5 EASY FOOD SWAPS THAT HELP DROP WEIGHT!

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily difference we can make which, over time, add up to big differences" (Marian Wright Edelman)

I am a big believer in seeing small changes as an everyday opportunity to work towards big ones so if I can easily swap a food with another, without it being a big deal, I definitely do! That is what this article is about, 5 very small and simple changes which may not seem like they will make a difference but on a larger scale they most definitely will do. 

SWAP- BUTTER FOR AVOCADO

We all know how amazing avocados are for us; this fruit has many benefits including that it;
* is rich in monounsaturated fat that is easily burned for energy therefore it's a great way to increase your healthy fats for the day without majorly increasing protein or carbohydrate intake.
* is a Super Food
* is high in fiber
* contains potassium (more than twice the amount found in a banana)
* contains Vitamin E and B Vitamins
* Great source of folic acid
* is the safest fruit you can buy conventionally-grown therefore no need in looking for the organic kind.

The Swap: Anything you would typically use butter for, replace with avocado! It may seem a little bit strange but I promise you won't be able to taste the difference. So examples are a layer of avocado on your sandwich instead of butter or switching out half the butter in a cookie recipes for mashed avocado and my favourite butter to replace is in my mashed potato where I add avocado instead!

SWAP- ICEBERG FOR SPINACH

While iceberg lettuce has virtually no nutritional content or health benefits, spinach is amazing to include in your diet as it is;
* an extremely nutrient dense food
* loaded with flavonoids which act as antioxidants
* a heart healthy food
* protective against eye diseases
* an excellent source of iron
* an anti-inflammatory

The Swap: My general rule is "the greener the vegetable, the better for you" and choosing spinach over iceberg is no exception because although iceberg is completely fine for you, it's not really benefiting you at all. It's like filling yourself up with only fiber when you could be giving yourself nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and much more!

SWAP- RICE FOR QUINOA

I don't avoid carbs because I don't believe it's the best way of loosing weight; when you deprive yourself of something, your body only craves it more and everything is completely fine in moderation (I can't stress that point enough, I think it deserves it's own post..hmm good idea..look out for that one). But even though I don't avoid carbs, there are some decisions smarter than others when it comes to choosing what kinds of carbohydrates you eat. Quinoa is yet another super food with incredible health benefits such as;
* it contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains.
* it is one of most protein rich foods that we can eat as it is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids.
* it is high in B2 (improves energy metabolism and muscle cells), manganese (an antioxidant), lysine (essential for tissue growth and repair) and iron to keep red blood cells healthy.

The Swap: In any dish that you would usually use rice, swap it for quinoa instead and receive an array of health benefits that white rice or even brown rice for that matter just don't provide.

 SWAP- SOUR CREAM FOR YOGHURT

Greek yoghurt and yoghurt in general is amazing for your health because;

* it is loaded with protein, so much so that a cup of yoghurt can provide you with the protein equivalent to eating meat!

* it is an amazing source of calcium

* it has less calories than sour cream but more protein and calcium

The Swap: Anything you would usually use sour cream for, start replacing it with yoghurt! My favourite type is Greek yoghurt because it's super creamy, low in sugar but higher in protein.

SWAP- CHIPS FOR NUTS

All nuts are great for your health for different reasons such as;
* nuts contain essential fatty acids, linoleic and linoleic acids which are vital for growth, healthy skin and hair, blood pressure control, immune response and blood clotting.
* they are one of the best natural sources of Vitamin E, an antioxidant, and are rich in protein, dietary fibre, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and folate.

The Swap: Instead of grabbing a pack of chips when you feel like snacking, grab a handful of nuts! It's a guilt free snack and much better for you and your health.

So I've talked about a lot of these healthier alternatives as containing such things as protein; antioxidants and all sorts of vitamins but it probably won't mean much to you if you don't know how all of these things benefit you so that's why I'm going to elaborating on those aspects in future posts.

Posted in: Diet, Nutrition