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The 2016 Swap

in The Too Busy to Diet Blog on January 21, 2016

The 2016 Swap

Written by Madeline Engelking, dietetic student at Miami University of Ohio

Why not spice up the year 2016 with a little bit of swapping! Switch out your old, unhealthy foods for some nutritious, (but still delicious) alternatives. Here are 16 beneficial swaps for 2016:

1) Trail mix for potato chips
If you go for the trail mix consisting of mostly nuts and unsweetened dried fruit (not chocolate☺), you can satisfy any cravings with the sweet and salty mixture. It gives you the same crunch fulfillment as chips but not at a nutritious cost. Trail mix is also protein packed and the nuts have healthy fats to keep your energized throughout the day.

2) Sweet potato for baked potato
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, which helps with your immune system and cell production. Their natural sugars leave you content and not forced to add on sour cream or cheese to spice up a plain potato. They also are more abundant in dietary fiber than baked potato.

3) Fresh berries for fruit juices
Berries are full of antioxidants that help fight free radicals (those annoying little things that steal our cells electrons and cause disease!!) in the body. They are also the type of fruit with least amount of carbs compared to fruit juice that could have added sugars and chemicals for preservation.

4) Extra virgin olive oil based dressing for fat free dressing
Olive oil is packed with healthy fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, and can help lower your risk for heart disease. Look for dressing with olive oil as the first ingredient and stay away from the fat free dressings because they are filled with extra sugars and flavoring to replace the fat. So instead of pouring sugar over your “healthy” salad, use olive oil.

5) Whole grain bread for bagel
Bagels are not the worst thing for you to eat, but I know you can do better! A bagel is roughly 350 calories with 60 grams of carbs. And guess what, this doesn’t include the caloric slab of cream cheese that goes with it. Try having a piece of whole grain bread that is roughly 100 calories (and high in fiber) with avocado on top.

6) Quinoa for pasta
This superfood is packed with the good stuff: Protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It also has been shown to help those fighting against diabetes and hypertension due to its low glycemic index. A lower GI can help stabilize your blood glucose levels. Pasta is also loaded with carbs and does not have much nutritional value.

7) Coconut oil for Vegetable oil
Coconut oil is special. It contains MCT (medium chain triglycerides), which means that the fat basically skips the process of being processed in the liver and therefore is quickly converted into energy. The seeds used for vegetable oils are chemically altered to produce oil, compared to coconut oil where the oil can be extracted naturally.

8) Leftover dinner for breakfast
Yupp, I said it! Many of our breakfast meals are cereals and granola bars that are full of refined carbs and sugar…lots of it. Switch up your mornings with your lean protein and extra veggies from dinner. It is a great way to start your day with protein and fiber to carry you over till lunch, without that sugar crash mid morning.

9) Mustard for mayo
Next time you make a sandwich, skip the mayo and load up on mustard. Mayo’s first ingredient is vegetable oil, which is damaging to our body. Mustard is extremely low in calories and it can really make a tasty difference in your meal. It is filled with vitamins and minerals and also works for a great marinade!

10) Herbal tea for flavored latte
Look for teas that have spices like chamomile, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric! They can help with any inflammation and can also serve as a sleep aid. Many lattes are filled with extra calories from sweeteners and syrups. If you are craving something at night, reach for some tea instead of extra sugars that will raise your blood sugar and disrupt your sleep!

11) Grilled fish tacos for beef tacos
Rather than ground beef loaded with saturated fats, try a lean piece of fish in your taco. Add a little seasoning, fresh cilantro and slap on some avocado for some satisfying fat and you are ready to go! Avocado is the best trick for feeling content without adding any unnecessary unhealthy fats.

12) Lemon water for soda
Instead of filling your body with chemicals and artificial sweeteners, add lemon to your water for a little kick. You can even put lemon in soda water if you are missing that fizz. Lemon is a natural detoxifier and can help with inflammation. Staying hydrated is key to maintaining a healthy weight and assisting bodily function.

13) Smaller plate for big plate
Portion size, portion size, portion size! Studies have shown that reducing your portions can lead to weight loss because you are consuming less calories when you are restricted to a smaller plate. Sometimes we are given a huge plate and think we have to finish it all off. If you eat slowly and alternate with sips of water, you might realize you only needed half the food on your plate!

14) 70%cocoa++ dark chocolate for milk chocolate
Higher the cocoa content mean less sugar and butter, so the healthier it is. Milk chocolate isn’t as nutritious because the cocoa content is low and there is added sugar because of this. Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, and one square can really satisfy your sweet tooth!

15) Whole eggs for egg whites
Extra calories in the yolk? In this case, who cares! The caloric yolk is full of essential vitamins and minerals our body would love to have. Not only that, it is full of healthy fats that can help prevent heart disease and inflammation. Egg whites are full of protein, but they do not give off that feeling of satiety (like yolk) that can eventually lead us to snacking more throughout the day!

16) Hunger cues for boredom
One of the most important things is learning to listen to your body. It is so easy to consume extra calories when we are surrounded by a social gathering with delicious food or just sitting on the couch with a bag of potato chips intrigued with the latest episode. Learn to eat when your body actually needs food. Hunger cues can be things such as gurgling in the stomach to lightheadedness!

Photo Source:
https://goo.gl/Vi0e25
The 2016 SwapThe 2016 Swap