Put more on your plate and less on your waist with healthy food swaps
Top advice from a nutritionist can change how you eat while still letting you tuck into delicious burgers, chocolate and ice cream
WE all know people eat with their eyes and bigger servings often look more appetising.
But you can trick yourself into feeling satisfied by manipulating portions to look bigger – even while making them healthier at the same time.
Here, nutritionist AMANDA URSELL shares some simple food swaps that will leave you well fed and contented.
Burger and chips
Standard size - 425g : 1,092 calories
Plus: 22g sat fat, 11g sugars, 1.4g salt.
You need: 100g mince; one small, finely chopped onion; one brioche bun; a slice of tomato; few leaves of lettuce; 150g fries.
Bigger size - 495g : 530 calories
Plus: 2.8g sat fat, 16g sugars, 0.9g salt.
You need: 75g extra-lean mince; finely chopped onion; large grated carrot; 2 large slices of tomato; more salad; roll; 100g chunky chips.
Verdict
It looks much larger but our burger has 562 fewer calories with just under 20g less saturated fat.
We boosted the burger by using less mince and a grated carrot and opted for a standard bread roll rather than a brioche bun.
Switching from fries to chunky chips reduced calories further.
Chicken stir-fry
Standard size - 500g : 472 calories
Plus: 2g sat fat, 5.7g sugars, 0.3g fat.
You need: 150g pork; 150g stir-fry vegetables; 200g cooked rice on the side.
Bigger size - 520g : 265 calories
Plus: 0.8g sat fat, 11g sugars, 0.1g salt.
You need: 100g extra-lean pork; 300g stir-fry vegetables; 120g cooked rice on the side.
Verdict
We managed to serve a slightly larger meal for 207 fewer calories than the original by reducing the pork and rice but pumping up the volume with extra vegetables.
These changes also helped to lower the saturated fat, making it an all-round healthier option.
Chicken salad
Standard size - 260g : 377 calories
Plus: 3g sat fat, 2.8g sugars, 1.4g salt.
You need: 150g cooked chicken; 2tbsp Caesar dressing; 25g croutons; 80g salad leaves.
Bigger size - 630g : 249 calories
Plus: 0.8g sat fat, 13g sugars, 1g salt.
You need: 100g cooked chicken; 350g salad; 50g cucumber; 100g red pepper; 30g fat-free French dressing.
Verdict
Although our salad weighs a whopping 370g more, it has 128 fewer calories.
A simple dressing swap makes all the difference.
The extra chicken we have packed in means you get more protein, which is likely to help you feel fuller for longer after eating.
Chocolate treat
Standard size - 100g : 527 calories
Plus: 19g sat fat, 53g sugars, 0.2g sugars.
You need: Large bar of milk chocolate.
Bigger size - 104g : 339 calories
Plus: 2g sat fat, 14g sugars, 1g salt.
You need: 2 slices of wholemeal toast with 15g chocolate spread.
Verdict
Our delicious chocolate treat weighs slightly more but gives you 188 fewer calories and 17g less saturated fat.
It has 39g less sugar and boosts fibre by more than 5g.
It also has 20 per cent of your recommended intake of energy-boosting iron and 19 per cent of B vitamin folate.
Ice cream sundae
Standard size - 211g : 445 calories
Plus: 11g sat fat, 46g sugars, 0.4g salt.
You need: 3 scoops ice cream; 10g double cream; two wafers; chocolate sauce; 1 strawberry.
Bigger size - 225g : 225 calories
Plus: 4g sat fat, 32g sugars, 0.1g salt.
You need: 1 banana; 5 strawberries; 8 raspberries; 1 scoop ice cream; 15ml single cream.
Verdict
This sounds like a naughty treat but we have got an extra 14g of food for 220 fewer calories.
Added sugars, meanwhile, have been slashed from 46g down to 10g (the rest in our sundae coming from natural sugars).
Our sundae also provides one and a half of your five-a-day.
Smoothies
Standard size - 225g : 210 calories
Plus: 7g sat fat, 21g sugars, 0.2g salt.
You need: Half a banana; 75ml of strawberry yoghurt, 100ml milk.
Bigger size - 300g : 195 calories
Plus: 0.5g sat fat, 34g sugars, 0.8g salt.
You need: Small banana; 140g strawberries; 50ml low-fat plain yoghurt, ice.
Verdict
There are 15 fewer calories, 6.5g less saturated fat and 8.3g more fibre in our smoothie – which weighs an extra 75g.
None of the sugars in our bigger but better smoothie is added – all come naturally from milk sugars and the fruit.
It provides two of your five-a-day.
