If you love cooking at home, but you're keen to do so as healthily as possible, there are quite a few things that you might want to bear in mind.
The truth is that it is relatively easy to make your cooking healthier, and often all it actually takes is to switch out a few common ingredients or methods for some other, healthier options.
In this post, we’ll take you through just a few of the really simple changes you can make at home to make your cooking instantly healthier.
Oat Bran Instead of Flour
For any dish that might require flour, you might instead want to opt for using oat bran in its place.
This has pretty much the exact same effect, but with much less gluten and at fewer calories. It is also packed with more nutrients than normal plain flour.
It’s a really simple and easy switch to make, and you’ll probably find you don’t even notice that much of a taste difference in the final dishes.
So, there is no real reason not to use oat bran wherever you might have been tempted to use flour.
Olive Oil for Butter
Butter is delicious, there’s no doubt about it - but it is also one of the least healthy ingredients out there, and so it’s worth trying to keep the amount you use to a minimum.
While you don’t have to completely cut it out of your cooking, using less is certainly wise. And if you want to do that, one easy way is to use olive oil instead.
This usually works perfectly well, and olive oil is so much better for your heart health. Grab a few bottles from a decent olive oil store to make sure you get the good stuff.
Spaghetti Squash Instead of Pasta
Again, pasta is a great ingredient, and a really versatile one.
However, if you want to try and keep your carbs down, then you're going to want to know about some of the alternative options that are out there.
One that is especially worth considering is spaghetti squash. This is pasta made from squash, and it’s so healthy because it is literally just all vegetables.
This is something you can try at home soon, and don’t worry - it’s actually just as easy as making pasta, if not even easier.
Citrus Juice in Place of Salt
Finally, a word on salt. While it helps to flavour every dish, it’s also true that too much salt is quite bad for your heart and your general health.
So, if you're keen to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, you might want to consider using citrus juice instead of salt.
This helps keep your food flavourful while keeping your salt intake right down, and you will be glad that you did that later on in life for sure!
Do you have any healthy swap ideas? What is your favourite healthy meal? Let me know in the comments!
Love, Sarah xoxo
