From tasty French fries to sugary donuts, and crunchy ice cream cones, the taste of junk food can be all too tempting! 

At times this can become difficult to refuse, and lots of people end up gaining tons of unwanted body fat due to overindulging on junk food. 

It’s no big deal treating yourself from time to time, BUT regularly eating unhealthy junk food can be catastrophic to your health, increasing the likelihood of heart conditions, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Not good! 

The National Health Service (NHS) advises that men need around 10,500kJ (2,500kcal) a day to maintain a healthy weight, and women need around 8,400kJ (2,000Kcal) a day. 

The trouble is that lots of people are consuming way more than the government’s recommended allowance, which is having devastating consequences to countries around the world, as the growing obesity epidemic continues to rise. 

A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that a healthy diet costs $1.50 more per day compared to an unhealthy one. However, spending a little bit more on healthier options will do wonders for your physical health. 

Here are some sensible substitutes you can make, instead of eating junk food. If you make small changes, it will lead to improved health and a greater quality of life. 

Green tea vs. Fizzy Drinks 

Lots of people consume 200 calories per day from sugary beverages, BUT the American Heart Association recommends a 450-calorie limit per week! These fizzy/sugary drinks are highly acidic and contain vasts amounts of sugar that can lead to tooth decay and dental erosion.

The best liquid that you can consume is water, nothing on the planet will hydrate you like water, and it should make up at least 95% of your total fluid intake for the day. 

Other great alternatives to sugary beverages are drinks such as green tea. Green tea is cheap and full to the brim of antioxidants – which have been shown to reduce illness and fight off diseases. Green tea has also been reported to aid weight loss and decrease the risk of heart diseases and some types of cancer. 

Raisins vs. Chocolate 

I think most people love a tasty bar of chocolate? I do! However, chocolate is high in sugar and saturated fat – not good for the waistline. 

Also, If you consume too much sugar and don’t exercise regularly, weight gain is inevitable, and it will also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Instead of munching on a chocolate bar, how about grabbing a snack packet of raisins –  raisins are ideal for a quick energy boost for endurance runners. For example, if you need a quick surge of energy whilst exercising, then munching on some raisins could be a great choice. 

Popcorn vs. Crisps

Crisps are tasty, and there’s no doubt about it! However, for a 50g packet of crisps (a normal-sized bag!) you could be looking at 250 cals. 

Instead of reaching for a packet of crisps, opt for some low-calorie popcorn. You can get a 25g of popcorn for less than 50 cals. It will give you a similar crunchy taste, and keep you satisfied, but contains far fewer calories, making it friendlier on the waistline. 

Homemade Smoothies vs. milkshake

A homemade smoothie is often far healthier and lower in calories compared to a milkshake. The best way to make a healthy smoothie is to choose fruit and low-fat Greek yogurt. 

For example, for 100g of strawberries, it’s only 33 cals. You can make a tasty, healthy, and low-calorie smoothie for less than 100 cals. Whereas most milkshakes are going to be at least 300 cals + (in many cases much more 500 cals+). Therefore ditch the milkshakes and opt for a healthy homemade smoothie. 

Oatmeal vs. Drive-thru food

Oatmeal or porridge is a great food because it’s what’s known as a complex carb. This means it’s slow-releasing and gives you energy for a longer period of time.

Instead of opting for a McDonald’s breakfast, make some porridge first thing in the morning. Use 60g of oatmeal or oats, and mix with 200ml unsweetened almond milk. Add some fruit on top, and you are good to go!

Yogurt vs. Ice-cream

Ice cream is packed full of fat, calories, and sugar! Whereas yogurt is much lower in calories and better for the waistline. You can opt for yogurts that contain less than 100 calories, whereas most ice creams per 100g are going to be at least 200 calories. 

The other option is to choose frozen yoghurt if you fancy something cold and similar to ice cream. You could also choose dairy-free ice creams which often contain less sugar, calories, and fat. 

Banana vs. Sports drink/energy drink

According to a study, the high acidity in sports drinks and energy drinks can also damage the tooth enamel. Instead, opt for a banana in place of these harmful sugary drinks. A banana is capable of being beneficial during exercise instead of sports energy drinks. Bananas are also rich in potassium, and contain a high amount of dietary fiber. 

Now that you have a list of healthy food alternatives to junk foods, you are on your way to saving yourself from future dangers. Wherever you find yourself shouldn’t stop you from eating healthy as there are online localization services like The Word Point to make it easy for you.