Long term established switches
Whole wheat bread to Whole grain
Why? Many breads packaged ad whole wheat are still enriched bleached flour. Now I read the package and make sure the first ingredient is some type of whole grain or whole wheat.
White rice to Brown rice
Brown rice has way more fiber, magnesium, manganese, zinc, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folacin, Potassium, Iron and more. And while eating white rice is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabeties brown rice lowers the risk.
Switches I made years ago but have revamped
Ice cream to frozen yogurt (vegan and soy ice cream)
I made the switch to frozen yogurt to foremost help lower my cholesterol. When I was preggers I went back to regular ice cream. Now I’m back on my health and I have returned to frozen yogurt. Frozen yogurt has less calories, more mineral and nutrients and (if you check, good pro biotics) live active cultures. With the discovery of a vegan spot down the block from me that sells vegan ice cream I have added the vegan stuff to the list. Vegan ice cream is good for those lactose intolerant peoples.
Whole Milk to Soy milk*
So at HU I switched from whole milk to soy milk to help reduce my cholesterol. Soy milks fat content is close to that of 2% milk but it doesn’t have the bad cholesterol. Soy also has more protein and fiber then regular milk. Soy also has isoflavones which are hormone estrogen. Isoflavones are shown to help prevent many cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis and more. Interestingly the isoflavones are a reason why many people stop soy, feeling like too much estrogen is a bad thing (I won’t argue that point)Since then I have made more milk changes. I went back to whole milk when I was preggo and now I have made a switch again.
Pasta to whole grain pasta
Like white rice, regular pasta is a bunch of carbs with a lack of nutrition. This is because the outer layers the bran and the germs are removed to make it white. Taking these parts away also take away most of the nutrients and fiber. I slipped off this band wagon when I moved home, but now the family is on board and now I don’t have to be a conscientious objector to dinner.
Recently established switches
Syrup to maple syrup
Why? That Aunt J and Ms. B stuff is really just high fructose corn syrup. Don’t be fooled by the corn industry sponsored commercials that stuff is not good for you.
Sugar to Raw Sugar
Even though any added sugar is not the best for you I have still made the switch to raw. Why? Well her is how sugar is made
"White" sugar is created in a couple of ways. Mill white sugar is the result of sulphur dioxide being introduced to the cane juice before evaporation. It effectively bleaches the mixture. In the production of refined white sugar, which is the most common product in the Western world, the raw sugar syrup is mixed with a heavy syrup and run through a centrifuge again to take away the outer coating of the raw sugar crystals. Phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide are then added to the juice which then combine and absorb or trap impurities. Alternatively, carbon dioxide is used to achieve the same effect. The resulting syrup is then filtered through a bed of activated carbon to remove molasses and then crystallized a number of times under vacuum. It is then further dried to produce white refined sugar like we buy in the store.”
In contrast raw sugar is just mixed with lime juice as opposed to the refining process.
Honey: this is not a switch per say but I use honey frequently, for from my food and in for hair and skin care.
Whole milk to 2% milk
This one was mainly for my dd who has put on some serious weight. I want her to maintain it and not gain more so I have made the switch to 2 and 1%.
Soy to Almond milk
Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. I went through a serious soy phase, soy milk, soy cheese, soy meet, soy ice cream etc. Although there is a lot of good so I switch to Almond. It has many of the pluses of soy and it has even less calories plus other goodness like lots of magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, and calcium.
Sugar water to 100% juice
This change has been a long time coming and is still a work in progress. I can’t completely claim it because I will say if I run out of the good stuff I fall back on the sugar water. Inshallah I will start to just fall on the water, or even better my whole family will get on board and not be tempted by the price of sugar water and stop bringing it into the house. This one should be self explanatory, but most juice in stores are water and then 10% juice with LOTS of high fructose corn syrup. You really have to read the juice containers, juices like ocean spray are slightly better with an average of 25% juice and sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup , but um better is not good enough.
Regular waffles and pancakes to whole wheat
Previously I have only been able to find these options in my favorite breakfast spots but now I know where to get the mix to make it at home, yum in my tum.
Switches to come
Any Meat to Halal Meat only
Regular pizza to whole wheat pizza
In conclusion I am limiting things that go through refinement. The benefits to you are more nutrients = more energy, less carbs = less pounds, more fiber and protein = feeling full longer. Eating better is also better for the environment, less time in factory less air pollutionJ.
