Lifestyle

3 food hacks you can use for weight-loss

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi|Published

Cauliflower rice is among one of the healthiest cruciferous vegetables as it is packed with vitamins. Picture: Pexels Cauliflower rice is among one of the healthiest cruciferous vegetables as it is packed with vitamins. Picture: Pexels

Losing weight is hard. It is even more difficult during lockdown, when you are home 24 hours a day.

One of the best ways to achieve your goal weight is eating clean. But, healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated, staying unrealistically thin, or starving yourself. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health and finding alternatives in the kitchen to achieve your goals. 

Here are some food hacks that you can use to help with your weight-loss journey 

Use cauliflower rice instead of white rice

Cauliflower is among one of the healthiest cruciferous vegetables as it is packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. It has powerful antioxidants to boost your immunity and fight diseases. 

Cauliflower has 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates per cup vs 205 calories and 45 grams of carbohydrates in a cup of white rice. If you look for a lower carbohydrates option, cauliflower may be a better alternative to rice and it also adds another veggie to your plate.

Use spaghetti squash instead of white pasta 

Spaghetti squash is significantly lower in calories than traditional pasta. Although it does not give you the same taste, spaghetti squash can be a healthy substitute for pasta. It's easy to cook and is gluten-free, lower in carbs and calories. Once cooked or baked, it is easy to scrape into spaghetti-like strands that have nearly the same texture as spaghetti.

Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream 

Sour cream is higher in fat and calories while Greek yogurt provides more protein and, for the most part, fewer calories. Two tablespoons of sour cream provides about 18 percent of your daily value of saturated fat and about 60 calories.

The same amount of non-fat Greek yogurt contains only 18 calories, 3g of protein, and no saturated fat. It also provides probiotics, or “good bacteria,” which helps keep your gut healthy.