big bowl of sugary cereal that may be the reason you’re feeling hungry shortly afterward. Or if you’re grabbing a sandwich with white bread for lunch, you may often experience a “food coma” a couple hours after lunch. Simple carbs found in cereals and white bread will cause those annoying hunger pangs you might be used to. Here are a few healthy substitutes you can try:
For breakfast, opt for something that will instead help you stay full like:
• a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal instead of sugary cereal
• slice of whole-grain bread with peanut butter
• smoothie with protein powder
For Lunch/dinner, try subbing a few items:
• avocado instead of mayo
• lettuce wraps or whole-grain pita for sandwiches
• quinoa or cauliflower instead of white rice
Add Some Fun To Your Water
It can be hard to stop chugging coffee in the morning, but try switching over to water and tea at some point before noon. It will help you to feel full until lunchtime, and come on, we all know we need to be drinking more water, anyway! It’s a great way to curb hunger pangs and get your eight glasses a day in at the same time.
If you drink sodas regularly try subbing them for unsweetened sparkling water. If you looking to switch up your liquids with something a little sweeter, try Kombucha, coconut water, or a smoothies.
Meatless Protein Power
Remember that peanut butter you were going to put on your whole grain toast? It’s actually just as important as the whole grains are! A bit of protein will help to balance out your body in the morning and will help you stay satiated. Not to mention, it’s great for energy levels, muscles, and more. Here are a meatless protein subs – beans, lentils, egg whites, quinoa, peanut butter or almond butter, or go some non-dairy yogurt with fresh berries.
Fat Can Be Your Friend
Unfortunately, we’ve trained ourselves to think ‘fat’ is a bad word in our diets, especially first thing in the morning. But, the truth is, our bodies need fat in order to function, and even in order to lose weight! Fat doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy. If you choose meals that are entirely fat free, chances are you’ll find yourself feeling hungry a short time after, since fat helps us to feel full.
That doesn’t mean you should reach for two or three donuts everyday, but introducing healthy fats into your meals, like non-dairy yogurt, avocado, nuts, nut butters, coconut oil (instead of canola oil), pure maple syrup or coconut syrup (instead of white sugar) are a great ways to give you energy, keep you full plus satisfy your sweet tooth.
For more healthy substitutes check out:
- Reader’s Digest 14 Healthier Substitutions You Never Thought You Would Try
- Greatest’s Healthier Guide to Baking
- BuzzFeed’s 27 Ways to Eat Healthier