Healthy substitutes

It’s getting warmer and warmer, spring has arrived fast and in no time we’ll be trying on summer clothes and looking for the miracle diet.

I HAVE AN OFFER FOR YOU!

Instead of starting another last minute diet let’s think over together how to get closer to health step by step.

I have written about a healthy diet hundreds of times 🙂 Now it’s time for small steps for the most resistant of you.

HEALTHY SUBSTITUTES

I’ll start with the fact that …. it’s worth changing artificial flavours and processed foods for the natural and healthy ones. OK, let’s get straight to the point.

Start with the sweets

Most of us have a soft spot for sweets. But keep your head up because I have some good news! You can eat them, but stick to the home-made treats. In my blog you will find plenty of solutions and interesting recipes. Thanks to them you will please your palate with no remorse. You don’t have to resist that cake anymore but instead of buying one in the store, choose home-made delights. For sweetening use natural honey as well as erythritol, coconut sugar, stevia and xylitol (careful! excessive use of xylitol may have a laxative effect).

Stevia and xylitol are a good alternative not only for diabetics. Stevia is especially recommended as the substitute of sugar as it is much sweeter than xylitol, is extremely low in calories and its glycemic index amounts to 0, while xylitol only slightly raises blood sugar level.

Choose healthy snacks

If you like savoury treats change the ready made crisps to home-made ones, e.g. from beetroot, celery and carrot. If you like to crunch, I’m sure you will also like nuts.

Eat fresh fruit

Always head for the seasonal produce, and in winter also choose the frozen option. My biggest recommendation is forest fruits as they contain the least amount of pesticides and are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. You can use them to make delicious sorbet which is an excellent substitute for store-bought ice cream.

Your kitchen is awaits You

Instant soups and microwaveable second courses may be a fast but not a healthy solution. Preparing your own meals using fresh products with lots of vegetables is much more beneficial to Your health, well-being and wallet. You can control not only your own meals but also what you serve your family. It is always better to buy products of animal origin straight from a trusted farmer and not in a supermarket.

You can spread your wings in the kitchen and make your own yoghurt, pâté and spreads. Your dishes will be much healthier if you replace potatoes, pasta and white rice with millet groats, buckwheat or quinoa. They do not cause quick changes in the level of glucose in our blood. Groats also contain little fat and by swelling in our stomach they keep us full longer while their fibe speeds up digestion.

What about wheat?

It is definitely advisable to change wheat products such as flour and flakes for substitutes like rice, buckwheat, millet or amaranth. Gluten, which can be found e.g. in wheat, is one of the most common reasons for food intolerance. Therefore, if you want to take care of your health and well-being, cut it out from your diet. What is more, research has shown that people on a gluten-free diet are less likely to suffer from obesity. Eliminating gluten from one’s diet can be a good solution for those who want to lose weight. Wheat-free diet is also beneficial for people struggling with thyroid problems, especially Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I assure you that you will easily find healthy substitutes of wheat and your diet will be colourful 🙂

Choose healthy fats

Make way for healthy fats in your kitchen, such as clarified butter, coconut oil and olive oil. Clarified butter has a high smoke point (the temperature at which fat starts to burn), thanks to which it is perfect for fried dishes. Medium-chain fatty acids constitute more than a half of fatty acids in coconut oil. As a result, digestion of this oil is very fast. Medium-chain fatty acids, thanks to efficient oxidation in the liver, and consequently lower bioavailability, do not accumulate so much in the fatty tissue. Moreover, consumption of those may lower appetite and for this reason positively affect keeping the right body mass. Olive oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids which are beneficial for our body.

Careful with the salt

It is a good idea to cut out salt which disrupts body’s water and mineral balance and can lead to hypertension. Change it for aromatic herbs, e.g. thyme, lovage, estragon, oregano, paprika, pepper, marjoram, rosemary and many more. If you don’t want to give up salt, choose sea salt or himalayan salt instead of table salt. Sea salt is considered to have more nutritional value and to be healthier than table salt. Unfortunately, this type of salt can contain traces of contamination and heavy metals. On the other hand, himalayan salt contains plenty of healthy minerals which cannot be found in refined table salt, it is also free from contamination that could be found in sea salt.

Something for vegetarians and vegans

If you have a meatless diet, then a good source of protein for you, apart from fish, are legumes, seeds and nuts. A great alternative to cow’s milk is coconut milk, as well as oat, rice and almond drinks.

Try out the healthy substitutes and you will soon notice your waist getting thinner. In return you will gain health, lots of energy and a great mood.

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