A Healthy Trade: Swapping This For That

Posted January 28, 2013

If I had just five second to stand up on a global soap box and declare something to the masses, it would be this: Being healthy does not mean deprivation. In order to adopt a clean and healthy diet, you don’t actually have to give anything up. It’s simply about educating yourself and swapping out junk foods by replacing them with foods that are natural, whole, nutritious and way more satisfying.

I never go hungry. I never have cravings that I cannot satisfy. And I never stray from my super clean diet. Never.

Here’s how it’s done …

SWAP THIS: COW’S MILK

FOR THIS: NUT MILK

Dairy is acid-forming, mucus forming, difficult to digest, and it contains growth hormones, antibiotics, and a protein that switches on and accelerates tumour growth. Nut milk, on the other hand, is high in beneficial fats, high in calcium, easier on your digestion, better for your thighs, and super yum. Click here to learn how to make it.

SWAP THIS: CHOCOLATE

FOR THIS: RAW CACAO

Chocolate is good for you, but not the type that is full of cow’s milk, refined sugar and loads of chemicals. Raw cacao is chocolate in its pure unadulterated form, and it’s a nutrition-packed superfood. Click here to read all about it.

SWAP THIS: SOFT DRINK

FOR THIS: COCONUT WATER

Soft drink should be illegal. It’s full of so much sugar that it should really be considered a drug. It’s of absolutely no value to the body, and actually robs you of nutrients. Coconut water is a much better choice. It’s been hyped up recently for a reason – it’s full of electrolytes, is naturally hydrating, it’s super high in potassium, it’s alkalising … the list of benefits is lengthy.

SWAP THIS: COFFEE

FOR THIS: DANDELION & CHICROTY ROOT TEA

Coffee is a drug, and when we become dependent on it for energy we know that it’s doing damage. It messes with your adrenals big time, blocks absorption of certain minerals and wreaks havoc on your immune system. A great substitute is roasted dandelion & chicory root tea. I like a brand called Bonvit. Click here to read about all of its many benefits.

SWAP THIS: CANOLA OIL

FOR THIS: COCONUT OIL

When it comes to cooking, coconut oil is the only oil I will use. It has a high smoke point, which means that it doesn’t turn rancid upon heating (unlike most other plant oils – even olive oil) Click here to read why coconut oil is the healthiest of all oils.

SWAP THIS: WHITE PASTA

FOR THIS: MUNG BEAN PASTA, BLACK BEAN PASTA, OR QUINOA & BROWN RICE PASTA

White pasta is made from grains that have been refined to the point that they are devoid of all nutrients, making it a carbohydrate that converts straight into sugar without delivering any goodness. I love pasta though, and found some awesome healthy alternatives that taste great. These are mung bean pasta, black bean pasta and quinoa & brown rice pasta.

SWAP THIS: WHITE RIGHT

FOR THIS: BROWN RICE

As with white pasta, white rice has also been stripped of its nutrients leaving nothing but a white carb that becomes sugar as soon as it hits your mouth. Brown rice is the stuff your body is after – it’s what white rice was before someone tampered with it.

SWAP THIS: WHITE BREAD

FOR THIS: RYE BREAD

I’m sure you can notice a pattern here. For a grain to be white it means it’s had all of its nutrients taken away from it. White bread is no exception, and white bread usually also comes with a host of chemicals. Just read this. My favourite alternative is rye bread made from nothing besides rye flour, water and yeast. It’s dense, sure, but it satisfies my craving for bread every now and then.

SWAP THIS: CHEESE

FOR THIS: NUT CHEESE

Cow’s cheese comes under the same umbrella as cow’s milk. A much healthier alternative is cheese made from nuts. I make an awesome cashew cream, a cashew sour cream, and a cashew cheesecake. Click here for more on that.

SWAP THIS: WHITE SUGAR

FOR THIS: NATURAL SWEETENERS

Your body considers white sugar the devil. It is that damaging to it. It’s addictive, robs your system of nutrients, messes with your blood sugar levels, and promotes pretty much every disease. Instead, choose sweetness provided to us by Mother Nature. My favourites are honey, maple syrup, dates, stevia, and coconut sugar.

SWAP THIS: DESSERTS

FOR THIS: RAW DESSERTS

And finally, when you start eating a healthy diet you absolutely do not have to give up desserts! Raw desserts are made from ingredients like nuts, seeds, oats, almond meal, coconut, cacao, dates, avocado, chia seeds, and super foods. And they are sweetened with natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, stevia, coconut palm sugar and brown rice syrup. There are heaps of examples here.

I buy all of these ingredients from my local organic food store. If you’re on the Sunshine Coast, this is The Natural Food Store in Forest Glen.

What else do you think should be on this list? What healthy alternatives have you swapped over to?

 

Positive affirmation for the day: My mind is open and accepting of what is in front of me.

---

---

---