Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up on your favorite recipes. There are lots of simple swaps you can make to modify a recipe and make it healthier!
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, good nutrition is important because poor diet is a key factor in over 678,000 deaths that occur each year in America due to diseases like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and stroke. The number shocks me every time I see it! While most people realize that eating a nutritious diet can improve their health and well-being, making healthy food choices is usually easier said than done. Amiright?
One reason it’s so hard to follow a healthy diet is because many recipes have unhealthy ingredients that taste delicious but aren’t particularly nourishing. People mistakenly believe that they have to sacrifice flavor and texture and eat foods that they dislike in order to eat healthily. I grew up in a Southern family… this argument is one I’ve heard all my life!
Thankfully, that’s not always true. In fact, I originally started this blog in order to prove that eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. The following is a list of some healthy food swaps that taste great so that you can still make and enjoy your favorite meals without adding massive amounts of fats, carbohydrates, calories, or sodium to your diet:
Unhealthy Fats vs. Heart Healthy Oils
Study after study has shown a clear link between the consumption of excessive amounts of saturated fats, high cholesterol, and the formation of fatty plaque in the lining of our arteries. This common condition is known as atherosclerosis and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and weight gain. And women are at higher risk! Unfortunately, people read these facts and think they have to reduce or eliminate all fats from their diet, but it’s important to note that not all fats are bad for your health.
Hemp seeds are a good source of healthy fats… and a great cookie add!
Some oils contain essential fatty acids (EFAs) that our bodies need to support a host of normal body processes and functions. EFAs have been shown to support cardiovascular health and help reduce deposits of high-density lipid (HDL) cholesterol in the body, which is the same type of cholesterol implicated in the development of atherosclerosis.
Rather than cutting all fats from the diet, it’s better to use healthy swaps that contain edible oils that are full of flavor and essential nutrients. For example, healthy mayo uses natural sources of unsaturated oil, such as avocado and coconut, which contain EFAs. This product allows users to enjoy the creamy smooth texture of regular mayonnaise on their sandwiches and in their other favorite recipes without all of the plaque building saturated fat.
High Protein Swaps
If you read this post about protein post-workout a few weeks ago, you know that protein is a nutrient that the body needs to build muscle mass. Using ingredients that are high in protein is a great way to add flavor and texture to meals while reducing the amount of carbohydrates and fat in your diet. Protein is found in both plant and animal sources, such as nuts and meats. We’re lucky that a variety of protein-rich foods are widely available. From tofu to turkey burgers, there are tons of healthy swaps that are full of flavor!
While eating more meats, eggs, and vegan substitutes are great ways to increase your protein intake, protein powders can be used to replace wheat and other grains. It’s a great way to make low-carbohydrate, gluten-free dishes that provide a boost of energy without dramatically raising blood sugar levels. For example, I’ve been on a protein cookie dough kick lately. I keeps these Thin Mint Protein Balls in my freezer for quick snacks. They use protein powder and almond flour to eliminate the starch and gluten commonly found in store bought snacks.
The Case for Whole Grains, Nuts and Legumes
Just like fats, not all carbohydrates have low nutritional value. While white flour and sugar have been overly processed and quickly convert from starch to sugar when they are eaten, whole grains break down more slowly in the digestive tract. This means that foods made from whole grains raise blood sugar levels more slowly than those made from more refined flour and sugar products.
Whole grains also contain a high fiber content. Fiber promotes good intestinal health, and can also support the normal development and functioning of the immune system. Dried beans and nuts also break down slowly in the digestive tract because of their fiber content. They can be ground and used in the place of white flour. Bonus: slower digesting carbs keep you full longer, so they can actually help you lose weight.
To make a healthy swap, avoid white bread, and choose whole wheat. Whole grains like steel cut oats to make oatmeal are a more nutritious swap for regular toast. There are several low-carbohydrate, high protein options for baked goods, like the endless varieties of whole grain replacements. From loaves of bread to wraps, bagels, and even cookies, whole grain options are available that make it easier to adopt a natural way of eating that supports your good health!
Try making your own at home. My Apple Carrot Muffins used protein, oats, and spelt flour. They’re great to freeze for a quick breakfast!
Interested in learning more? Check out my free Macro Calculator, which helps you lay out the best nutrient balance for your lifestyle.
[Tweet “These healthy cooking swaps are a great way to lighten up your favorite recipes! #healthyeating”]
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I love the challenge of re-creating childhood favorites… especially now that I have a new kitchen!
Do you ever re-create family recipes to make them healthier?
