14 Delicious Healthy Food Swaps: Nutritious Alternatives to Your Favorite Snacks

Healthy Food Swaps: 14 Delicious Alternatives to Your Favorite Snacks

We all have been guilty of enjoying that sugar loaded bowl of ice cream or that ultra processed bag of chips. Junk food tastes good and can be addictive and should be consumed occasionally that too in moderation to avoid chronic health issues in the long run.

In today’s world where everywhere you go, you see reels and posts on instagram and other social media platforms saying this kind of foods are bad for you or that kind of snacks should not be consumed; all these leaves you very confused as to what is healthy then for consumption?  One can easily feel deprived of any delicious snacks and this can lead to feeling of helplessness and confusion.

In this article, we will talk about how you can easily incorporate healthy and tasty food in your daily routine and you don’t have to feel that you are missing out on anything, as there are many tasty and healthier alternatives to these notoriously famous food items.

We will discuss about 14 foods which are unhealthy and their negative health effects and what are the alternatives that you can use instead of them to satiate the cravings and to provide nourishment to the body also.

Why Choose Healthy Food Swaps for Your Snacks

1. Benefits of Replacing Sugary Beverages with Nutrient-Rich Alternatives

Around 50% of adults and 60% of children consume sugar-sweetened beverages on the daily ^(1).These sugary drinks are not only high in sugar and calories, but low in important nutrients and can lead to weight gain. Increased sugar consumption can lead to tooth decay, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer ^{(2, 3)}.

The more sugary drinks you drink, the greater the risk for dying from heart disease ⁽⁴⁾.  A study done on 500,000 people across 10 European countries showed that sugary beverages were associated with all-cause deaths ⁽⁵⁾.  Another study showed that drinking sweet drinks, such as soda, causes decreased sensitivity to the sweet taste and causes increased cravings for sugary foods ⁽⁶⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: You can switch your processed sweet beverages with homemade golden milk or smoothies made with fruits, milk, yogurt and dash of honey or jaggery for taste. Drinking these will provide you with lot of nutrients and helps in reducing the sugar consumption via sweet beverages.

2. White Bread Replacement: Nutritious Swaps for a Healthier You

Refined wheat stripped of fiber and other vital nutrients is used to make white bread, which can cause blood sugar spikes ⁽⁷⁾. Whereas, whole grains are better as they gradually increase the sugar levels due to their fiber content and also increase gut health ⁽⁸⁾. Other than this, whole grain bread is better than refined bread at reducing the abdominal fat ⁽⁸⁾.

Healthy Swap: Sprouted whole grain bread is the best substitute for the regular mundane white bread.  The sprouted grains are good for health and help in absorbing more nutrients from the grains. Anti-nutrients are compounds present in plant foods which disrupt the nutrient absorption from a food source.  The majority of the nutrients in the sprouted grains get easily absorbed by the body and they have increased levels of antioxidants in them too ⁽⁹⁾.  Ezekiel bread is a good alternative to white bread for individuals who can tolerate gluten. 

3. Healthy Alternatives to Frozen Pizzas and Fast Foods: Reduce Health Risks

 It is thought that homemade pizzas are better than manufactured or frozen pizzas, as they contain different types of additives, such as colors and preservatives making them detrimental to health. It is also important to limit the intake of processed meats like hot dogs, pepperoni and bacon, which are commonly used as pizza toppings, as processed food is linked to cancer ⁽¹⁰⁾. Additionally, majority of the manufactured pizzas are made of highly refined flours lacking in nutrients ⁽¹¹⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: Frozen pizzas and other fast food which is high in fat, calories and salt can be switched with the same foods made with fresh and wholesome ingredients, which are beneficial for your health. Use fresh vegetables as toppings on the pizza, such as mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers and onions ⁽¹²⁾. The pizza dough can be prepared at home using healthy flours combinations, such as quinoa, rye and chickpea flour. 

4. Fruit Juices: Health Risks and Nutritious Alternatives

When it comes to filling your stomach, solids do a better job than liquids ⁽¹³⁾, which leads to the conclusion that one cannot combat the calories present in a juice by eating less food, and one ends up consuming a lot of calories ⁽¹⁴⁾.

