Healthy eating may be effortless to some, but to most, it is a challenge, even a curse. The idea of deprivation and restriction easily comes to mind. This makes the path to eating healthier all the more difficult. Good thing Life Gets Better has just the simple and better solution to eating healthy. It's all about substitution!

Here are a few tips on how to eat better and cook healthier meals:

Non-Fat Greek Yoghurt for Mayo or Sour Cream
Sour cream and mayonnaise are among the most used ingredients in our favorite dishes. But these ingredients are not necessarily the healthiest, as they may be high in fat and packed with calories. As an alternative, we can instead use non-fat Greek yoghurt. Yoghurt is already naturally sour, making it a perfect substitute for sour cream. It also has that creamy and tangy taste that we look for in mayonnaise. This ingredient is also full of healthy probiotics, which help in our digestion.

Mashed Avocado for Butter or Oil
Avocado is great as a substitute for butter or oil. It has that creamy and fatty consistency that's great for making baked goods, like cupcakes or brownies. While avocado has high fat content, it contains the good kind of fat, fat that is good for the heart.

Pineapple for Sugar
Pineapple can also be a great substitute for sugar. Not only is it a healthier way of making our dishes sweeter, it also provides a lot of vitamins and nutrients, like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. If you're looking for a more tangy and tart-like sweetness, try adding Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits instead to some of your favorite recipes.

Whole Wheat Flour for White Flour
Instead of using white flour, use whole wheat flour. Because it's made from whole grain, whole wheat flour is more fibrous, which helps cleanse your body from toxins. Create healthier breads, cakes, and pasta by switching to whole wheat.

Lettuce for Tortillas
Tortillas are already a healthy substitute for bread, but you can take it to another level by replacing tortillas with fresh, leafy lettuce. Lettuce is packed with healthy nutrients and minerals like Vitamin A, Vitamin K, iron, calcium, and magnesium. This leafy green can also provide that fresh crunch in every bite.

Now you see, when preparing meals, there's no need to sacrifice taste for a healthier diet. There is always that middle ground — healthier substitutes.

Cooking healthier is a gateway to eating healthier meals and eventually leads us to living our lives better!

Sources:
83 Healthy Recipe Substitutions https://greatist.com/health/83-healthy-recipe-substitutions
Nutrition and healthy eating https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550
9 Healthy Substitutions for Everyday Foods https://www.goredforwomen.org/live-healthy/heart-healthy-cooking-tips/healthy-substitutions/
Top 10 Food Substitutions for Healthier Cooking https://healthland.time.com/2012/10/03/top-10-food-substitutions-for-healthier-cooking/slide/pureed-potato-for-cream-to-thicken-soup/
27 Easy Ways To Eat Healthier https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/healthy-ingredient-swaps-substitutions?utm_term=.yr1ne1M4m#.sqlN8MKOp