Did you know that 2 out of every 3 Americans are overweight or obese? That means that two-thirds of people have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, which puts them at a greater chance of developing heart disease, cancer, and premature death.¹

According to a recent study, 32% of American adults eat fast food on a typical day.² That equates to over 82 million people.³ Because unhealthy eating is highly prevalent among Americans, it is important to find ways to improve your health.

One way to improve your health is to replace unhealthy food in your diet with healthier food substitutions. Here are 10 examples of food substitutions you could implement in your diet.

1. Choose Fresh Herbs Over Salt.

One teaspoon of salt is more than the daily recommended value of sodium, which means that the seasoning from one meal could put you over the limit.⁴

If you are looking to season your dish but do not want the extra sodium, fresh herbs are a great, healthier food substitution.⁵ Here are some dishes where we recommend choosing herbs over salt:

• Vegetable soup
• Scrambled eggs
• Steak
• Gnocchi
• Beef stew

2. Use Skim Milk Instead of Whole Milk.

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to whole milk for your lattes, cereals, and more, you could use skim milk as a substitute.⁶ Whole milk has 8 grams of fat and 150 calories per serving, which can add up fast over multiple meals in a day.⁷

On the other hand, skim milk has no fat and fewer calories, while still having the same beneficial nutrients from whole milk, making it a smart food substitution.

3. Eat Whole-Grain Cereal.

Cereal can be a simple and tasty meal to start your day; however, its high sugar and fat content could cause you to feel tired and sluggish.

Instead, you could try unprocessed whole-grain cereal for breakfast in the morning. ⁸ Whole grain cereal has little to no fat, less sugar, and a lot of fiber, making it a great food substitution.⁹

4. Snack on Veggie Sticks.

We can all get hungry throughout the day, and it can be very easy to reach for a bag of chips or a pack of cookies as a snack. However, their high fat and salt amounts make them unhealthy for us to eat daily.

A great snack alternative is veggie sticks with hummus. By doing this, you are eating less fat and sodium while increasing the amount of vegetables you eat, making it a healthier food substitution.¹⁰

5. Use Wheat Bread Over White Bread.

The type of bread you eat can make the difference in whether you consume more nutrients or more calories and carbs. For example, white bread has higher calories and a lack of fiber and nutrients.¹¹

On the other hand, wheat bread has fewer calories, fat, and carbs and more fiber and protein, making it a smart food substitution.¹²

6. Substitute Veggie Pasta for Regular Pasta.

Pasta is a staple dish that many people around the world love to eat for lunch and dinner. However, the high amount of carbs in pasta can make it an unhealthy meal for you to eat. It is estimated the average serving of pasta has 200 calories.¹³

Instead, you could eat veggie pasta such as zucchini noodles.¹⁴ One serving of zucchini noodles has 16 grams of carbs compared to 42 grams of carbs in a serving of rigatoni pasta, which makes zucchini noodles a healthier food substitution for pasta.¹⁵

7. Enjoy Grilled Chicken Versus Fried Chicken.

Fried chicken is a favorite amongst Americans, however, an average serving of fried chicken has 500 calories, 1,410 milligrams of sodium, and over 25 grams of fat, making it an unhealthy dish to eat.¹⁶

One way you can eat healthier is by choosing a grilled chicken sandwich over fried chicken.¹⁷ A grilled chicken sandwich has an average of 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, and 25 grams of protein, making it a great food substitution for a fried chicken sandwich. ¹⁸  

8. Use Applesauce Instead of Butter.

Baked goods such as cakes and cookies can be a great sweet treat occasionally. To make your desserts healthier while still being tasty, you could substitute applesauce for butter.

The applesauce makes your desserts moist like butter would, but with less fat and calories, which makes it a great food substitution.¹⁹

9. Drink Smoothies, Not Milkshakes.

If you like to drink delicious and creamy milkshakes but don’t like the unhealthy ingredients, consider making a smoothie instead.

Smoothies can be full of fresh fruits and vegetables and free from high sugar and fat content, resulting in a healthy yet tasty food substitution.

10. Sip on Sparkling Water.

Drinking soda every once in a while can be a refreshing drink. However, drinking it often is unhealthy and can increase your risk of diabetes and obesity. Did you know that the average can of coca cola has 78% of the daily recommended value of sugar?²⁰

Instead of drinking soda, try drinking sparkling water. Sparkling water comes in a variety of flavors without the high sugar content, making it a delicious food substitution for soda.