World Health Day: 13 Food Swaps That Will Keep You Healthy

Whether you are all set to get rid of those extra kilos or simply want to give your life a healthy twist, small changes in your every day diet can go a long way. Now that the World Health Day is just around the corner, it is time to replace all the unhealthy stuff on your plate with all things nutritious and that, too, without compromising on taste. Here are 13 smart and healthy food swaps to get you started.

1. Porridge Instead Of Breakfast Cereals
That bowl-full of packaged breakfast cereal may look like a healthier option but it is high on sugar. So replace it with porridge. It will not only make you feel full for a longer time but it is packed with essential nutrients as well. So what more do you want? Porridge is a slow energy releasing food with a low glycaemic index too!

2. Bran Flakes Instead Of Corn Flakes
If you can’t possibly resist your morning cereal, pick up bran flakes, instead of corn flakes. One cup of bran flakes is enough to give you a quarter of the fibre that you need during a day.

3. Skim Latte Instead Of Skim Cappuccino
Coffee lovers can add a dose of calcium to their day by replacing that cup of skim cappuccino with skim latte. That way, you would be packing 15% extra calcium.

4. Vegetable Juice Instead Of Tomato Juice
There’s another way to get some extra calcium in your diet. Just ditch that tomato juice for some nutritious vegetable juice. You won’t even notice the difference but you’ll have as much calcium as you get from a glass of milk.

5. Salad Instead Of Kebabs & Cheese Bytes
Choose colourful and crispy salad over oily kebabs or fried cheesy bytes as starters. This not only helps you avoid calories, but also adds fibres, vitamins and minerals in your diet.

6. Go For Olive Oil Instead Of Butter/Refined Oil
Make your pasta or dip your bread in olive oil instead of butter. Rich in monounsaturated fat, olive oil is known to improve your heart health as it is loaded with antioxidants, including Vitamin E and polyphenols.

7. Swap Salt With Herbs And Spices
Season your dish with herbs and spices as much as possible and reduce your salt intake. Spice up your dishes with ginger and add flavours with basil and curry powder. You can also experiment with Italian seasonings.

8. Nuts Instead Of Chips
Snack healthy. Go for a handful of nuts rather than reaching out for that packet of chips, which will only add empty calories to your diet. Nuts are rich in essential fats and also a great source of fibre, magnesium, copper, Vitamin E, iron and zinc.

9. Vegetables Instead Of Chips
If you can’t stay away from that yummilicious dip, skip the chips and nachos and opt for some cut carrot, celery, cucumber or any other vegetable that you love. Vegetables are a great way to swap calories with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

10. Broth-based Minestrone Soup Instead Of Tomato-Basil Soup
Tomato soup is far more calorie-laden than it appears to be. Moreover, it is high on cream and sugar. So next time, go for a broth-based soup with chunks of veggies in it. That will give you less calories than the red-hot tomato soup.

11. Frozen Fruits Instead Of Ice-cream
Satiate your craving for dessert with frozen fruits like banana, strawberry and mango. Not only you’ll escape loads of sugar but will also get a great deal of nutrients. Got some free time? Blend the frozen fruits for a minute and get a yummy and thick dessert.

12. Tandoori Or Plain Roti Instead Of Naan
If you are eating out, avoid naans made from refined white flour or maida and go for tandoori roti made with wheat flour.

13. Dark Chocolate Instead Of White Chocolate
Yes, eating chocolate is good for your health. In fact, dark chocolate with cocoa content of 70% and above have found to lower blood sugar. So gorge on dark chocolate that’s high on antioxidants and low on fat.

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