Staying healthy and maintaining a normal weight is all about choosing the right foods. Some foods provide most of their calories from fat and sugar, while others are rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber. You can make simple ingredient substitutions to create healthy recipes that taste and look amazing. By changing a few ingredients in your meals, you’ll be able to satisfy your cravings and lose weight at the same time.
whole wheat
Complex carbohydrates have many health benefits. You can add whole wheat, one of the best sources of complex carbohydrates, to your favorite desserts to replace the number of calories consumed. If you want to lose weight and improve your digestion, you should always eat whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice and whole grain crackers. Whole grains are more filling and contain essential nutrients.
high fat dairy alternatives
Replace whole milk, yogurt and cheese with low-fat versions. Most dairy products are healthy, but they contain large amounts of fat. If you want to shed excess weight or reduce cholesterol levels, try mixing full-fat and low-fat versions. Ricotta cheese can be successfully replaced with low-fat cottage cheese. You can eat low fat frozen yogurt or fat free ice cream instead of regular ice cream. Buy plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt instead of sour cream.
Meat, Fish and Poultry
Replace ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken. This way you can easily eliminate unhealthy fats from your diet. Canadian bacon or lean ham is an excellent alternative to bacon or sausage. Always remove the skin from chicken. When you buy beef or pork, choose cold cuts over the fattier versions.
baked goods
Baked goods should not be part of a weight loss diet. However, if you’re craving pastries, donuts, or sweet rolls, you can replace them with bagels, fat free muffins, and English muffins. Choose fat-free or low-fat cookies instead of regular cookies. When you prepare baked goods at home, substitute butter or avocado puree instead of margarine. Avocado puree has a subtle flavor and lends itself well to the dark chocolate flavoring and texture of fudge brownies.
sweet
Loaded with unhealthy refined sugar and simple carbohydrates, candies are one of the worst choices you can make while dieting. These sweets are full of calories, but they do not contain vitamins, minerals or protein. If you’re still craving something sweet, replace candies with dried fruits like apricots, figs, or dates. These healthy foods are not recommended for weight loss diets, but at least they contain essential nutrients that can improve your overall health.
Source by Dominic H Milner