What’s your favorite healthy swap?
Such good tips! I’m a firm believer that the way a food becomes healthy or unhealthy is all in how it’s processed. Great points! And I hear you on the argument with our beloved fellow southerners. I used to be one of those skeptics myself, so I don’t judge anyone one little bit who questions my healthy recipes or desire to eat healthy. But… it does feel like a neverending battle to convince people I never feel deprived or like I’m giving up something! I always try to advise people who ask me what they should do to start buying unprocessed ingredients like real oats and chia seeds instead of instant oats and vegetable oil, to skip artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and refined sugar in products, and to look for more organic produce to put in the carts versus conventional. I think those little things can go a long way towards getting others on the right path without making them feel overwhelmed at once, and it’s a great way to teach others to be more aware. We all have to start somewhere! Great post! 🙂
That’s a really good point about making incremental changes. I think people just feel overwhelmed… it’s like quitting anything!
I love to recreate family favorites and make them healthier as well. As you say, there are lots of small things you can do to up the health factor and they don’t change the taste at all
you just reminded me i need to bust out the hemp seeds! love those as flour too! Great tips bro! yay for new kitchen!
Yeah, you do! They’re basically a super food.
I love healthifying recipes and I’m totally on board with healthy fats. Probably the most important part of my diet. Without them, my body goes whack!
Avoid fats is one of the worst mistakes I made when I started working out more seriously in my 20s. We really do need them!
Such great tips! This is how I cook, I love taking unhealthy recipes and remaking them. I love swaping avocado for butter.
I do that too! There’s a cookie recipe from way back somewhere on the blog where I did that… no one ever suspected a thing. 😉
there are definitely foods I healthy swap for, personally I like Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
And there are other things I can’t swap out, but I’d rather just limit my portions.
It’s all a balancing act, really.
Greek yogurt is another good one. But I agree on not swapping everything. Cheese, for example. Laughing Cow is NOT a replacement for real cheese.
just making small, every simple swaps i think one can eat better without spending a fortune. i love lentils and whole grains to be included in my everyday life…also fruits are a big one.
Exactly! I think people view it as something that’s going to be SO painful, when really it’s just a few easy swaps.
We are all so different. I do best on a lowish carb diet. Higher carbs is the morning and less at dinner. I’ve been thinking about adding more tofu in my diet but I heard so many mixed information on the health factor of tofu.
I do the same thing with the carbs. As far as tofu, I think eating it in moderation is fine. I also like tempeh a lot, and have read that it’s better for you than tofu due to being less processed.
Love these tips. Making swaps is definitely the way to go, and I often barely notice a difference in taste!
Hope you have a great week 🙂
Same here. I’m forever sneaking healthier ingredients into our dinners.
Another substitution for mayo I like Is Greek yogurt. I like adding different spices to It to change the flavor
Spices are a great way to flavor food in a clean way. Healthy food doesn’t had to be bland or covered in salt!
GETTIN’ ALL FANCY AND SCIENTIFIC on me now aren’t you!
And my favorite food swap for EVERYTHING = salmon. Duh.
SO ARE YOU! Funny how we’re both being SO mature on the same week.
Also, I made a salmon stir fry. Not usual, but still. #salmon
Hell yea to this post! I’m all about healthy recipe swaps. A lot of the time when I make treats for people, they don’t even realize that I’ve “healthified” it.. Then after they’re done enjoying, I’m like, “FYI, I used apple sauce & coconut oil instead of butter, honey instead of cane sugar, and oats instead of white flour!” Hehehe, love it!
I do the same thing! Vegas has gotten wise to me though… she asks what the “secret ingredient” is before she even takes a bite. HAHAHA!
Some of those stats you listed make me so sad, especially when I know there is something we can all do better today to avoid that outcome! These are all awesome swaps, and I’m a big believer in the protein powder swap as well. So easy and just as tasty! I think my pantry looks a lot like yours! I often go a little over board with the nuts, so I’m trying to get that under control. I’m learning the hard way that there really can be too much of a healthy thing as well!
I know what you mean… I think I take it for granted that everyone knows what I know about nutrition. I guess not everyone spends their days reading about it for fun. LOL!
Nuts are like crack! I got on a roasted almond kick and had to start portioning them out for myself to regulate.
I get so frustrated when people equate healthy with boring and bland, especially now while we’re in the peak of veggie season. The produce is so tasty right now all on it’s own. Also cheers to carbs, the whole grain ones that is. 🙂
Also, they’re not at ALL bland once you add the cheese. 😉