What Are Some Simple Healthy Food Swaps?

The easiest swaps change something you eat every day: water or sparkling water for soda, plain Greek yogurt for sweetened yogurt, one-ingredient nut butter for blends with added oil and sugar, 70 percent dark chocolate for milk chocolate, and lower-sodium soy sauce or tamari for regular. Make one swap a week so it sticks.

This article is general education, not medical advice.

Why do small swaps matter?

Because you repeat them hundreds of times a year. Cutting one 150-calorie soda a day is about 55,000 calories a year. Swaps also work better than strict rules, because you keep eating foods you like.

Which swaps do I give clients first?

• Soda or juice to water, sparkling water or unsweetened tea. Sugary drinks add calories without filling you up.
• Sweetened yogurt to plain Greek yogurt with fruit. More protein, less added sugar.
• Nut butter with added oils and sugar to one with only nuts and salt.
• Pancake syrup to a smaller amount of pure maple syrup, or fruit.
• Milk chocolate to 70 percent or darker. It is still a treat, but most people eat less of it.
• Regular soy sauce to reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari. Tamari is usually wheat-free, which helps if you avoid gluten.
• Buttery crackers to whole grain or seed crackers with a short ingredient list.
• Fried sides to roasted potatoes or a salad.
• White bread to whole grain bread.

Does pink Himalayan salt beat table salt?

Not in any way that matters. The trace minerals in it are too small to matter at normal amounts, and iodized table salt gives you iodine. What matters is how much sodium you eat in total. Cutting sodium lowers blood pressure, especially combined with a DASH-style diet (Sacks et al., 2001). Most sodium comes from packaged and restaurant food, not the salt shaker.

How do I make swaps stick?

• Pick one swap a week and keep it for good before adding another.
• Buy the swap so it is the easy choice at home.
• Do not swap foods you love for ones you hate. Find a version you like.

What should you read next?

Read why ultra-processed foods are a problem and understanding sugar alcohols. To work with me, start with the XPL quiz, which is my intake form for every client, then see coaching options and pricing.

Written by Zavier King, personal trainer in Houston and online coach at XPL. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Nutrition Coach.