One of the best ways to make sustainable lifestyle changes is to make food swaps for a healthier life for the whole household so everyone can benefit from super nutrition and all the health benefits that come with that. The most important things in life are a healthy body and good self-esteem. Here are a few simple food and drink swaps to ensure you and your family can enjoy these essentials in abundance.
Porridge for cereal
Porridge oats offer way more in terms of nutrition than refined cereals. Oats are 100% natural, are low in fat, and provide soluble fibre which help reduce cholesterol, as well as protein. They are more filling than cereals and can be sweetened naturally with almond milk and/or berries of your choice.
Brown pasta for white
This is an easy change, just choose the wholegrain version, it contains fewer calories and has nearly three times as much fibre as white pasta. This helps slow down digestion and improves bowel health. Look for the word “whole” in front of each grain on the ingredients list.
Water or milk for juice
The choice is milk or water, that’s it. No-one will ask for anything else if it isn’t there. Evian is the best in my opinion, and flavour comes from dropping in a couple of strawberries and/or mint leaves for a weekend treat. Sugary juices are the biggest problem in childhood obesity, do your family a favour by cutting them out of your weekly shop.
Frozen grapes for ice lollies
Avoid the artificial colourings, flavourings and sweeteners and go for a natural treat instead.
Black coffee for latte
Milky coffees are full of fat and can contain up to 500 calories in some cases. Skimmed milk takes out the fat but the best daily coffee option is Americano with zero fat and minimal calories. One to two per day should be the maximum intake.
A piece of fruit for fruit juice
When a fruit is pressed or squeezed its fibre and water soluble vitamins can be lost. Nutrients are more dense in a piece of fruit which also takes longer to eat, it’s easy to overdo on a fruit drink which affects blood sugar levels detrimentally.
Kefir for Yoghurt
Some sweetened yoghurts have as much sugar as two sweet pastries, so don’t think that all yoghurts are healthy. Natural Greek yoghurt is the best one, flavoured naturally with fruit of your choice. Kefir is a drinkable fermented dairy beverage is packed full of beneficial probiotics which boost your immunity. It provides more nutritive value than yoghurt and is easier to digest. Choose plain kefir instead of flavoured and add to a smoothie if you don’t enjoy the taste.
Lentils for Beef
Lentils are very cheap, and are more nutrient dense than beef, providing vitamins and minerals as well as protein. Unlike beef, lentils contain virtually zero fat and provide over a third of our daily fibre requirements.
Greek cheese for Cheddar
Why not try feta cheese instead of cheddar? It is a tasty alternative crumbled over salads or in an omelette. It is lower in fat and calories than cheddar and adds another option for variety and new taste.
Cinnamon for Sugar
If you want to enjoy natural sweetness without the calories try this in coffee or porridge instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels and reduces heart disease risk factors.
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