Swap White Pasta for Zucchini Noodles to Lose Weight
To reach your weight loss goals, you don't need to fast or skip lunch. With a few simple food replacements, you and shed some pounds without sacrificing your enjoyment. It can be as easy as using sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Golds when you make your next batch of French fries. Here are 20 food replacements that will help you lose weight.
1. Sweet Potato Fries
By swapping French fries for sweet potato fries, you can enjoy a slightly sweeter yet satisfying bowl of this popular side. Sweet potatoes are naturally rich in fiber, vitamin A, and complex carbs, which digest more slowly than regular fries.
2. Cauliflower Rice
Replacing white rice with cauliflower rice can make a world of difference. Cauliflower mimics the texture and size of rice with only a fraction of the carbs and calories. One cup has 25 calories compared to over 200 in white rice.
3. Sparkling Water with Fruit
Drinking sparkling water with fruit instead of sugary sodas can contribute to weight loss. Most sodas have over 150 empty calories per can, but sparkling water with lemon, berries, lime, or mint lets you enjoy the same fizz without sugar and artificial additives.
4. Greek Yogurt with Berries
Greek yogurt is the ideal healthy replacement for ice cream, even if that seems far-fetched. Greek yogurt offers the same creamy texture and tang to many popular ice creams, and you can sweeten it with honey or a touch of syrup. Top with berries to make it truly delectable.
5. Zucchini Noodles
Forego pasta in favor of zucchini noodles for a dish that's just as flavorful and hearty. Zucchini dramatically reduces calories and carbs while adding a fun twist to many classic pasta dishes. One cup of zucchini noodles contains about 20 calories, whereas traditional pasta has over 200 calories.
6. Air-Popped Popcorn
Air-popped popcorn provides more fiber and fewer calories than potato chips. You can still enjoy that classic crunch without digesting heavy oil and sodium. Season with herbs or a light sprinkle of salt to bring out the flavor.
7. Whole Grain or Sprouted Bread
Don't buy white bread, which is unhealthy and filled with refined flour that will spike your blood sugar. Instead, opt for whole-grain or sprouted bread, which delivers more energy and can help regulate your appetite. These breads also contain nutrients like vitamin B.
8. Olive Oil and Vinegar
Creamy salad dressings like Caesar or ranch are tasty but also packed with calories. Replacing these fatty dressings with olive oil and vinegar reduces your caloric intake and adds healthy monounsaturated fats that support heart health.
9. Ground Turkey or Chicken
Instead of ground beef for your meatballs and burgers, use ground turkey or chicken. These are leaner proteins with a lot less saturated fat. For instance, 4 ounces of lean turkey has about 150 calories compared to 230 calories in beef.
10. Dark Chocolate
Milk chocolate is delicious, but dark chocolate will satisfy your sweet tooth while providing antioxidants and less sugar. The higher cocoa content contains flavonoids for heart health and has been shown to improve metabolism.
11. Mashed Avocado
Avocado is a surprisingly great mayo substitute. It offers the same signature richness as mayo, but with heart-healthy fats. It also contains fewer processed ingredients. Use mashed avocado in tuna salad, chicken salad, or BLTs.
12. Whole Fruit
There's no such thing as truly healthy fruit juice. Most contain some level of sugar and offer no fiber to slow absorption. Eating whole fruit, on the other hand, provides the same sweet flavor but with nutrients and fiber. Unlike fruit juice, whole fruit will make you feel full for longer.
13. Cauliflower Crust
Cauliflower crust can drastically lower the carb and calorie content of a pizza. Additionally, it adds more fiber and nutrients, and the taste isn't that far off. Top your cauliflower crust pizza with lean protein, fresh vegetables, and light cheese.
14. Oatmeal
Most breakfast cereals are packed with sugar and offer little nutritional value. Oatmeal, however, is rich in soluble fiber that promotes cardio health and will keep you full for longer. Add sliced fruit, cinnamon, or a drizzle of honey, so you don't feel as if you're sacrificing any flavor.
15. Chickpea or Lentil Pasta
There are a few healthy substitutes for white pasta, and chickpea or lentil pasta is one of the best and most underutilized. It's higher in fiber and protein than white pasta and can better support muscle maintenance. It will also help satisfy your pasta craving.
16. Hummus
Cheese dips are great to serve at parties, but no one will miss them if you replace them with a hearty bowl of hummus. Hummus is much healthier than any cheese dip and offers the same creaminess. The ingredients in hummus provide fiber and antioxidants.
17. Protein Pancakes
Protein pancakes are made from oats, egg whites, or protein powder and are lower in sugar and higher in protein than traditional pancakes. This version of pancakes can help stabilize blood sugar and will keep you feeling full for longer.
18. Black Coffee
Between milk, cream, syrups, and whipped cream, many fancy coffee drinks offer over 300 calories. A rich yet simple cup of black coffee has barely any calories and can slightly boost metabolism.
19. Lettuce Wraps
Using lettuce wraps instead of white flour tortillas is healthy enough to let you have taco night three times a week. Traditional flour tortillas are all empty calories, whereas crisp romaine or butter lettuce offer far fewer calories. Lettuce is also fresher and provides more crunch.
20. Roasted Chickpeas
Add roasted chickpeas to your salad instead of store-bought croutons, and you'll be wowed by the taste and texture. Croutons add carbs, oil, and sodium to an otherwise healthy salad, but roasted chickpeas add plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
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