Healthy Food

Healthy food swaps that make New Year’s resolutions easy

04/02/2021 10:05 PM10 min read Susan S. Johnson

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Healthy food swaps that make New Year’s resolutions easy

Caitlin McCormack

1/4/2021

Healthy food swaps that make New Year’s resolutions easy

If losing weight is on your list of New Year’s resolutions this year, you can take comfort in the fact that research has shown that even small changes to your diet can have a big impact. The following simple food swaps can help you cut hundreds of calories and stick to your diet goals without feeling deprived.

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Swap spaghetti for zoodles

A single cup of cooked zoodles contains a mere 38 calories, a fraction of the 200 calories you’ll find in a cup of regular pasta. This food swap cuts calories while still providing heartiness and fibre to keep you feeling full between meals.

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Swap mayonnaise for mustard

It’s easy for calories to add up in a sandwich, between the cheeses, spreads, and other possible fillings. For a healthy food swap that will have a big impact, ditch the fatty mayo for mustard. There are about 90 calories in a tablespoon of store-bought mayonnaise, while mustard—of the plain yellow variety, that is—is calorie-free.

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Swap sour cream for Greek yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt has all the tang of full-fat sour cream yet less than half the calories, and it packs extra protein—perfect for helping you feel full between meals. Use this food swap when making dips, topping bowls of chili, or making any other recipes that call for sour cream.

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Open-face your sandwiches.

Another sandwich food swap that will help you live healthier in the new year is eating your sandwiches open face. You’re instantly cutting your bread calories in half, saving at least 100 calories or so per average sandwich.

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Swap pop for sparkling water

A 12-ounce glass of sparkling water contains zero calories while still satisfying the desire for a bubbly beverage. Compare that with a 12-ounce glass of cola containing 140 calories—you could lose up to 20 pounds a year just by making this simple food swap. Add fresh fruit or herbs if you want extra flavour.

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Swap raisins for grapes

It’s easy to overeat when snacking on dried fruit, since it takes up much less space than a comparable amount of fresh fruit. Half a cup of raisins contains about 250 calories, while the same amount of fresh grapes contains just 31 calories. Opting for grapes will help you reach your daily hydration goals as well.

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Swap microwave popcorn for air-popped popcorn

Four and a half cups of air-popped popcorn contains about 140 calories; compare that to the 210 calories in the same amount of a comparable microwave brand. This healthy food swap even gets you all the high-fibre health benefits of a whole grain!

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Swap sugar for cinnamon

A pinch of cinnamon lends a touch of sweetness to your cooking without adding very many calories—just 6 per teaspoon—while also helping to control blood sugar levels. Sugar, on the other hand, contains 16 calories per teaspoon and virtually no nutritional value.

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Swap ice cream for sorbet

If you want to indulge in a sweet frozen treat, one cup of sorbet contains just 180 calories and is fat-free. This food swap saves you 80 or more calories and around 15 grams of fat, which will definitely help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions. Just remember that sorbet still contains plenty of sugar, so you should eat it sparingly.

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Swap cinnamon buns for cinnamon toast

While there’s no denying that cinnamon buns are a delectable treat, they can easily clock in at more than 800 calories apiece. You can enjoy all their sweet, cinnamony flavour with less guilt by swapping them for two pieces of cinnamon raisin toast topped with an ounce of cream cheese spread—all for just 230 calories.

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Swap iced lattes for iced coffee

If you just can’t get through the day without your midday cuppa joe, one healthy food swap you can try is ditching the latte for plain coffee. Making this change cuts out an extra 160 calories per beverage.

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Swap olive oil for olive oil spray

A quick spritz of olive oil spray clocks in at about 5 calories, while a tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories. Using an olive oil spray instead of regular oil provides the benefits of non-stick cooking without adding to your waistline.

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Swap regular crust for thin crust

Pizza doesn’t necessarily have to be an unhealthy meal, especially if you top it with plenty of veggies and go easy on the cheese. Another healthy food swap is picking thin crust instead of regular, which can save you 300 or more calories per pizza.

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Swap brie for goat cheese

Just as creamy as brie but with 30 fewer calories per 100-gram serving, goat cheese is a delicious food swap when you’re watching what you eat, and a little adds a lot of flavour. Enjoy it on crackers and in appetizers or salads.

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Swap flavoured yogurt for plain varieties

As mentioned earlier, sugar contains almost no nutritional value and can quickly up your calorie intake. Packaged yogurt is a prime example, with some varieties packing over “10 grams of sugar per 100 gram serving”. Swap flavoured options for their plain counterparts and you’ll cut 50 or more calories per serving, plus avoid blood sugar spikes from all that added sugar.

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Swap fried eggs for poached eggs

Fried or scrambled eggs are usually made with a tablespoon or two of butter to keep them from sticking to the pan, which can easily add 100 calories or more to your morning meal. By poaching or even hard-boiling your eggs instead, you can still enjoy all their health benefits without the extra calories.

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Swap fancy cocktails for wine

Just because you have health goals doesn’t mean you have to give up your social life. Swap those margaritas and other fancy cocktails for a glass of red wine and you’ll save about 180 calories. You’ll also benefit from all the health perks a glass of vino offers.

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Swap alfredo sauce for red sauce

Cup for cup, a traditional red pasta sauce contains way fewer calories than the alfredo variety. It’s also free of potentially artery-clogging butter, cheese, and oils. Make yours even healthier by skipping the store-bought kind—which is often loaded with sugar—and making your own at home instead.

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Swap oil-packed tuna for tuna in water

Consuming fish at least once a week can be good for your health, but not if that fish is packed in calorie-laden oil. One healthy swap is buying canned tuna (and other fish) that’s packed in water instead of oil, which will easily save you 30 calories or more per serving.

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Swap coconut milk beverages for almond milk

Non-dairy milk beverages have been growing in popularity over the last few years, and both coconut and almond are popular options. By sticking with almond instead of coconut, you can save about 10 calories per cup.

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Swap regular cookies for cookie thins

Cookie thins provide that delicious cookie taste and mouthfeel you love for just 50 calories or less per serving. They’re a tasty food swap when you’re craving something sweet but are trying to watch your waistline.

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Swap barbecue sauce for mustard.

Not only is mustard a good swap for mayonnaise, it can also be used in place of barbecue sauces when marinating and cooking meat. It saves you 50 calories or more per tablespoon while adding a flavourful punch to grilled meat dishes.

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Swap white rice for cauliflower rice

More than just a hipster trend, cauliflower rice is a healthy swap for white rice that contains just 25 calories per cup. Compare that to the 205 calories in a cup of regular rice, and there’s no denying which option is best for anyone trying to lose weight.

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Swap dark meat for white meat

The shade you choose may be a matter of taste, but the numbers are clear: a 3.5-ounce serving of white meat chicken contains 173 calories while an equal portion of dark meat clocks in at 205 calories. This 32-calorie difference (on a daily basis) adds up to a loss or gain of 3 pounds over the course of a year.

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Ditch the bun

Asking your waiter to hold the bun can save you around 130 calories while still letting you indulge your burger craving. This healthy food swap is a menu option at many popular restaurant chains, making it easier than ever to make healthier choices when dining out.

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