8 Easy Ways to Make Your Favorite Dishes Healthier!
Use olive oil or avocado oil instead of canola oil or butter.
As we know, olive oil is a staple of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Olive oil is rich in healthful antioxidants, polyphenols, and vitamins and is a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, including oleic acid, which reduces inflammation and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. Inflammation is the leading driver of chronic diseases. Studies have shown that olive oil can also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or lung disease. It also reduces the risk of having a stroke. This study found that consuming olive oil can prolong life.
Avocado oil also has many of the same benefits as olive oil, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also has a higher smoking point meaning you can cook with it at high temperatures without decreasing its health benefits. Avocado also has monounsaturated fat oleic acid, which is linked to lower blood pressure. Avocado oil reduces cholesterol and improves heart health. In addition, it contains an antioxidant known as lutein which is good for vision. Avocado oil is also great for keeping your skin healthy and moisturized due to vitamin E and healthy fatty acids.
2. Sneak veggies into your favorite dishes.
Some of my favorite ways to increase my intake of leafy green and other veggies are by hiding them in delicious recipes such as muffins, smoothies, pancakes, burgers, soups, sauces, and pesto.
It may sound weird putting spinach in your baked goods, but I promise it does not compromise the taste! You can also easily hide shredded carrots or zucchini in muffins, pancakes, and loaf bread, and it will make them retain more moisture.
I love adding frozen spinach or “power greens” into my smoothies or smoothie bowls. I often use nutrient-dense green powders such as this one to make my smoothies extra healthy. Adding frozen cauliflower is another flavorless option to add nutrients to your smoothies. You can also add fresh or frozen avocado to increase vitamin E and healthy unsaturated fats.
When making burgers, you can easily add finely diced healthy mushrooms (you could even marinate them in a Worsteschire sauce), black beans for fiber, or shredded zucchini. These options may add a bit of unique flavor, but in my opinion, this can be a good thing!
Making soup is an effortless way to sneak in vegetables, and you can even swap particular vegetables for unhealthy ingredients. For example, instead of using heavy cream, puréed cooked cauliflower will add a nice creamy texture while significantly increasing the nutritional value without sacrificing taste. Puréed chickpeas or puréed cashews (after soaking cashews in water) also add a nice creamy texture.
If making pesto, you may want to try using kale in addition to basil and see if you can tell the difference.
3. Use natural sweeteners instead of sugar.
Sugar is one of the leading causes of inflammation and weight gain. It negatively affects your well-being both physically and cognitively. Using healthier alternatives such as raw local honey, pure maple syrup, and coconut or date sugar can positively impact your health by providing antioxidants and nutrients.
Raw local honey benefits:
Good source of antioxidants
A small amount of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, niacin, and potassium.
The propolis in raw honey has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
Manuka honey can help with wound healing due to its anti-microbial properties
Immune-boosting properties due to phytonutrients
Pure Maple Syrup Benefits:
High in antioxidants
Has nutrients such as riboflavin, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and potassium
Fewer calories than honey
Coconut Sugar Benefits:
Lower chance of blood sugar hike due to small amount of fiber.
Has vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and sodium
Great replacement for brown sugar!
Date Sugar Benefits:
Made of ground dates, which have a lot of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber
Also, a great substitution for brown sugar
My favorite types of sugar replacers are those that are all-natural, have zero sugar, and have zero chemicals! The two I use most are monk fruit sugar and stevia. These two sweeteners are great substitutions for reducing calories, reducing carbohydrates, and losing weight.
Monk fruit sweetener is a healthy low-glycemic plant-based sweetener that is 150 to 200 times as sweet as sugar but without calories or carbohydrates. It is sometimes blended with a sugar alcohol called erythritol, which doesn’t raise blood sugar, but also isn’t the greatest healthy ingredient since it can occasionally cause a little bit of digestive stress, but at least it is sugar and calorie-free.
Stevia is a good low-glycemic calorie-free option as well and is 200 to 300 times as sweet as sugar. I like it best in liquid form to sweeten beverages. A little goes a very long way, but be careful about using too much, or it can leave an aftertaste.
4. Choose lower-carb swaps.
I love pizza, pasta, bread, chips, and fresh tortillas as much as anyone else, but I almost always opt for lower-carb swaps if I’m cooking for myself at home. Some of my favorites are Carbonaut Bread, Siete Tortillas, Banza Pasta Tortilla Chips, and Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Pizza Crusts.
5. Add more fiber, vitamins, and omega-3s to dishes by topping them with avocado, chia seeds, or ground flax seeds.
Sprinkle super seeds on top of your dishes to add nutrients such as fiber and omega-3s. Avocado also makes a great substitute for mayonnaise in many dishes.
6. Drink flavored water instead of fruit juice or soda.
It can be difficult to drink enough water each day. Adding some flavor can make water more appealing and easier to drink. I am much more likely to reach for my water bottle if I toss some frozen berries into it at the beginning of the day to add a bit of flavor. You can also add mint, cucumber, lemon, or a teabag to add a nice flavor! I also like adding this chlorophyll for a flavorless health boost or this berry green powder for some healthy flavor!
7. For dessert, consider delicious healthier swaps!
Chia seed pudding, banana “nice” cream, healthy berry crisp, fresh berries with coconut whipped cream, or healthier chocolate sweetened with sugar-free all-natural sweeteners are great healthy options! Recipes coming SOON!
