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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Have you ever wanted to start eating healthier but been slightly intimidated by the idea of eliminating lots of different foods from your diet? While sometimes that is a good strategy to take when it comes to dieting, another more simple and gradual method is to eliminate bad foods from your diet while replacing them with healthier, more nutrient-dense foods.

According to registered dietician Julia Zumpano, swapping out certain ingredients when cooking such as refined grains, added sugars, and saturated fats with veggies, fruits, natural sugars, whole grains, and healthy fats really does add up and make a big difference in your diet. Not only do they reduce a lot of the calories that you would be consuming, but they also provide you with additional vitamins and minerals you might not have gotten otherwise.

Some easy swaps that Zumpano suggests include:

• Avocado or hummus instead of mayonnaise
• Riced veggies rather than white rice
• Spiralized veggies or bean pasta rather than regular noodles
• Mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes
• Crushed seeds or almond flour instead of breadcrumbs

These are just a few ideas, the possibilities for healthful swaps are endless! Go ahead and give some of them a try and gradually work towards a healthier diet!

For more nutrition articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!