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We are all stuck fighting a battle between losing weight and eating something that is tasty. For the most part, it is a misconception that the “healthy” things aren’t tasty. That isn’t the case, quite the contrary actually. With a glimpse into the food swaps for weight loss, you will find that letting go off of some foods can do your body good.
You can easily get frustrated with the strict rules when it comes to dieting. This is why you need to cut down on those rules and opt for a healthier variant of the unhealthy food that you were about to gobble down.
In here, we are going to be discussing about some of the healthy food swaps to lose weight that you possibly had no idea about.
Food Swaps To Lose Weight
This isn’t folklore or a false accusation and quite the opposite actually.
If you are still confused as to which kinds of foods from your daily diet that you can swap out, we are here to help you out with just the same.
1. Mayo for Mustard
Calories in Mayo (per 100 gm) – 390 calories
Just the mention of the calories above should be enough of an indicator as to why mustard is one of the best food alternatives to lose weight.
This is especially true in case of a sandwich when you are slathering it on with a ton of mayo, not even realizing the kind of damage it might end up doing to your body in the long run.
For the best impacts in weight loss, it is best to swipe out the mayo for mustard sauce which is very low in calories but adds in a very spicy kick to the sandwich. It is true that the mustard is an acquired taste and not many people like it but if you want the best results in the long haul, it is a good swap that you can make.
2. Butter for Avocado
Calories in Butter (per 100 gm) – 736 calories
Drastic times call for drastic measures. It is true that the avocado is the food for the trendy people but if you do want to make salient changes to your eating habits to lose weight, it is best suggested to swap out the butter with avocado.
Not only does it get the job done of a topping as well, it also keeps track of the much needed omega-3 fatty acids that our body is in need of. Butter is 100% saturated which cuts down the presence of the essential micronutrients in it which can be beneficial for boosting the overall progress of weight loss and such.
Excessive consumption of butter has also been linked with heightened risks of cardiovascular diseases (R) because of the impact it has on the cholesterol levels in the body.
When you switch the butter with some ripened avocados, you are assured of fewer calories but also the essential nutrients that you wouldn’t otherwise get. It also does have a very creamy texture to it which compensates as a good topping for a toasted piece of bread.
3. Granola for Oatmeal
Calories in Granola (per 100 gm) – 408 calories
I know that the difference between the two in terms of the calories isn’t a lot but this is just with the basic ingredients.
It is likely that you can enjoy your cooked oatmeal with fruits without any kind of added sugar to it and even skip out on the milk and boil it in water.
With granola though, you need a sweetener and some form of dairy to eat it. This further adds to the list of the calories that you are about to consume on a daily basis.
This is why oatmeal for granola is one of the best food swaps for weight loss that you yourself didn’t have any kind of idea about.
Additionally, oatmeal has very high fiber content (R) in it which keeps you satiated for a longer time period, thus further contributing to the weight loss goals even more so.
4. Bagel With Cream Cheese for English Muffin with Nut Butter
Calories in English muffin (100 gm) – 235 calories
Calories in Bagel (100 gm) – 250 calories
Again, coming round to this option, it is more about the kind of toppings you are going to slather on that makes the difference.
Additionally, switching a bagel for a multigrain English muffin can be amazing in cutting down the consumption of the unwarranted refined carbs which is often associated with the insulin resistance in the body.
For the best results, it is thus suggested to cut down on the bagel consumption and just switch it up with an English muffin with some peanut butter applied on it. Skip out on the cream cheese because 100 gms of cream cheese alone contains 342 calories in it.
5. Milk Chocolate for Dark Chocolate
Calories in Milk Chocolate (100 gm) – 526 calories
Now, now, before anyone questions how can more calories in dark chocolate be a good option for weight loss in comparison to the milk chocolate which has lesser calories?
The trick is in the fact that the most of the calories and the fats in the milk chocolate is derived from the additive sugar and dairy and least from the actual cocoa. On the contrary, the majority of the calories in the dark chocolate (R) is the cocoa bean itself.
This is thus one of the best food swaps that will help to lose weight because of the fact that you are imbibing healthy fats into the body.
For the most part, people also don’t consume a lot of dark chocolate in one seating which isn’t the case with the milk chocolate. Given that the dark chocolate is quite bitter, it is often considered as one of the least reached out item and you are less likely to eat it as well.
6. Closed Ones for Open Faced Sandwich
Calories in closed sandwich (100 gm) – 240 calories
Open faced sandwiches are not just pretty to look at on the Instagram feed, it is actually an amazing one of the easy food swaps to lose weight.
