Healthy Food Alternatives To Junk Food

Junk foods are easily available, even it is easy and quick to make them, tasty, and cheap. The fact that it is tasty and cheap, overpowers the fact that it has an adverse effect on our health. According to some reports, eating junk food affects the brain in exactly the same way, consuming drugs does. So, if something has so many bad effects, you should quit it, right? But it is easier to say than to do. Quitting junk food is something that is not easy at all. Someone can’t quit it overnight, it is a gradual process. Initially, it may seem difficult to keep your hands off junk food but when there’s a will, there’s a way.

Here are some healthy food alternatives to junk food:

Baked Samosa:- As Indians, we cannot survive without eating samosa once in a while. The holy combination of samosa and chai is just WOW! But have we ever thought about how many calories does it account for? Frying it in oil and maida dough- both have bad effects on our health. But there is a way to make our favorite snack healthy. How? Simply by preparing it in atta and baking it instead of frying. Those who have air fryers, can also air fry it. The taste will definitely change but adjustments are also necessary in order to lead a healthy life.

Aata Halwa:- There are times when we badly crave something sweet. But having chocolate is not something that is recommended. So, what should one do in order to satisfy their palette? Halwa? Yes, this seems the right option. But oil and sugar? They too add calories, right? Aata halwa made with ghee and jaggery is the best alternative to a normal halwa. Ghee has anti-inflammatory properties. Jaggery prevents constipation and boosts immunity.

Sooji Cake:- Who doesn't love cake? The cake is every kid’s favorite. And, if it’s chocolate cake, it’s like a cherry on top for children. But again, baking a cake with all-purpose flour, sugar is something that may seem tasty but isn't healthy at all. Because high sugar content leads to obesity, acne, diabetes, etc. But a cake made with sooji, curd, and brown sugar is as tasty as healthy it is. Sooji is rich in antioxidants and increases iron in our body. It is recommended for those who are trying to lose weight.

Pav Bhaji:- Pav bhaji is something that every Indian loves and offers a very healthy alternative to junk food like noodles. You can have pav bhaji in the evening when you are hungry instead of going for noodles. The bhaji has a lot of vegetables like carrots, capsicum, beans, green peas, cauliflower, etc which are very high in protein. Also, using whole wheat pav instead of maida adds more to the health content. Whole wheat flour is rich in riboflavin and vitamins like B-1, B-3, and B-5. It helps in the control of blood sugar, weight management and also prevents constipation.

Vegetable Paratha:- Paratha is a popular Indian breakfast to be eaten at any time i.e. breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if the paratha is stuffed, it becomes tastier. Aloo paratha is very tasty but the potato is very starchy and has a high level of glycemic load which causes blood sugar and insulin to surge and then dip. But replacing aloo paratha with a vegetable paratha is a wise decision anyone can take. Stuffing grated vegetables like cauliflower, carrot, and beetroot in the paratha increases the nutritional level of the paratha. Beetroot is a good source of fiber, potassium, calcium, iron, and vitamin A and C. Carrots are rich in vitamin A and keep the eye healthy by lowering the chance of cataracts and other eye problems.

Filling our plates with these healthy alternatives rather than junk food will help us in keeping our health in check. Consuming a healthy diet prevents diseases such as malnutrition, diabetes, cancer and also helps in weight loss. A good diet is a key to good health.