Five Tasty Food Substitutions to Make Now

For many of us, eating well is a process with a big learning curve. We aren't taught what is truly healthy for us and sometimes it takes a while to wean ourselves off packaged and processed food. The benefits, however, of making a slow transition to eating whole and healthy foods are numerous'including the fact that we are taking the time to find out what foods taste good to us and organically including them in our lives as opposed to the more common crash dieting and sudden extreme food changes that are part and parcel of our culture's dysfunction around food and health. With this in mind, the act of substituting food that we love but that isn't so good for us with healthy alternatives is a great way to start this process'Here are five easy changes to make in your diet that can improve your health and waistline:

Yogurt: One great superfood, plain yogurt has such balanced amounts of carbs, fat, and protein that it can satiate you while keeping blood sugar levels stable for hours. In a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, subjects on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 percent more fat overall and 81 percent more belly fat than people on a similar plan but without yogurt. The key here is to stick with plain, organic yogurt as sweetened yogurt can have more sugar than ice cream. Good substitutions:

Yogurt makes a great substitue for sour cream and mayo in dips and as a topping for potatoes, soups, and mexican food.

Craving something sweet? I like to take plain yogurt, add some berries and a small amount of honey, maple syrup, or stevia and mix it all up. A great substitute for ice cream.

Almond Butter: This is a no brainer, if you can't keep your hands away from the peanut butter. Almond butter tastes just as rich and tasty but is much better for you. Studies have shown that eating bread with almond butter lowers the glycemic index of the bread, even white bread, so that it keeps blood sugar levels from spiking. Almonds are also a great source of protein, amino acids, and vitamins. They are great for digestion and help keep the body from becoming too acidic. Good substitutions:

On bread and crackers instead of peanut butter

Add to oatmeal for protein

Make a sauce for stir fried veggies and serve with brown rice.

Quinoa: This Peruvian superfood is high in both fiber (2.5 grams in 1/2 a cup) and protein as well as a nearly complete source of amino acids. It keeps you full longer than pasta or rice, is versatile, and a pot will stay fresh all week. Substitutions to try:

Instead of rice with stirfry, fish, or meat.

Added to salads Eaten often in Peru as a morning cereal with a bit of milk and honey or chopped fruit and nuts.

Sardines: With levels of mercury rocketing sky high in tuna and many wild fish and pollution concerns with farmed fish, sardines are a natural and super healthy answer. Packed full of omega 3 fatty acids and extremely high in calcium, sardines are also low on the food and mercury chain. Many people shy away from sardines because they taste 'fishy' but this can be solved by soaking them in milk for an hour or so. Substitutions:

Instead of anchovies in dressings, in ceasar salads, and on pizza. Use chopped sardines in place of tuna in cold and hot sandwiches.

Berries: Most especially, blueberries and goji berries are the best fruits to be eating right now. Blueberries are high in antioxidants and fiber, while goji berries contain 18 amino acids, making them a great source of protein and more beta carotene than carrots. No fail substitutions:

Instead of bananas in your cereal or oatmeal, try blueberries. Unlike bananas which can spike blood sugar, blueberries help keep insulin levels stable while providing a wide range of nutrients. Add dried goji berries to a mixture of nuts for stamina boosting trail mix or add them to green tea for tartness, eating them after you have finished the tea.