Do you want some simple food substitutions that can instantly improve your diet? Oftentimes changes are best made in small steps. That's why I compiled a list of healthy food substitutions you can make while grocery shopping. For example, is it better to buy one of the popular brands of pancake syrup with the following ingredients: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, water, cellulose gum, caramel color, salt, sodium benzoate and sorbic acid (preservatives), artificial and natural flavors, sodium hexametaphosphate or 100% purd maple syrup? A number of the ingredients in the first product aren't even food -- just chemical concoctions!
When you walk down the grocery store aisles, make the following easy switches.
Instead of This --------------------------------- Try This
White rice ------------------------------------------ Brown rice
White bread ---------------------------------------- Whole grain bread
White pasta ---------------------------------------- Whole grain pasta
White sugar ---------------------------------------- Date sugar
Conventional produce ----------------------------- Organic produce
GMO seeds ----------------------------------------- Open-pollinated traditional seeds
Packaged microwave popcorn --------------------- Organic air-popped popcorn
Fruit juice ------------------------------------------ Whole fruit
Peanut butter with trans fats and sugar ---------- Plain organic peanut butter
Ketchup -------------------------------------------- Tomato slice
Margarine or vegetable shortening --------------- Butter, ghee, or coconut oil
Canola, corn, or vegetable oil --------------------- Olive or sesame oil
Distilled white vinegar ----------------------------- Apple cider vinegar
White iodized salt ---------------------------------- Gray or pink sea salt
High fructose corn syrup -------------------------- Honey or brown rice syrup
Popular brand-name pancake syrup -------------- 100% pure maple syrup
Sweetened low-fat yogurt ------------------------- Plain whole yogurt (add fresh fruit)
Factory-farmed meats ----------------------------- Pasture-fed meats
Sweetened apple sauce ---------------------------- Unsweetened apple sauce
Artificial sweeteners ------------------------------- Stevia herbal supplement
Baby carrots (chlorine is added) ------------------ Big carrots, chopped
Powdered lemonade mix -------------------------- Water + lemon (+ stevia, optional)
Popular brand-name crackers --------------------- Mary's Gone Crackers brand
Toasted o-shaped cereal -------------------------- Rolled, steel cut, or whole oats
Coffee ---------------------------------------------- Teecino herbal coffee substitute
Popular brand-name energy bar ------------------ Lara Bar
Black tea ------------------------------------------- Green tea
See what you can do to make some of these healthy switches. Let me know if you have any other healthy food substitution ideas.
Kathy Lynch, Founder of WellSkills, is a nutritional health counselor and educator. Kathy helps people reach optimal health, energy, and weight through better eating and balanced lifestyle. Request your *FREE* WellSkills Weekly newsletter with articles like this and healthy recipes. You may also subscribe to a *FREE* Health Tip of the Day to keep you inspired daily. For additional information, please visit http://www.WellSkills.com. Copyright 2009.
When you walk down the grocery store aisles, make the following easy switches.
Instead of This --------------------------------- Try This
White rice ------------------------------------------ Brown rice
White bread ---------------------------------------- Whole grain bread
White pasta ---------------------------------------- Whole grain pasta
White sugar ---------------------------------------- Date sugar
Conventional produce ----------------------------- Organic produce
GMO seeds ----------------------------------------- Open-pollinated traditional seeds
Packaged microwave popcorn --------------------- Organic air-popped popcorn
Fruit juice ------------------------------------------ Whole fruit
Peanut butter with trans fats and sugar ---------- Plain organic peanut butter
Ketchup -------------------------------------------- Tomato slice
Margarine or vegetable shortening --------------- Butter, ghee, or coconut oil
Canola, corn, or vegetable oil --------------------- Olive or sesame oil
Distilled white vinegar ----------------------------- Apple cider vinegar
White iodized salt ---------------------------------- Gray or pink sea salt
High fructose corn syrup -------------------------- Honey or brown rice syrup
Popular brand-name pancake syrup -------------- 100% pure maple syrup
Sweetened low-fat yogurt ------------------------- Plain whole yogurt (add fresh fruit)
Factory-farmed meats ----------------------------- Pasture-fed meats
Sweetened apple sauce ---------------------------- Unsweetened apple sauce
Artificial sweeteners ------------------------------- Stevia herbal supplement
Baby carrots (chlorine is added) ------------------ Big carrots, chopped
Powdered lemonade mix -------------------------- Water + lemon (+ stevia, optional)
Popular brand-name crackers --------------------- Mary's Gone Crackers brand
Toasted o-shaped cereal -------------------------- Rolled, steel cut, or whole oats
Coffee ---------------------------------------------- Teecino herbal coffee substitute
Popular brand-name energy bar ------------------ Lara Bar
Black tea ------------------------------------------- Green tea
See what you can do to make some of these healthy switches. Let me know if you have any other healthy food substitution ideas.
Kathy Lynch, Founder of WellSkills, is a nutritional health counselor and educator. Kathy helps people reach optimal health, energy, and weight through better eating and balanced lifestyle. Request your *FREE* WellSkills Weekly newsletter with articles like this and healthy recipes. You may also subscribe to a *FREE* Health Tip of the Day to keep you inspired daily. For additional information, please visit http://www.WellSkills.com. Copyright 2009.