It’s that time of year when we all seem to indulge a little more than usual. The holidays bring delicious food and tried-and-true family recipes. But before we know it, we are talking about New Year’s resolutions. If one of yours is to eat healthier, you’ll be happy to know this doesn’t have to mean giving up all of the foods you love. The team at Gaston Medical Partners has suggestions for you on easy modifications to make in the kitchen to cut down on calories and fat, but not taste.
Food Substitutions
Lower the fat and calories
- When baking, substitute applesauce for half the oil in a recipe. Your dessert will taste the same but have fewer calories!
- Choosing egg whites or an egg substitute lowers the amount of cholesterol and saves on calories. Two egg whites or ¼ cup egg substitute is the equivalent of one egg.
- Using cooking spray instead of oil means less calories.
- Look for low-fat dairy options over the full fat versions, to save on total fat and calories.
- Plain greek yogurt is a great substitute for butter, oil, sour cream, mayo or buttermilk, adding extra protein with less calories and fat.
- Extra-lean versions of ground beef are a better choice than the higher fat options. Another healthy choice in replacement of ground beef is ground chicken or turkey to save on fat and calories.
- Skinless, white meat chicken is the healthier alternative to dark meat chicken with the skin.
Lower the carbs
- Lettuce wraps can take the place of tortillas, providing all the nutritional benefits that come from leafy greens, with far fewer carbohydrates and calories.
- Riced cauliflower is a good choice over white rice for vitamin A and vitamin C.
- When cauliflower isn’t being used as rice, it can become cauliflower mash to provide an alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.
- If looking to cut down on carbohydrates and calories, spaghetti squash can replace traditional pasta for more vitamins, minerals and fiber.
- If spaghetti squash is not your thing but you are trying to stay away from pasta, zoodles (aka thin slices of zucchini) can fit the bill. They are low calorie, low fat, low carb and a good source of potassium, calcium and vitamin C.
Increase the nutritional value
- Replace half the amount of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat contains more nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. That means multigrain or whole wheat versions of your favorite products are always the healthier choice.
- Reach for brown rice instead of white rice for the healthier choice. It’s higher in fiber, magnesium and other nutrients. Sweet potatoes are also a great substitution for white potatoes, including as fries. With fewer calories and carbohydrates, they are full of fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C.
- By using olive oil instead of butter, you’ll reap all the benefits that come along with it. A large part of the highly regarded Mediterannean Diet, olive oil contains healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, reduces inflammation, and may prevent strokes and heart disease, fight Alzheimer’s Disease and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. All this and even more nutritional benefits, and it’s not thought to contribute to weight gain!
- Reach for low-sodium or reduced-sodium options when given the choice (think canned soup and soy sauce).
- Dark chocolate wins out over milk chocolate. With higher levels of antioxidants, dark chocolate is considered “heart-healthy,” helping to lower your blood pressure and risk of heart disease.
- Dark, leafy greens (think spinach or romaine) are more nutrient-dense than traditional iceberg lettuce, packing in iron, vitamin C and antioxidants.
- Instead of reaching for high fat, high sodium and high calorie potato chips, a better option is the baked chip variety, and trumping that are kale chips that provide vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Cooking Techniques
The way you choose to prepare your food also influences its nutritional value. Baking is preferable to frying in reducing the fat content. Steaming vegetables wins out over boiling, to help retain more of the nutritional benefits.
Snack Smart
One of the quickest ways to sabotage your waistline is with mindless snacking. Try to be deliberate about what you eat in between meals and make your choices count. The doctors of Gaston Medical Partners provide three tips for healthy snacking here.
Incorporating some of the above small changes into your diet can lead to big health benefits, and not at the expense of your tastebuds. So eat up!