10 Sneaky Snack Swaps | Nutrition & Dieting slideshows | Well Being center

Potato Chips for Nuts and Seeds

Although nuts and seeds contain nearly as many calories as potato chips, gram for gram, they have many, many more health benefits and could even help you maintain your weight by satiating your appetite. Nuts and seeds are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, and walnuts and flaxseed in particular contain high levels of omega-3s. Potato chips, on the other hand, contain hardly any vitamins or nutrients, plus, they're high in saturated fat. Swap: 100g of potato chips at 536 calories for 50g mixed nuts and seeds for approximately 300 calories to save 236 calories

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Photo courtesy of stu_spivack by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/3025069769/
www.joybauer.com/food-articles/nuts-and-seeds.aspx

Milk Chocolate for Dark Chocolate

Fancy something sweet? Milk chocolate might be delicious - and utterly moreish - but health-wise, it's really not the best choice. Milk chocolate is made from cocoa beans, but is "padded out" with cocoa solids, milk, and lots and lots of sugar. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, is much closer to the natural state of the cocoa bean and is less processed, which means that it is rich in antioxidants and flavins - which can improve your mood. Swap: Milk chocolate for dark or vegan chocolate. Give yourself a smaller portion, too - because dark chocolate is so rich, you can eat less!

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Photo courtesy of Lee McCoy by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/chocolatereviews/5014863073/
www.womanandhome.com/galleries/diet-and-health/35257/14/0/healthy-eating

Ice Cream for Homemade Frozen Yoghurt

We've all been there, reaching for the ice cream tub at the end of a long day. But although that creamy, rich ice cream might make you feel better for a little while, the sugar rush and subsequent low you get after eating a tub will make you feel worse. Ice cream is usually made with full fat cream or milk, a lot of sugar, and eggs - not to mention the cookie dough chunks and chocolate sauce swirl! Swap: Ice cream for homemade frozen yoghurt. Simply freeze a tub of fat free yoghurt and leave for 15 minutes before serving.

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Photo courtesy of Michael Bentley by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/donhomer/7571634468/

Potato Chips for Popcorn

Popcorn has long had a bit of a bad reputation, but if you cook it yourself and pop it at home, it's actually very good for you - low in fat and calories. Researchers have also found that popcorn (popped without oil) contains more polyphenols (nutrients linked to good health) than fruit and veg. Pop corn yourself at home in a saucepan or pop plain kernels in a brown paper bag in the microwave. Serve sprinkled with parmesan or cinnamon. Swap: 1 cup of potato chips at 150 calories for 1 cup of air-popped "naked" popcorn at just 30 calories

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Photo courtesy of Andrew Rivett by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/veggiefrog/2145862702/
www.today.com/health/popcorn-healthy-veggies-depends-how-you-pop-it-547868

Gummy Sweets for Fruit Leather

Chewy and sweet, gummy bears and gummy sweets are a fantastic way to satiate any sweet tooth. But they're usually full of sugar, artificial dyes, corn syrup, oil and preservatives. Making fruit leather at home, instead, is a fantastic alternative - it's just as chewy and sweet as shop-bought gummy sweets but contains only three ingredients and bags of fruity flavor. To make, combine 1/4 cup runny honey or agave nectar with 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice and enough fruit puree (about 1 cup) to cover a parchment covered baking pan to a depth of about 1/8 inch and bake for 6 hours at 170C, or until dried and no longer sticky.

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Photo courtesy of David O&#039
Hare by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/30884177@N08/6101051794/
hubpages.com/hub/Fruit-Leather-Recipes-How-to-Make-Homemade-Fruit-Rollups

Processed Sweets for Peanut Butter

Processed, boiled sweets, are not good for you. We all know that. But it's just so difficult to resist a bowl of sweet treats after a long day at the office! One of the best swaps for processed sweets for those who want a little something sweet and to satiate their cravings is peanut butter, believe it or not! Peanut butter contains protein and fiber to keep you fuller for longer, healthy fats, vitamin E, magnesium and potassium. Spread it onto apple wedges for a delicious snack that will keep you full until your next meal, or just eat half a teaspoon of it straight from the jar.

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Photo courtesy of Denise Krebs by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/7104016311/

Full Sugar Soft Drinks for Diet Soft Drinks

This is one of the simplest swaps there is when it comes to cutting out calories and cutting out fat, but diet soft drinks unfortunately have a little bit of a bad rep. Die-hard full sugar soft drink lovers often say that diet soft drinks are "tasteless" - but trust us, make the swap for a week and not only will you no longer miss the sugary stuff, but you'll have more energy and your skin will be clearer. Plus, you might even lose a little bit of weight, too! Swap: 1 liter full sugar soft drink at 400 calories for 1 liter diet soft drink at just 4 calories - that's a huge saving!

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Photo courtesy of Shardayyy by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/shardayyy/7539177816/
www.sugarstacks.com/beverages.htm

Soft Drinks for Ice Water

Although diet soft drinks are definitely better for you than full sugar soft drinks, they do contain a number of artificial sweeteners and if you want to follow a diet low in unprocessed foods, the absolute best choice is to swap soft drinks for ice water. Thirst-quenching and refreshing, you can also add lemon, lime or berries to your drink to add flavor and even more vitamins and nutrients. If you love the fizziness of a soft drink, choose sparkling water over flat and keep bottles of it in the fridge, so that it's even more refreshing.

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Photo courtesy of Dan by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/danpawley/141761818/

Potato Chips for Kale

Yep, we know it's another swap for potato chips - but this one is really, really good. Swap potato chips for kale chips! Kale chips can be made really simply at home and they offer just the right amount of crunch and crispiness to be a delicious alternative to potato chips - plus, they're packed with vitamins and nutrients and provide many, many health benefits. Kale is a super food - so get stuck in! Drizzle 1/2 pound of kale leaves with a little oil and sea salt, then bake for 8-12 minutes at 220C until crisp. You can do this with spinach, too!

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Photo courtesy of Joy by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/joyosity/3322910677/

Pretzels for Roasted Chickpeas

Mmm... if you're craving something salty and crunchy, there's not really anything better than a handful of crunchy pretzels. Although that salty flavor might be delicious, it usually tends to mean that the pretzels are full of sodium - and eating too much of them could actually lead to water retention. Oven-roasted chickpeas, without oil, are a great alternative - crunchy, crispy and packed with protein and fiber, so they're incredibly filling. Season them with a little paprika, garlic powder and black pepper for a savory treat. Swap: Pretzels for oven-roasted chickpeas - you'll only need a handful as they're very filling!