By: Althea Burke
Do you struggle with preparing to be healthy? It’s kind of a shake your head moment that the hardest part of living a healthful life isn’t the living it out aspect, it’s the phase leading up to it. Getting all the right foods and the special equipment can be majorly off-putting to many people.
My reasons for putting off swapping out harmful ingredients for healthy ones reached far and wide. From time, to energy, to money, to support of friends and family. But, I cannot deny the scientific and anecdotal evidence that links my quality of life with the food that I consume.
The change can be a bit daunting to tackle all at once, so I’ve compiled a short list of food swaps that you can incorporate into your diet over time. From swapping out margarine for butter in one grocery stop, to picking up Xylitol rather than granulated sugar, even trying making your own peanut butter one weekend -- it’s doable, and I’ll show you how!
Condiments
- Mayonnaise
Salad dressing
Nut butters (e.g Almond or Peanut butter)
Mayo recipe from Maria Emmerich's The 30 Day Ketogenic Cleanse
Mayo recipe from Maria Emmerich's The 30 Day Ketogenic Cleanse
Tasty Treats
Frozen grapes
Popsicles made of natural fruit juices
Oatmeal, raisin and banana cookies
Cocoa & Peanut butter cookies (pictured below)
Cocoa & Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 large egg
½ tsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup Swerve confectioners sugar
Mix ingredients in a bowl using your hand. Ensure all ingredients are mixed well. Mix, pinch and kneed for 3-4 minutes. Create 10-12 equal sized balls. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten balls a bit before putting into oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let them cool completely before eating.
Sugar Substitutes
- Erythritol
Monk fruit
Xylitol (looks like granulated sugar)
Swerve Confectioners’ Sugar (alternative to powdered sugar)
Here are some tips on cutting sugar out of your diet.
Oils & Butter
MCT Oil
Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
Note: Avoid the following at all costs: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, margarine and vegetable shortening.
Sodium
Celtic Sea Salt by Selina Naturally
Himalayan Pink Salt
Note: Spices are a carbohydrate, so be mindful of how much have and real the label of pre-made spice mixes as they often contain sugar, MSG, wheat and other harmful additives.