Here's the second addition to my series of 1 to 1 Calorie Swaps, where I share calorie swaps I have been making with certain foods that allow me to drop my caloric intake without sacrificing taste or flavor. If you would like a more in-depth explanation of what 1 to 1 swaps actually mean, feel free to check out part 1, where I explain it!
Many products on the market are advertised as "sugar-free" or "reduced fat" to appeal to consumers trying to still consume a product but want to decrease their calorie intake to lose weight (specifically body fat). However, most of these lower-calorie substitutes often taste much worse than the original product we enjoy. I find this almost inevitable: if you decrease the carbohydrates or fats of a given product completely or replace them with sugar alcohols, it is bound to taste worse more times than not. When scoping the market and trying these lower-calorie alternatives, I am often disappointed in their taste, flavor, and texture.
Nevertheless, there are always exceptions to these rules. These past few months, I have found some swaps that actually work. The lower-calorie counterpart tastes virtually the exact same, if not better, than the original high-calorie alternative. Here are three of my go-to swaps I have been using these past few months:
Swap #1: Carbonated Drinks
Original Item I Used to Consume:
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories: 200
Protein: 0g
Lower Calorie Swap:
A rule I typically try to follow when I am trying to lose fat is not to drink my calories. I never find sugary drinks to feel satiating, and when I was overweight, these drinks were sneaky ways my calories used to accumulate tremendously.
To me, soda, particularly "Sprite," is something I want but don't necessarily need: I won't ever find myself craving a carbonated drink. Nevertheless, I can enjoy these "Sparkling Ice" drinks with no guilt. At 5 calories for the entire bottle, I get the same refreshing, bubbly lemon-lime taste without the calories or excessive sugar. The taste profile is slightly different from Sprite, and honestly, I prefer the taste of iced drinks. With many other flavors to enjoy, I use this as a sweet treat during my cuts and to avoid excess calories. The carbonation of the beverage also helps keep me full for longer.
Swap #2: Fudge Popsicles
Original Item I Used to Consume:
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories: 100
Protein: 3g
Lower Calorie Swap:
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories: 40 (per popsicle)
Protein: 1g per popsicle
If I had to choose my top 3 swaps of all time, this one would definitely make the cut. Technically, compared to the higher calorie "Friendy's Fudgealicious" popsicles, the "Fudgsicle" pops have more calories per given serving. However, this swap takes volume eating into consideration. The Friendly's edition gives you 67g of food for 100 calories, while the swap gives 119g of ice cream for only 120 calories—basically double the amount of food for only 20 calories more. Oftentimes, I only find myself reaching for one of two popsicles when craving a sweet treat—never three, as I don't feel like opening 3 wrappers simultaneously (because I am lazy). Therefore, considering portion sizes, the Fudgesicle edition is definitely an elite swap. Furthermore, these suggested sugar-free popsicles taste identical to the Friendly's one (I wouldn't say better than the Friendly's one, as those are already amazing themselves). When you are craving ice cream or a cold treat when you are deep into your weight loss journey, try having one or two of these popsicles to satisfy your sweet tooth while saving hundreds of calories at a time. I also use these popsicles as a great pre-workout energy boost given their carbohydrates.
Swap #3: Hamburger Buns
Original Item I Used to Consume:
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories: 160
Protein: 5g
Lower Calorie Swap:
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
Calories: 50
Protein: 6g
I have found that bread swaps tend to be some of the best ways to cut calories without cutting taste. Personally, when I am eating a sandwich, I can hardly taste the bread in itself—I mainly taste the sauces, protein sources, vegetables, etc. So, to exhaust 160 calories for a food item I can barely taste doesn't make sense to me. I'd rather use those 160 calories for something later in the day!
To be honest, I can't fully commit to calling this swap a 1:1 swap, as I do notice some slight differences in taste between the two products. The "Keto Culture" buns have more of a chewy texture and overall taste a little less like bread compared to orthodox hamburger buns. However, when I have multiple vegetables, sauces, and protein sources on my sandwich, I cannot taste the difference. With over 100 calories saved and more protein per bun, I am happier to have 2-3 whole burgers for approximately the same number of calories from the keto bun rather than just one burger with regular bread. This hack helps me increase the volume of food I am consuming while keeping calories at bay, which has helped me tremendously on my weight loss journey.
So there you have it, my top 3 swaps I have been using these past few months to help me eat the foods I want, but still cut calories. I hope this series is helping someone out there make reasonable switches to their diet, even if it means you take inspiration from one of my swaps. This series has also helped me out tremendously, as I am constantly eyeing the market and testing out new swaps to share, which has helped me find even more innovative ways to stay on my diet.
I just want to finish off by speaking about weight loss from a holistic health standpoint; I have never considered any foods, regardless of the amount of calories, to be avoided. At the end of the day, you can eat any items of food you want when trying to lose weight, as long as you are willing to consume more calorically dense foods in moderation. Remeber, it is a marathon, not a sprint, so still enjoy life and don't let food control you!
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