It is mainly because and dependent on the kind of bread that one is using. If you tend to use white and refined grain bread, it is best to swap it out with an open faced sandwich instead of using two breads.
You can add in more healthy toppings with the open sandwiches which is an added bonus. For the most part, it is best suggested to stick with items that will help boost your overall well being and even promote the aspect of weight loss like that of omega-3 fatty acids and such.
Not only do you cut down on the calories by ditching one slice of bread, you are also most likely going to eat slowly with the open one which ensures to keep your eating in check as well, preventing the overeating altogether.
7. Juice for the Whole Fruit
Calories in Orange juice (per 100 ml) – 110 calories
Just to give you a rough example, we have sorted out with the oranges. Oranges, as you can see, have a very high difference when eaten in the whole fruit form and then in the juice form.
If you are looking around for the food alternatives to lose weight, it is best suggested to ensure that you ditch the juice and stick to the whole oranges instead. This has been found to have amazing impacts in helping maintain your health and even the kind of impacts it has on one’s overall well being, for that matter.
Majority of the packaged sugary orange juices that you buy from the stores have added sugar in them. Not just that, even the orange that you juiced on your own will have more calories in comparison to just eating the fruit.
8. Flavoured Yogurt for Plain Yogurt with Fresh Fruits
Calories in flavoured yogurt (per 100 gm) – 127 calories
We all love eating frozen yogurt or even the flavoured yogurt that we get in the market, don’t we?
But, if you have been looking into food swaps for weight loss, it is necessary that you switch up your sugar stuffed yogurt bowls with plain yogurt and top that up with some fresh fruits.
This itself can make some of the biggest impacts on your eating habits, and thus directly contribute to the weight loss goals that you have set around for yourself. Majority of the flavoured yogurt cups that you but at the store are loaded with sugar which doesn’t have beneficial impacts on your body.
On the contrary, when you eat plain yogurt paired with the fresh fruits, not only are you cutting down on the calories, you are also consuming good amount of fibers from the fruits which is an added bonus for your weight loss goals.
9. Syrup for Poached Eggs
Calories in Maple syrup (per 100 gm) – 261 calories
If you are a heavy pancake eater for breakfast, chances are that you slather the heaped pancake stack with maple syrup or any kind of syrup and a good chunk of butter.
Gone are all the efforts that you put in the gym for the past 2-3 weeks.
The best way to induce effective food swaps for weight loss is to ensure that you indulge in eating your pancakes with poached eggs instead. There is nothing better than pairing your pancakes with a perfectly cooked sunny side up with a runny and gooey yolk.
The combination of the poached eggs instead of the syrup also provides your body with the necessary amount of protein that you need to eat for the breakfast meal as well.
So, that is an added win-win situation for you all.
10. Saturated Oils for Coconut Oil
Calories in Canola Oil (for 100 gm) – 884 calories
Saturated and hydrogenated oils are one of our biggest enemies when it comes round to our health. If you want the best for your body, it is best suggested to ensure that you do opt for switching out your canola oil for coconut oil because it does have amazing impacts on your health undoubtedly.
Coconut oil is enriched with medium chained fatty acids which help promote heart health and even boost your skin and overall well being.
The only problem with coconut oil is the characteristic smell that it leaves behind in the cooking but other than that, it is pretty much an amazing option to look into if you are looking for the best food alternatives to lose weight.
11. Soda for Infused Water
Calories in Infused water (per 100 ml) – 0 calories
If you are on a mission to lose weight and get your body back in shape, switching up your bottle of soda with a glass of infused water can do the drink better than anything else.
As you can see, infused water has no calories in it if you make it at home. All you need to do is cut up the fruit you want to add and let it steep in the water for a few hours. Strain and drink it.
Apart from the fact that the infused water is low in calories, it has also been found to have beneficial detoxification properties as well as helps boost the metabolism which further helps in weight loss.
So, not only does it not add to the calorie counter, it also helps in keeping your boosting the metabolism to further keep your well being in check.
12. French fries for Baked Potatoes
Calories in French fries (per 100 gm) – 197 calories
It isn’t a surprise at all that majority of us love to eat French fries. Pair that with some mayo or even ketchup and you have the perfect snack to eat out.
But, if you want to lose weight, it is best suggested to ensure that you do food swaps for weight loss.
The problem is the fact that potatoes are too good to be cut out from your daily diet. The best way to make changes to the same is to ensure that you switch it up with some baked potatoes instead.
