15 healthier food swaps

Our naturopathic nutritionist Rhi Hepple gives her top simple swaps that will make a big difference to your diet. Here’s your starter for 15 to add more nutrients to your food… no elaborate preparations or recipes, just a few no-fuss changes to your shopping list!

1. Swap white pasta for wheat-free pasta, rice pasta, rice noodles, souba noodles
2. Swap white rice for short grain brown rice, brown basmati rice, red or wild rice
3. Swap milk for nut milks, coconut milk, rice milk
4. Swap tea for herbal teas, rooibos, green tea; nettle, liquorice, ginger, turmeric are all good
5. Swap bread for making your own wheat-free bread or swapping sandwiches for salads, quinoa or rice salads or soups
6. Swap alcohol for kombucha or keffir – these are delicious fermented drinks that are rich in energising B vitamins and useful probiotics (you can learn more about them at happykombucha.co.uk)
7. Swap standard yogurt for soya yogurt or coconut yogurt
8. Swap sugar for raw local honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar and stevia
9. Swap salt for Himalayan pink salt which contains over 80 essential minerals so is actually good for you!
10. Swap chocolate for raw cacao – which is abundant in nutrients and potent in antioxidants
11. Swap squash for coconut water, rich in electrolytes
12. Swap Corn Flakes, Weetabix, Bran Flakes for granola with added nuts and seeds, topped with coconut yogurt or nut milk and antioxidant-rich berries
13. Swap crisps for kale or beetroot crackers with hummus or a nuts and seed mix. Roast chickpeas in paprika and turmeric to make a tasty crispy snack
14. Swap Caesar salad dressing for this herby dressing: 2tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, juice of 1 lemon, 1tbsp maple syrup, handful of coriander, handful of fresh mint all blitzed together in a processor to make a bright green nutrient rich dressing
15. Swap your Snickers or Mars bar indulgence for a medjool date (sold in many supermarkets and health food stores) with almond butter

For more information on how naturopathic nutrition could help you get your diet on track click here