1. Instead of… THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING High amounts of sodium and preservatives as well as added sugar can be found in bottled dressing. Furthermore, Thousand Island dressing contains mayonnaise, adding to its caloric value.

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Choose… BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE Balsamic vinaigrette makes a very low-calorie option for adding that touch of delicious zest to your otherwise dull salad

2. Instead of… TRADITIONAL PASTA Normal pasta-like spaghetti is considered a processed food, and this doesn’t boast as many nutrients as natural or organic ones.

Photo courtesy of Ambro

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Choose… WHOLE WHEAT PASTA Because of its high-fibre content, your body burns more fat to process the food. This makes whole wheat pasta a great fat-burning food. Also, it’s so filling that you’d actually find yourself eating much less.

Photo courtesy of Grant Cochrane

3. Instead of… PORK BACON The amount of fat; its sinful saltiness, the oil that oozes out – I’m sure you get why bacon isn’t the healthiest food on the planet.

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Choose… TURKEY BACON Turkey bacon offers a low-fat, low-calorie option to those who want to steer clear of pork bacon, yet savour the same great taste it boasts.

4. Instead of… WHITE RICE The nutritious layer of "brown" bran gets removed during white rice processing so you won't be getting any of the good stuff, like fibre, for example.

Photo courtesy of Suat Eman

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Choose… BROWN RICE The way brown rice is processed ensures that its essential nutrients are retained. It has a slightly nutty flavour and is a tad chewy. Keep in mind that brown rice goes bad really quickly (it has a shelf life of approximately 6 months), compared to white rice so use it up fast!

Photo courtesy of markuso

5. Instead of… WHITE FLOUR Similar to the comparison against white rice and brown rice, the “good” layers of white flour are stripped during production…

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Choose… WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR Whole wheat flour, on the other hand, contains the nutritious outer shell of the grain. Additionally, using whole wheat flour alters the texture and flavour (not to mention nutrient level) of your recipe, so it might be fun to experiment with this.