Simple Food Alternatives for a Healthier Lifestyle

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Written by KURA Writer- Rylee Nelson

Replacing unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives can provide numerous benefits for our overall health and well-being. Food alternatives offer a different way to flavor dishes and introduce new cooking techniques. Specific ingredients that have healthier food alternatives include salt, sugar, fats, and proteins.

Salt Alternatives (Healthline, 2020):
● Garlic
● Onion powder
● Nutritional yeast
● Rosemary
● Ginger
● Sage
● Green salt

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Sugar Alternatives (Healthline, 2021):
● Stevia
● Sugar alcohols
● Monk fruit extract
● Dates
● Honey
● Maple syrup

Photo by Valeria Boltneva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/clear-glass-tea-set-with-honey-1872904/

Fat Alternatives (WebMD, 2022):
● Olive oil
● Avocado
● Nuts and seeds
● Eggs
● Ground Flaxseed

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Protein Alternatives (Healthline, 2022):
● Seafood
● White-meat poultry
● Tofu
● Seitan
● Beans
● Oats

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Swapping out unhealthy ingredients with healthier alternatives can positively impact your health in the long run. Along with the health benefits, such as decreasing chronic disease risk, you can make your foods taste better with various flavor-enhancing herbs, spices, and sweeteners. So the next time you cook, try to replace salt with your favorite herbs and spices. When making tea, try to use honey or stevia instead of sugar. These simple alternatives can help you maintain good overall health and help you discover new flavors and techniques you enjoy.

References:

Kubala, J. (2021, October 21). 10 alternatives to refined sugar. Healthline. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/natural-sugar-substitutes

Petre, A. (2022, May 31). The 18 best protein sources for vegans and vegetarians. Healthline. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-for-vegans-vegetarians

Streit, L. (2020, September 17). 18 flavorful salt alternatives. Healthline. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/salt-alternatives#The-bottom-line

WebMD. (2022, February 22). Healthy Fat’ foods for your diet. WebMD. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-healthy-fat-foods