Amy Lydia's Top 10 Food Swaps

As a nutritionist, I’m often asked for quick and easy solutions for weight loss and healthier options.  It’s amazing how a few simple food swaps can greatly improve your health. Whether you want to lose weight or just get better nutrition, give these 10 suggestions a shot. You may be pleasantly surprised how these little changes will help you live and feel well.

1. Quinoa for white rice
White rice is stripped of many essential nutrients (like fiber). Swapping it with quinoa provides not only fiber but protein.

2. Ground turkey for beef
Beef is filled with saturated fat that your body doesn’t need and is hard to process. Try ground turkey instead and you will be pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is without the fat and calories.

3. 100% whole wheat bread for white bread
White bread is just processed white flour with zero nutrition. Check your label and look for 100% whole wheat as the first ingredient. If you are gluten free, look for ingredients like brown rice flour in your gluten free breads. Also, check the sugar content. Aim for less than 2g of sugar per serving.

4. Spinach for iceberg lettuce
Iceberg lettuce is what I grew up eating in Minnesota. It is virtually free of nutrients and is mostly just water. That’s why it’s less expensive. Spend a little more and get some powerfully nutritious spinach. It is full of vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. Plus, it pairs nicely with pretty much anything and tastes great.
5. Whole fruit for juice
It’s better to have juice than soda as it does have vitamins and minerals. However, the sugar content in juice is so high andt i immediately spikes your blood sugar. Replace orange juice with an orange and get all the nutrients plus fiber to fill you up and satisfy. It takes longer to peel the orange too, so this will keep you from overindulging quickly.

6. Avocado for mayo
Sure, avocados  contain fat, but it’s primarily the healthy type of unsaturated fat known to lower cholesterol. Avocados are also packed with nutrients, including fiber, potassium and essential vitamins.  Try and avocado on your sandwich inseaed of mayo for a new healthier twist.

7. Popcorn for chips
Chips are filled with more than twice the fat and calories as popcorn. A one-ounce snack-size bag of chips has 150 calories and 10 grams of fat. Swap that for a cup of air-popped popcorn at 31 calories and 0 grams of fat. Enjoy that movie with some popcorn and a light spritz of oil or Parmesan.
8. Oil and balsamic instead of processed dressings
Bottled dressings are a nutritionist’s nightmare. Most bottled dressings  are filled with so many ingredients with many that are unrecognizable. Keep it simple. Use oil and vinegar with salt and pepper instead to dress your salads and veggies. The good fat from the oil will keep you satisfied.

9. Salsa instead of cream-based dips
Swap cream-based dips for salsa to get extra nutrients for fewer calories. Salsa has a lot more flavor too to liven up veggies, baked potatoes, and corn chips.
10. Plain Greek yogurt for fruit filled nonfat yogurt
Fat free yogurt is stripped of vital nutrients and replaced with sugar. The yogurt that says “berry “is typically not made with any real berries. It is usually just processed colors and flavorings. Opt for plain Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt has twice as much protein as regular yogurt and probiotics for gut health. To make it sweeter, add your own real blueberries, honey, or cinnamon. Your tummy will thank you.