Active Aging Presented by Public Health Seattle-King County
Junk food cravings often strike during busy or stressful times when it seems like a cheeseburger and fries or a red velvet cupcake is the quickest, most comforting solution. Salty and sugary snacks taste wonderful, but the empty calories deliver only temporary satisfaction and low nutritional value.
Eating unhealthy, processed foods can also increase the risk of death from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, according to Mayo Clinic. Plus, eating a lot of refined sugar and saturated fat and few fruits and vegetables may cause depression, according to research published in Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry.
Choose mood and energy-boosting snacks that pack essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, to maintain a healthy diet. To get you started, here are delicious junk food swaps.
Healthy Burger Swaps
Eating red meat puts you at greater risk for heart disease, so resist that beef burger craving and opt for a black bean, veggie, or salmon patty instead.
Registered dietician Anessa Chumbley told Women’s Health magazine that high-protein, high-fiber black beans contain antioxidants that decrease signs of aging, reduce risks of cancer and heart disease, and control blood sugar. However, avoid canned black beans with high sodium. Try this Food Network Black Bean Burger recipe.
Healthy Fries Swaps
When you have an insatiable urge for fries, go for healthier versions, like baked or roasted sweet potato, carrot, or zucchini wedges. Summer squash is low-carb and rich in Vitamin C. It contains beta carotene, potassium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, which curb inflammation, according to Harvard Health. Try this Betty Crocker Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries recipe.
Healthy Chip Swaps
Instead of munching on greasy potato chips, try banana, zucchini, or kale chips. Kale is a cruciferous veggie like broccoli and cauliflower that is low-cal, low-carb, and nutrient-dense. A single cup contains high levels of vitamins A, K, B6, and C, calcium, copper, potassium, and manganese, according to Mayo Clinic. You can buy kale chips or roast your own with this Baked Kale Chips recipe from Allrecipes.
Healthy Chocolate Swaps
Sometimes you need chocolate. The good news is that dark chocolate has lower added sugar and fat than milk or white chocolate, according to Cleveland Clinic registered dietician Devon Peart. The flavanols in dark chocolate promote blood flow, which benefits your heart. Cover bananas, strawberries, apples, or almonds with dark chocolate for a healthy treat. Here’s a delicious example of Dark Chocolate Almond Rocks from Allrecipes.
Healthy Cracker and Pretzel Swaps
Many processed crackers and pretzels contain high sodium, increasing blood pressure and posing stroke and heart disease risks. Brain-boosting walnuts, protein-rich roasted chickpeas, and fiber-rich popcorn are healthy options that satisfy your crunchy cravings. Enjoy this Crispy Roasted Chickpeas recipe from Love & Lemons.
Healthy Ice Cream Swaps
Ice cream is cool and creamy, but its refined sugar and fat promote weight gain, increase cholesterol, and elevate heart disease risk. They can also affect mood and impair brain function, according to the Harvard Health blog.
Start screaming for ice cream swaps like frozen fruit pops, a green smoothie, a yogurt parfait, or these Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites from Half-Baked Harvest. Add a twist with toppings like honey, roasted nuts, nut butter, or toasted coconut.
Healthy Pie Swaps
Eating a slice of pie satisfies a sweet tooth, but the baked treat is high in calories and saturated fat. Plus, sugary desserts may make you sluggish later. Fortunately, you don’t have to skip the fruit inside. Thanks to inflammation-busting antioxidants and high levels of flavonoids, berries delay the aging process and help improve memory function, according to a Neural Regeneration Research study.
So, help yourself to palate-pleasing low-cal alternatives like a baked apple dusted with cinnamon and brown sugar, a bowl of mixed berries topped with crushed almonds or pecans, or this luscious Healthy Blueberry Cobbler recipe from Erin Lives Whole.
Caving into junk food cravings won’t give your body the nutrition it needs in the long run. Start enjoying these healthy swaps to boost your brain power, energy level, and disease-fighting potential now and for years to come.
Active Aging is presented by Public Health- Seattle & King County. Public Health- Seattle & King County recognizes the important and untold stories of innovation, service, and sacrifice by the Black community and supports efforts to improve equity and achieve social justice. We want everyone to get health insurance and access health care. Visitwww.kingcounty.gov/health for health insurance, flu and COVID-19 testing locations.