Most of the fruit juices contain increased amount of fructose and this type of sugar is linked to liver damage and insulin resistance ⁽¹⁵⁾. Insulin resistance occurs when the body is not able to respond properly to insulin, which is a hormone responsible for controlling blood sugar levels. This is a characteristic feature of type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ⁽¹⁶⁾.

Healthy Swap: One can drink nutrient-rich homemade lemonade, smoothies made with fruits and vegetables with some honey for sweetness.

A study showed that vegetable and fruit juices increased the healthy gut bacterium which was linked with weight loss ⁽¹⁷⁾. Another study showed that vegetable and fruit juices helps in improving the quantity of nitric oxide present in the blood, which helps with better blood flow and cut down on the harmful fats in the body ⁽¹⁷⁾. 

5. Why Avoid Burnt Meat and Fried Foods and What to Cook Instead

There has been a lot of evidence that consuming fried food on a regular basis increases the risk of chronic health problems ^{(18, 19)}.  Frequent consumption of fried foods frequently is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart failure ⁽¹⁸⁾. Cooking meat on high temperature methods, such as barbecuing, grilling over open flame or pan-frying, leads to production of chemicals that are known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines, which are genotoxic in nature. This means that they damage the genes and cause mutations which are responsible for cancer ⁽²⁰⁾.

However, there no concrete evidence that consuming meat which has been cooked at a high temperature increases the risk of cancer in humans ⁽²⁰⁾.

Healthy Swap: Choose cooking techniques for meat which are mild in nature instead of the fast one cooked on direct flame on high temperature. Other better and healthier ways to cook meat are blanching, steaming, stewing and boiling.

6. Sweetened and Processed Breakfast Cereals: Health Concerns and Healthy Swaps

Breakfast cereals are made of processed grains, such as oats, wheat, corn and rice. Many of the cereal products available in the market have decreased fiber and are high in sugar to enhance their taste. Some of these cereals can be as sweet as candy. According to a study, these ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are unhealthy with having lot of sugar in them ⁽²¹⁾.

Healthy Swap: One should opt for breakfast cereals rich in fiber and low in added sugar. The best thing would be to make your own oatmeal from scratch. Steel cut oats are rich in fiber content more than double to what is present in these ready-to-eat breakfast cereals ⁽²²⁾. Dietary fiber intake leads to better digestive health and a reduced risk of stroke, heart disease, certain digestive diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and increased body weight and various cancers ⁽²³⁾.

7. Potato Chips and French Fries

Potatoes are rich in nutrients, however, when they are processed into chips or fries, then its nutrient values goes down.  A recent study found consumption of French fries is associated with hypertension and type 2 diabetes ⁽²⁴⁾.

When potatoes are fried, roasted or baked for long period of time, they cause formation of compounds known as acrylamides, which are linked with cancer ⁽²⁶⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: A healthier alternative to French fires or chips are crunchy vegetables and nuts , which are great for health and good in taste too, such as roasted peppers, carrots,  popcorn, cucumber or nuts.

8. Bakery Goods and Candies

These ultra-processed bakery food items are devoid of nutrients and are laden with sugar, contain preservatives and are low in fiber. Majority of the baked goods are made using refined flour, refined sugar and extra fat. Shortening is also used which consists of inflammation-promoting trans fats ⁽²⁷⁾.

There is a link between increased intake of ultra-processed foods and increased body weight, increased waistline, and reduced levels of HDL which is the good cholesterol, along with increased risk for hypertension, stroke, heart disease, depression and death ⁽²⁸⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: Homemade “crumble in a mug” is a nutritious and easy alternative containing reduced sugar when compared to refined cookies or cakes. It contains lot of flavor and crunch and to make it more healthier one can also add fruits in it and add oat-nut crumble on the top.

9. Gluten-Free Processed Foods

About one-third of Americans actively tries to avoid gluten. However, a diet which is devoid of gluten does not mean that it is healthy for those who do not have gluten-related disorder ⁽²⁹⁾. People tend to replace nutritious gluten-containing foods with gluten free highly processed foods thinking that it is good for their health. Following gluten-free diet can lead to reduced fiber intake, increased food expenses and increased risk of nutritional deficiencies ⁽³⁰⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: There is no reason to avoid gluten unless you are suffering from gluten-related disorder. Always choose nutrient-dense foods, which are naturally free of gluten, such as quinoa or brown rice rather than going for processed gluten-free foods. 

