Avoiding a Salty and Sweet Diet
By Donna Stark
Are you the type of person that would describe their diet as salty and sweet? Do you automatically reach for the salt shaker and sugar bowl when it comes time to eat your meals? If you do, you may want to consider making some changes to your diet! Sure, salt and sugar can make your food taste better, but too much in your diet has the potential to cause significant health issues, such as weight gain and hypertension. So why not try something new? And don't worry, a healthier diet plan doesn't have to be bland and boring. In fact, it can be downright delicious if you know the secrets on how to "spice" it up!
Spice Up Your Diet
Sometimes, when people think of healthy diets, they imagine a life that consists of plain rice cakes, tofu, and a side of steamed broccoli at every meal. And although there certainly isn't anything wrong with those foods, that's not what your diet has to be limited to! So take a look at some of these tips and learn how delicious a healthy diet can really be!
Sugar replacements
- Use pure, organic honey and maple syrup in place of sugar
- Sprinkle cinnamon on top of your fruit or into your coffee instead of using sugar
- Choose a sugar alternative, such as Stevia or coconut sugar, when baking
- Throw dates into your smoothies for a natural sweetness
Salt replacements
- Make your own vinaigrette to control the amount of salt in your dressing
- Replace salt with garlic powder, black pepper, and herbs for your potatoes
- Use a low sodium broth and add in herbs and spices in place of salt when making homemade soup
- Use spices such as oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes instead of salt when boiling water for pasta
- Don't choose salt for your scrambled eggs, try some thyme and oregano instead
- Add curry powder to your meats for a new twist to your meal
- Enhance your salads, vegetables, and fish with lemon juice instead of salt
Avoid Processed Food
One of the biggest contributors to an unhealthy diet is the consumption of processed foods, so try to avoid them at all costs. When making changes to your diet, focus on including whole, raw, and natural foods. Choose nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats and stay away from the following.
- Packaged and processed foods
- Individually-wrapped treats or desserts
- Flavored pasta, rice, or hot-cereal mixes
- Salted nuts, chips, and crackers
- Soda, punch, and other pre-sweetened beverages
Healthy Diet, Healthy You
Changing your diet can be both frustrating and difficult, but rather than focusing on what you can't eat, enjoy the process of exploring new ways to cook the food that you can eat! You may be surprised by how amazing everything tastes and how well you start to feel!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Scottsdale, Ariz.