YW_Issue_94_July-18_68 pages

kitchen
10 wellness
10 Healthy Kitchen Swaps
You Can Make Today
Looking to overhaul your diet?
Trying to eat healthier meals?
Want to ensure your family is
getting five portions of fruit and
vegetables each day? Well, it’s no
surprise that healthy eating habits
begin with a healthy kitchen.
But, if you find you’re constantly
making unhealthy choices, it might
be time to introduce a few swaps.
Here are 10 quick and easy
swaps you can try to improve your
family’s eating habits:
1
Swap the biscuit
barrel for a fruit
bowl
Is your biscuit stash more
accessible than your healthy
snacks? If you find you’re always
reaching for chocolate, sweets
or biscuits, try moving your fruit
bowl so that it’s the first thing you
see when you’re deciding which
snack to grab.
2
Swap salt for herbs
Too much salt in the diet
can lead to high blood pressure.
If you’re looking to reduce the
amount of salt you use in your
cooking, try flavouring meals with
dried or fresh herbs instead.
3
Swap the frying pan
for a steamer
Fried food might be tasty but
it’s also high in fat and calories.
Try steaming ingredients instead
to create a healthier option.
4
Swap mayonnaise
for lemon juice
Keep calorie-laden mayo as a
treat and instead use lemon
juice to dress salads
or mix into sandwich
fillings.
Swap sunflower oil
5for olive oil
There are lots of different
cooking oils in the market and
some are healthier than others.
Try swapping sunflower oil for
healthier olive oil where possible.
Swap meat for
6
beans and pulses
Meat can be enjoyed as part
of a healthy diet but eating too
much meat on a regular basis
can be detrimental to health. For
a healthier and cheaper option,
try swapping meat for beans and
pulses a couple of times a week.
7
Swap jam for honey
While both jam and honey
taste delicious, honey is less
refined and has a lower GI value
than jam, so it won’t raise blood
sugar levels quite so quickly.
Remember however, honey is still
a sugary treat so add sparingly.
8
Swap ice-cream for
yogurt
If you’re craving a cold
sweet treat, try frozen
yogurt rather than icecream.
It’s lower in
calories and saturated fat making
it a healthier option. Add a serving
of fruit on the side to boost your
vitamin count.
9
Swap frying for
grilling
Frying food increases the
calories and fat in a dish because
of the oils used during the frying
process. You can make dishes
healthier by grilling ingredients
instead – with no need for oil.
10
Swap the takeaway
menu for a
recipe book
After a busy day, it’s all too
easy to reach for convenience
food or dial for a take-away. Why
not create your own recipe book
filled with quick and easy recipes
that you can prepare in just a few
minutes? Then next time you find
yourself lost for inspiration, you’ll
have a ready supply of recipes on
hand.
yourwellness.com • Volume VII • Issue II • July 2018