11 Food Swaps To Make You Healthier

1. Instead of a bagel, use an English muffin.

Instead of a bagel, use an English muffin.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Swap the 3½-inch bagel with 1 tablespoon each cream cheese and fruity jam for a whole-wheat English muffin topped with a tablespoon of peanut butter and fresh strawberry slices.

2. Instead of low-fat milk, use Greek yogurt.

Instead of low-fat milk, use Greek yogurt.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Flip-flop your breakfast bowl. Instead of pouring 1/2 cup low-fat milk over your bowl of granola (about 2/3 cup), sprinkle ¼ cup granola over 6 ounces of nonfat Greek yogurt. Low-fat granola has about 1.5g fat in 1⁄4 cup — that’s 75% less than regular granola.

3. Instead of OJ, eat an orange.

Instead of OJ, eat an orange.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Skip the 12-ounce glass of orange juice. Eat a fresh orange instead—one cup of OJ has 24 grams of sugar, double the amount in an orange. Plus you’ll tack on an extra 3 grams of fiber, too, by eating whole fruit.

4. Instead of bread use a wrap.

Instead of bread use a wrap.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Pile your sandwich fixings on one (8-inch) 100-calorie whole-wheat wrap, rather than 2 slices of hearty multigrain bread.

5. Instead of crackers, sub in apple slices.

Instead of crackers, sub in apple slices.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Enjoy that savory sharp cheddar with crisp apple slices instead of wheat crackers – and up your daily fruit count too! You’ll also save on sodium. Five wheat crackers: 200mg sodium. One medium fresh apple: Zero.

6. Instead of a flour tortilla, use a corn tortilla.

Instead of a flour tortilla, use a corn tortilla.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Turn burrito night into fajita night: Stuff the tasty fixings into 2 (6-inch) corn tortillas, rather than one (10-inch) flour tortilla. You’ll also save 450mg of sodium.

7. Instead of mixed nuts, eat trail mix.

Instead of mixed nuts, eat trail mix.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Two handfuls of nuts are heart-healthy but calorie-heavy. Downsize the 2 handfuls of nuts to 1 (about 3⁄4 oz.), and add a handful of air-popped popcorn and whole-grain cereal, such as Chex. There are 400 calories in a half cup of nuts — so portion carefully.

8. Instead of milk chocolate, eat dark chocolate.

Instead of milk chocolate, eat dark chocolate.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Dark chocolate has half the sugar of milk chocolate. Plus, intense dark chocolate, savored slowly, can last as long and deliver the satisfaction you want. Try 2 squares versus a whole candy bar.

9. Instead of ultralight, drink local craft beer.

Instead of ultralight, drink local craft beer.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Savor and sip the superiority of one local, full-flavored high-gravity craft beer. It’ll quench and satisfy far greater than 2 ultralight pints. Be careful: Some specialty beers can have up to 10% alcohol — more than wine.

10. Instead of corn chips, use radishes as a crunchy chili topper.

Instead of corn chips, use radishes as a crunchy chili topper.

Randy Mayor / Via cookinglight.com

Instead of an ounce each of corn chips and sour cream, try fresh radishes for crunch, jalapeños for heat, and a small dollop of cool, creamy nonfat Greek yogurt. There’s still room for cheese. Corn chips aren’t just carbs; skip them, and you’ll save 10g fat per ounce.

11. Instead of a vanilla Frappuccino, order an iced vanilla latte.

Instead of a vanilla Frappuccino, order an iced vanilla latte.

Brian Woodcock / Via cookinglight.com

Even with 2% milk and no whipped cream, a 16-ounce Frappuccino contains 300 calories, mostly from the whopping 67g of sugar. Switch to an iced 2% vanilla latte, and save 40g. Skip the flavoring and order nonfat milk for a refreshing sip with only 11g sugar.

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