Baked potatoes are low in calories, don’t have the risks of being deep fried and are actually good in taste. So, if you are still thinking, it is time to stop thinking and do the needful.
You can also make them at home if you have an oven and save up on a lot of money and boost your weight loss goals in the meantime as well.
13. White Bread for Whole Wheat Bread
Calories in whole wheat bread (per 100 gm) – 120 calories
Refined carbs are your biggest enemies if you are trying to adhere to a proper diet for your weight loss. For the most part, when it comes to the food swaps that will help to lose weight, you need to make the switch between white and whole grain bread.
The whole grain bread is good for your weight loss goals and even brings forth better changes in terms of the kind of impact it has on the insulin resistance in the body.
Additionally, the whole grain bread is also high in fiber content which further helps accentuate the satiety and keeps you full for a longer time period that you need.
Moreover, studies have also found that eating whole grains have been associated with better management of the inflammation and even helps promote better burning of the fat.
14. Store Bought Salad Dressing for Homemade Dressing
Calories in store bought salad dressing (per 100 ml) – 457 calories
We all like to have some white ranch dressing over our salads, don’t we? And while adding it in moderation is a good option, it isn’t necessarily the best option when you slather it over the bed of leaves that you have.
The best way to make a healthier switch is to ensure that you swap out the sloppy store bought dressing with a healthier one that you made at home.
For the most part, these kinds of dressing can make a lot of difference in your weight loss goals. If you think that just because you at a bowl of salad, you are going to lose weight, you are mistaken.
That is not how it works.
In order to lose weight, you need to ensure that the meal that you are consuming is worthy of the nutritious values that you deem it to be.
Make a homemade salad dressing with olive oil, lemon and some Italian seasoning and you are good to go.
15. Pasta for Veggie Spaghetti
Calories in Vegetable Spaghetti (per 100 gm) – 15 calories
Calories in Spaghetti (per 100 gm) – 359 calories
Refined carbs are bad for you if you are trying to lose weight, especially if you are trying to lose weight. The plate of spaghetti that you just ate is filled with a whole round of calories and refined carbs. The last thing you want is for the same to end up being a contributing factor towards the cause of insulin resistance that majority of us experience through and through.
If you want to relish the taste of the spaghetti but still don’t want for it to affect your well being, vegetable spaghetti is a good option.
This is nothing but the spiraled vegetable which is then cooked in the pasta sauce that you made. It is best suggested to blanch the vegetable first in some hot water and then cook it how you would cook the normal spaghetti. This is what makes all the difference because not only are you getting your fibers, you are also getting in the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals as well.
Zucchini as well as butternut squash make for amazing pasta in the vegetable form.
16. Cow Milk for Almond Milk
Calories in Cow milk (per 100 ml) – 70 calories
Almost the double amount of calories is what cow’s milk has in comparison to the almond milk.
If you have been looking around for good food swaps for weight loss, switching the cow’s milk for almond milk is actually a good enough option.
It is not just less in calories but is also amazing for the ones who have low lactose intolerance in their body. The almond milk keeps your metabolism in check and ensures to prevent any kind of further risks associated with the same.
Additionally, almond milk is also quite rich in taste and has beneficial nutrients which further do boost the overall metabolism of the body like no other.
17. Mashed Potatoes for Mashed Cauliflower
Calories in Mashed Potatoes (per 100 gm) – 88 calories
If you are very dependent on mashed potatoes to get you through your meal, it is time to make changes to that.
For one of the healthy food swaps to lose weight, you can change up the traditional mashed potatoes with that of the mashed cauliflower. Given that it is quite amazingly loaded with the much needed nutrients, it is best suggested that you make the changes.
The taste is acquired, so it is possible that wouldn’t like it right off the bat.
This is why it is best suggested to take your time with the process and the more you eat it, the more you are going to love it.
18. Minced Beef for Minced Turkey
Calories in Minced turkey (per 100 gm) – 118 calories
Calories in Mined beef (per 100 gm) – 250 calories
Last but not the least is the easy food swap between minced turkey and minced beef.
If you have been struggling to keep things in place for yourself, it is best suggested that you switch up your ground beef with ground turkey.
Not only is it low in calories, it is also good for your overall heart health unlike the red meat, whose excess consumption has been found to have negative impacts on the body.
If you want a healthy life, this is considered one of the best food swaps to lose weight.
Your life is in your hands with the kind of decisions you make. If you want to lead a healthy life, it is very important to make food swaps for weight loss. It might not seem like the best option around but, for the most part, that is what makes all the difference. More than exercise, your diet plays a key role when it comes round to the overall weight loss goals.
