Continued from Food Substitutions.

Healthy food substitutions are awesome. What is so special about healthy food substitutions? What is the difference between healthy food substitutions and just regular food substitutions we have discussed in the previous post?

Healthy food substitutions, as the name implies, have been designed to help you not only get in shape and lose some weight, they could help strengthen your body. How? Substituting nutritionally empty products with nutritionally dense foods makes your body stronger, but do not get me wrong, the following healthy food substitutions are not going to cure any diseases.

If you are a KFC regular and love hot wings, for example, here is what you need to know: Chicken wings consist of dark meat and skin. They are high in fat (about 8 grams) and sodium (about 460 milligrams), and since they are bite-sized, you are likely to overindulge.

The healthy food substitution “Instead, opt for a grilled lean chicken breast (a 4-ounce serving) and add a dash of hot sauce,” says nutritionist Keri Glassman. “The protein will fill you up (with less than half of the fat and sodium in hot wings), and the hot sauce will add a kick that satisfies your ’spicy’ craving.”

If you are a Pinkberry addict, here is a tricky thing about this and other similar deserts: “A regular serving of frozen yogurt, like Pinkberry, is not high in calories – but often leads to overindulgence because you eat more, thinking it’s healthy,” cautions Keri. “Also, it doesn’t have enough nutritious benefits for the amount of calories you consume.”

The healthy food substitution “Toss a cup of plain Greek yogurt into the freezer,” suggests Keri (she prefers Oikos Organic Yogurt). “Once frozen, top with fresh berries and enjoy! You’ll get that same creamy texture and tart taste in a portion-controlled serving that’s rich in calcium and protein.” [via]