10. Low Fat Yogurt

To make low fat yogurt, the fat content is replaced with sugar and additives, such as modified food starches or gums, to retain its taste.

One study showed that low fat yogurt helped in reducing chronic inflammation in healthy premenopausal women. This study was done on participants reports of how much they ate and what they are and need not be reliable or accurate ⁽³¹⁾.

Recent studies have shown that there’s no concrete evidence that low fat diets are better for weight loss or weight management ⁽³²⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: There are different kinds of yogurts. Greek yogurt is high in protein, vitamin B12, calcium and also contains magnesium along with having beneficial bacterial cultures, making it a good source of gut-friendly probiotics ⁽³³⁾. Plain Greek yogurt which is topped with dark chocolate shavings, fruits and nuts is a tasty and healthy way to satisfy sweet cravings. 

11. Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a form of sweet syrup made from a plant and is often used as a sugar substitute. The current production process of agave causes it to being highly processed sweetener which has no similarity to the original product, which has potential health benefits ⁽³⁴⁾. The fact is, agave nectar has high fructose content than other sweeteners. An older study shows that agave nectar is made of 84% fructose; whereas table sugar is 50% fructose, and the high fructose corn syrup consists of about 55% fructose ⁽³⁵⁾.

Frequent intake of fructose is linked to fatty liver, insulin resistance and increased triglyceride blood levels. All these can cause conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes in the long run ⁽³⁶⁾.

Healthy Food Swap:  Erythritol and stevia are calorie-free and low calorie options which can be considered as a sugar replacement and these do not affect the blood sugar or insulin levels ⁽³⁷⁾.

12. Low Carb Refined Foods

Low carb diets are the latest fad which helps in cutting down the insulin levels, losing weight and improving the heart health ⁽³⁸⁾. One can eat lot of wholesome foods while following a low carb diet; however, beware of highly processed low carb substitute foods, low carb snacks and meal replacements, such as cheddar cheese crisps and cookies.

There is lot of evidence that ultra-processed foods cause adverse health effects and chronic diseases. It is important to understand the effect these foods have on increase in chronic diseases worldwide ⁽³⁹⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: When following a low carb diet, it is better to go for foods which are naturally low in carbs, such as leafy greens vegetables, eggs, seeds, nuts and tofu.

13. Processed Meat

Processed meats are those which undergo different types of processing to preserve quality, improve their flavor or to extend their shelf life. Some of the examples of processed meat are ham, sausages and canned meat.

There are many studies which show a strong association between processed meats and cancer, especially colon cancer ⁽⁴⁰⁾.

According to World Health Organization, processed meat has been classified as a Group I carcinogen ⁽⁴¹⁾.

Healthy Food Swap: There are various, less processed nutrient-dense substitutions for processed meat, such as high quality turkey, chicken, fish, lentils and beans, which can easily replace processed meat.

14. Ice Creams, Popsicles and Frozen Yogurts

It is very difficult to say no to ice creams, popsicles and frozen yogurts all of which are dessert heaven. There is no harm in indulging in them once in a while. 

There are some nutritious options available in the market, but most of these contain refined sugar and are calorie-dense. They also may contain artificial flavors and additives in some form. Chronic sugar consumption is associated with various health problems, such as obesity, dental cavities, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and even death ^{(42, 43)}.

Healthy Food Swaps: One can make homemade ice cream and popsicles with less sugar and without any additives and add natural fruit in it.

Conclusion

A nutritious diet is essential for preventing and even treating chronic diseases related to diet. Consuming nutrient-dense foods instead of ultra-processed foods is a good way to consume a nutritious diet for a better health and to prevent chronic health issues. There are also some foods which are linked to different health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease and excluding them is not always useful. Other than food, other important contributing factors for development of chronic diseases are genetics and lifestyle ⁽⁴⁴⁾.

Other things such as where people live, their environment etc. all of which combined together affects health and disease ⁽⁴⁵⁾.

If making healthier dietary changes feels difficult, then it is better to make these changes gradually instead of overhauling the entire diet at once which makes it difficult to follow. Try portion control where you are allowing yourself smaller servings or your favorite unhealthy sweet or savory delights. Along with healthy diet, it is important to exercise regularly for healthy life and to prevent diseases.

References:

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• List Of High Fat Food Items That Are Healthy
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