by Clarissa Hartley

Want to make your New Year’s wellness resolutions timeless? Greta Healthwise, a renowned Nutrition Expert, proposes seven smart food exchanges. Designed by the Centre for Prime Nutrition, these swaps could effortlessly nestle into your daily routine, outlasting any fleeting resolution.

Exchange Mashed Potatoes with Root Vegetable Puree

In this frosty season, we all seek solace in comfort food. However, due to their high glycemic index, mashed potatoes can cause abrupt spikes and drops in your blood sugar levels. By opting for a puree of sweet potato, celeriac, carrot or swede, you’ll gain more nutrition and stabilize your blood sugar levels. This swap also enrichens your vegetable intake and varies your nutrient sources.

Choose Cauliflower Crust Instead of Regular Pizza Dough

Substitute the traditional pizza base with cauliflower to reduce your consumption of processed white wheat flour. This switch provides a low-carb alternative and elevates your vegetable intake. Also, the fibrous cauliflower loaded with vitamin C serves as a healthier option.

Swap Potato Crisps for Kale Crisps

Kale, loaded with fibre, vitamins C & K, iron, and calcium, is a superior alternative to commercial crisps. DIY kale crisps exclude added sugar, unhealthy fat, salt, and preservatives – usual suspects in obesity, type-2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Replace Alcohol or Fizzy Drinks with Kombucha

If you’re keen on reducing your alcohol or soda intake, kombucha serves as an excellent choice. This slightly sour, mildly fizzy beverage offers probiotics, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals. However, it is not recommended during pregnancy.

Substitute White Rice with Quinoa

Packed with all nine essential amino acids, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, Quinoa is an ideal replacement for high GI white rice. Be it in risotto or as a couscous, bulgur or cracked wheat substitute, quinoa steals the show.

Use Olive Oil in Place of Vegetable/Seed Oils

The high omega-6 content in vegetable/seed oils can upset your omega balance, potentially leading to inflammatory conditions. To maintain an ideal omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, substitute them with olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil.

Choose Natural Yoghurt over Flavoured Fruit Yoghurt

Despite its healthy guise, store-bought fruit yoghurt is often loaded with preservatives, emulsifiers, and sugars. Opt instead for natural or Greek yoghurt topped with fresh fruit.

The Centre for Prime Nutrition is an independent educational charity passionate about instilling prime nutrition as the health cornerstone for all.

nutrition, wellness, food swaps, health benefits, New Year’s resolutions, natural yoghurt, mashed root vegetables, cauliflower pizza, kale crisps, kombucha, quinoa, olive oil