We're well aware of the many advantages of a healthy diet, right? We've been taught just how important it is to consume consciously since we were little. So, naturally, when you do the opposite of it, you feel guilty! I'd tell myself "I don't have time to cook at home, so I have a valid reason behind my bad eating habits." But do I? 

And so, when the guilt finally overtook me, I decided to make better choices. I found ways to make my favorite foods nutritious by swapping some simple ingredients. Here's how I did it!

5 Healthy Alternatives to Your Favorite Foods

1. Swap All-Purpose Flour With Whole Wheat Flour

The all-purpose flour used to make pizza, bread, and pastries, is refined so much that it doesn’t have any nutrients or fibre. It can cause diabetes, obesity, and other health issues in the long run. To avoid this, use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, which is rich in vitamins, fibre and protein. It not only helps with digestive and heart health but also weight loss.

2. Healthy Snacks

There are tons of healthy alternatives to unhealthy snacks, but my favourite is chocolate-dipped dry fruits. I like to dip my dry fruits in dark chocolate and freeze them. It's crunchy, tastes amazing, and most importantly, is healthy! You can also use chocolate chips mixed with dry fruits.

Instead of eating french fries or chips, you can go for baked or air-fried veggies with seasonings like salt, pepper, etc. Another healthier option is roasted chickpeas, which are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibre. 

3. Substitute Soda With Fresh Fruit Juice

Soda has high sugar, calories and artificial ingredients like dyes, and flavours, which are not good for our health. So, instead, go for fresh fruit juice or put a slice of lemon in your water. It increases your water intake, as it tastes better than plain water and adds nutritional value as well. 

4. Choose Lean Meat

Are you a meat lover like me? Then you should know that meat like pork, poultry, lamb and beef are high in saturated fat. Though saturated fat doesn’t cause any health issues if consumed in moderation, it can cause heart disease if fried or consumed often.

To cut down saturated fat you can use lean-cut meat instead of regular meat. Also, avoid grain-fed beef because it contains more calories and monosaturated fat. Instead, opt for grass-fed beef.

5. Replace White Rice With Brown Rice

Mostly, white rice is used for preparing rice recipes. However, white rice lacks fibre and is rich in refined-carbohydrate. It causes a sudden spike in blood sugar and weight gain. To avoid this, go for brown rice, which helps maintain the blood sugar level and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

You can also choose millet, quinoa or shredded cauliflower instead of white rice as they contain more nutrients. I like to use quinoa as an alternative to white rice.

Conclusion

There are a ton of healthy eating tips on the internet. You have to choose the ones that suit your lifestyle. Begin with simple and easy-to-adopt changes to keep you motivated. Don’t make it complicated because as Sarah Sorensen, MS, RD says, “The key is the quality of foods we’re eating”.