Simple Ways to Make Over Your Diet

Simple ways to makeover your diet

Healthy Diet Makeover

Written by Frances Bleuet, Owner of Nutrition for Weight Loss

and author of "EveryBODY Can Heal"

DIET MAKEOVER

One of the easiest ways to improve your health is to substitute whole grains for refined grains, fruit juice for fruit drink (mostly water and sugar) and homemade meals for prepackaged ones (loaded with artificial ingredients).

Here are some small changes that can greatly improve your health.

These substitutes either contain more nutrients per serving, less fat or sugar, or are less processed and more natural than what you may be eating now. If you have diabetes, hypoglycemia or any medical condition, you must first speak to your doctor before making any dietary changes.

If You Eat or Drink--------------------------------------Switch to

White rice------------------------------------------------Brown rice

White bread---------------------------------------------Whole wheat bread

White pasta---------------------------------------------Whole grain pasta

White crackers-----------------------------------------Whole grain crackers

Orange drink-------------------------------------------Orange juice

Lemonade flavored drink----------------------------Lemonade

Soda-----------------------------------------------------Sports drink

Filtered water------------------------------------------Spring water

Chocolate flavored beverage-----------------------Chocolate milk

Chicken noodle soup---------------------------------Chicken vegetable soup

Canned spaghetti-------------------------------------Spaghetti with meat sauce

Egg substitute------------------------------------------Eggs

Eggs with bacon---------------------------------------Eggs with ham

Canned fruit in heavy syrup-------------------------Canned fruit in natural juices

Canned fruit in natural juices------------------------Fresh fruit

Breaded fish sticks------------------------------------Broiled fish fillets

Cooked vegetables------------------------------------Raw vegetables

Margarine-----------------------------------------------Butter

Table sugar--------------------------------------------Honey

Table sugar--------------------------------------------Brown sugar

Cake-----------------------------------------------------Ice cream

Candy---------------------------------------------------Cake

Hard candy---------------------------------------------Candy bar (brush your teeth)

Candy bar----------------------------------------------Granola bar

Artificial sweetener------------------------------------Sugar (non-diabetics only)

Cheese curls (usually refined)----------------------Corn chips (usually whole grain)

Cheese curls-------------------------------------------Popcorn (whole grain)

Fried foods---------------------------------------------Baked foods

Boiled foods--------------------------------------------Raw foods

Boiled vegetables-------------------------------------Steamed vegetables (not in plastic)

Steamed vegetables----------------------------------Raw vegetables

Fried potatoes-----------------------------------------Baked potatoes

Muffins--------------------------------------------------Biscuits (less sugar and fat)

Microwaved meals------------------------------------Oven cooked meals

Chicken wings-----------------------------------------Chicken legs

Chicken legs-------------------------------------------Chicken thighs

Chicken thighs----------------------------------------Chicken breast

Chicken with skin-------------------------------------Skinless chicken

Pork sausage-----------------------------------------Pork ribs

Pork ribs-----------------------------------------------Pork chops

Pork roll------------------------------------------------Bake ham

Hot dog------------------------------------------------Hamburger

Artificial vanilla flavoring----------------------------Real vanilla flavoring

Fake fat------------------------------------------------Real fat

Egg whites--------------------------------------------Whole eggs

Eggs---------------------------------------------------Organic eggs

Light green leafy vegetable-----------------------Dark green leafy vegetable

Bread

Whole grains are grains that have not been refined. They have not had the germ (such as wheat germ) or bran removed. Therefore whole grains, such as whole wheat still contain the wheat germ, bran, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Whole wheat bread is made from a whole grain, white bread is made from a grain that has been refined.

Wheat in its natural form is a whole grain. Food manufacturers refine the grain by removing the bran and the germ (wheat germ) to make it softer and to give it a longer shelf life-making it last longer and stay fresh longer.

This is more profitable for everyone, but refining removes the wheat germ and the bran which removes most of the nutrients and the fiber. The wheat germ that is removed during the refining process is a health food. It not only contains a complete protein, B vitamins and vitamin E, but it also contains a natural healing factor. This natural healing factor promotes endurance and is only known to be in several foods.

During the refining process many nutrients are removed from the food. These nutrients are needed for the body to properly digest and use the food. Most manufacturers do not add all of those nutrients back into the food, they only add a few of the nutrients back into the food.

Refined bread is white bread

Whole wheat white-Is it really “whole wheat”?

There is a new type of bread called “whole wheat” white, but how healthy is it? While whole wheat breads have always been made from red wheat, whole wheat white breads are made from an albino wheat grain. This albino wheat grain is highly processed and mixed with refined white flour to make “whole grain” white. Since “whole grain” white is only about 1/3 whole grain and 2/3 refined white grain it falls between white and whole wheat in terms of its nutritional value.

Sugar

Table sugar is refined sugar. Manufacturers remove the molasses from the sugar cane plant leaving behind the white crystals we know as table sugar. This too is done to extend the shelf life of the sugar. The molasses left over from the refining process is loaded with nutrients especially iron, potassium and calcium. The white sugar that is made from the refining process is high in calories and contains absolutely no nutrients except for carbohydrates. Not only is it void of any nutrients, but your body needs nutrients to digest it, so every time you eat table sugar, you are losing nutrients.

Salt

Unrefined salt is sea salt

Table salt is refined sea salt. Table salt contains the mineral sodium (most people are not deficient in sodium). If the salt is called iodized salt then the mineral iodine was added to it. If the salt container does not list iodine on the label, then there is no iodine in the salt. Sodium and iodine are both required nutrients.

Natural sea salt contains all of the minerals necessary for good health, not just sodium. Most sea salt sold in our grocery stores is processed and is not natural and may not contain adequate amounts of the minerals needed for good health.

ORANGE JUICE VS ORANGE DRINK

Your dish liquid may contain more juice than your drink!

I just love it when I’m told that my dish liquid contains real lemon when my beverage is artificially flavored!

Many beverages such as orange-ade or orange drink are artificially flavored and contain mostly sugar and water. Even if they contain vitamin C, it is usually added and is no different than taking a vitamin pill with a glass of sugary water. Getting vitamin C from juice is healthier than getting it from a pill.

WHAT’S BETTER? RAW VS COOKED

Some foods are better for you when eaten raw, some foods are better for you when cooked.

Raw foods

Raw foods naturally contain all the nutrients and enzymes needed to digest the food. All raw foods contain the enzymes needed to digest that food. Cooking destroys all enzymes, so when you cook food your body has to make enzymes needed to digest the food or the food will not be digested properly or used properly. Cooking not only destroys enzymes but also destroys vitamins. The longer and hotter you cook a food, the more vitamins you destroy. Over cooking food can change the structure of the fats and proteins in the food which can lead to cancer and other diseases.

Cooking foods

Unfortunately, not all foods can be eaten raw. There are diseases that can be contracted from eating some foods raw. Also some foods are easier to digest when cooked because cooking breaks down fibers in the food. Carrots are good for you when eaten cooked but also when eaten raw. When eaten cooked, the carrot’s fibers are softened and your body can digest more of the carrot, but when eaten raw, you get all of the nutrients and enzymes needed to help your body to digest the carrot. A healthy diet should include some raw food.