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You Say You Want A Substitution

So you want to make a few changes to your diet? They don’t have to be drastic to have benefits! I’ve put together 5 simple substitutions you can make which will leave you with more energy, keep you blood sugar stable, and are cleaner than the regular products you may use!

Swap your Margarine for:

Coconut Oil

While the caloric count for coconut oil is slightly higher than Margarine, coconut oil is considered a healthy fat like nuts or an avocado. It’s energy dense and can also help to rev up that metabolism. Easy for your body to digest, it helps take off excess weight having medium-chain fatty acids. It’s also beneficial for skin, hair, and helps to prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Even with the sweet taste, you can still use it in savoury recipes too!

Swap your White Sugar for:

 Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar has been a traditional sweetener for thousands of years in South East Asia. Different from regular sugar, it has a lower Glycemic Index, meaning that it gets released into your blood stream slower; therefore it won’t spike your blood sugar levels, making you crave more sugar. It’s also rich in potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. Though cleaner than regular sugar, it’s still a sugar, so be sure to use it in moderation. It’s definitely a better alternative to add to your recipes than regular white sugar!

Swap your Wheat Flour for:

 Almond flour

Whether you find that gluten affects you or not, there are benefits to baking with Almond flour! It’s very nutritious and doesn’t have hidden sugars. High in protein and low in carbohydrates, it won’t spike your blood sugar. It will also provide you with vitamin E which will keep your red blood cells happy!

Swap your Milk or Soy Milk for:

 Almond Milk

There have been big revelations about drinking milk and eating dairy over the past few years. People used to think that they should drink milk for calcium, however, if you look at the calcium content in spinach or sesame seeds, you’ll find that they are comparable. Plus about 75% of the population can’t digest dairy properly! In recent findings, researchers have said that calcium doesn’t make your bones stronger and if you drink milk, it can actually make your bones weaker. Almond milk is a great substitute for those who still want to enjoy a glass of milk and has even been said to have a better taste! You can bake with it, add it to your coffee, or enjoy with a cookie!

Swap your Pasteurized Honey for:

Raw Organic unpasteurized honey

You’ll know pasteurized honey when you see it! And if you do, stay away! There’s no nutritional benefit to it and all the enzymes and nutrients have been cooked away; it ends up looking clear. The better choice is an unpasteurized or raw honey which comes right from the hive. The honey has been screened to get any floating bits out of it and will look a little cloudy. The label should indicate raw or unpasteurized. Reap all the benefits of extra minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants from keeping your honey raw!

Have you made the swap? Share on Twitter.

Always living with passion,

Sammie