Substitute Your Way To Healthier Eating

(CBS)  You don't have to dramatically alter your diet to eat healthier.

Keri Glassman, a nutritionist and contributing editor to Women's Health magazine, says making some "simple substitutions" in what you eat at breakfast, lunch and dinner, or adding some foods, could dramatically increase your nutrient intake.

Don't always focus on the amount of fat and calories in your food, Glassman suggests. Rather, think about making everything you put into your mouth as nutrient-dense as possible. And remember: Just because something is low fat or low calorie doesn't mean it holds big benefits for your body.

Glassman's suggested substitutions:

BREAKFAST

Instead of a bagel, eat a light, multigrain English muffin. You'll increase your fiber intake (8 grams in the English muffin as opposed to 0 in the bagel) and save yourself 260 calories, while still enjoying your morning carbohydrates.

Instead of granola, eat whole grain cereal. Not only do you stop yourself from eating a LOT of fat and calories, you'll increase your B vitamins and fiber. Half-a-cup of granola has 300 calories and 15 grams of fat; 3/4 cup of whole grain cereal has 90 calories, 1 gram of fat and 5 grams of fiber.

Instead of black coffee, drink a nonfat latte. You'll increase your protein and calcium intake. A 12 ounce latte has 10 grams of protein and 35 percent of your daily calcium. This switch would also better jumpstart your metabolism for the day.

LUNCH

Instead of processed deli meat, eat lean, fresh protein (such as grilled chicken). You'd avoid salts and nitrates found in processed meats, not to mention lots of fat. Plus, lean, fresh protein will keep you full longer.

Instead of cheese on your sandwich, eat avocado. You'll still get the creamy texture you crave, but you'll replace saturated fat with "heart-healthy" fat found naturally in avocados.

Instead of potato chips, eat popcorn. You'd increase your fiber and protein intake while cutting fat and calories. Three cups of air-popped popcorn have only 93 calories and one gram of fat!

DINNER

Instead of canned tuna, eat canned salmon. You'll increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake as well as that of vitamin D and other essential vitamins and nutrients.

Instead of iceberg lettuce, eat romaine. You'll increase folic acid and vitamins in the meal. Dark, leafy greens in general have seven times the amount of vitamins A and C that iceberg lettuce does. And remember, greens aren't just for salads; use this advice when making sandwiches or tacos, as well.

Instead of croutons on your salad, eat sunflower seeds. You'll get the same crunch and add vitamin E and thiamin to your diet. Croutons are usually just white bread and butter -- almost useless nutritionally!

Instead of white rice pilaf, eat bean salad. Adding legumes to your diet enables you to add soluble fiber and lower cholesterol. Legumes are especially high in soluble fiber, which slows absorption, keeping blood sugar levels stable and keeping you feeling full longer. They also bind to fatty acids, enabling them to be excreted, lowering LDL cholesterol levels.
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[clawrencepr]

Keri,
It is always great to see that a diet and nutrition story helps facilitate a conversation that involves folic acid. The benefits of eating a nutrient-dense diet rather than low calorie meals leads to better living and helps prevent a variety of undesirable heath situations. For example, studies show that daily doses of folic acid before pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of children developing Spina Bifida, a birth defect that occurs in eight newborns each day and currently affects between 70,000 and 130,000 people in the United States.

It%u2019s encouraging to know people are becoming increasingly more conscious of nutrition in their diet, and it%u2019s important to understand all the benefits of supplements. For more information on folic acid and Spina Bifida, please visit www.sbaa.org.

Posted by Courtney Lawrence at Arment Dietrich, Inc. on behalf of Amanda Darnley at Spina Bifida Association.

[whiskyrocker]

Personal responsibility. That''s all it takes.

[deepperppl]

It also helps to make healthy choices with condiments. Think about it: mayonnaise has tons of fat and calories, but sometimes that low fat ranch dressing (if you must use something) will taste even better instead. I also use low fat ranch dressing on my baked potato instead of sour cream. Really good. A quick way to raise your metabolic rate is to eat a serving of raw fruit or veggies before each meal. They also make great in-between meal snacks. Try to skip any toppings, though, like cheese or dip. The calories from them can add up, and most offer no health benefits. And, finally, when you have a choice between sauteed or raw veggies, stick with the raw. Not only are they a lot lower in fat and salt, they are chock full of fiber and vitamins that overcooked veggies have lost in the cooking process.

[lonestartnow]

I''m co-founder of the LoneStart Wellness Initiative. One of the principles of our program involves making healthy choices and healthy substitutions. Our workplace wellness and hospital clients are provided information with what these changes will mean to them. Examples: The average person makes about 200 food choices per day. When making those choices, by paying attention to plate size, package size and the people around you (and using smaller plates and bowls), you will eat up to 60 percent less (if you don''t go back for seconds). Also, sit down and sit up straight to eat, and you''ll eat about 10 percent less. And, by substituting water for one 20-oz bottle of regular soda each day, you will save enough calories to lose 26 pounds in a year. Just some helpful ideas.