From Guilty Pleasure to Guilt-Free

If the regret of eating certain meals or snacks has you avoiding your favorite foods, here are a few tips to turn guilty pleasures into your new healthy favorites without sacrificing flavor.

Air fry or bake

Deep fried foods offer a wonderful crispy skin, but usually possess large amounts of oil that can be unhealthy over time. Air-frying uses little to no oil and cooks food by circulating hot air, making this method healthy while offering a similar level of crisp. Oven-baking is even better because it often retains more nutrients than air-frying.

Homemade all the way

Processed goods often contain many sugars, fats or artificial ingredients not good for the body if consumed in excess. Creating a traditionally unhealthy snack from scratch at home is often healthier because you’ll possess full control of what goes into a meal and can even add nutrients or other flavors. 

Add a little fiber

Fiber comes in many forms, from fruits and vegetables to grains. It promotes healthy bowel movements thanks to its nourishing abilities for the colon. Fiber can also increase the feeling of being full so you consume less calories, and has been known to lower cholesterol levels and decrease blood sugar. Adding fiber to a dish can be as easy as adding a little flaxseed or a side of leafy greens.

Substitution is your friend

Replace ingredients such as dairy, flour, sweeteners and oil with more nutritious alternatives to make a dish an instant guilt-free treasure. Sweetening with honey, for example, offers many health benefits while also reducing the amount of processed sugar you add to your drink or recipe. Substitutions aren’t always seamless replacements, however, so remember to research best practices and ratios before substituting ingredients in a recipe.