7 Food Swaps Science Says You Should Make Right Now

There's a lot of confusing information about food out there. Here are seven easy changes you can make today to help settle some of these health questions in your life, and start on the path to a longer, healthier life.
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There's a lot of confusing information about food out there. One day you hear a report that drinking coffee is good; the next day a new study claims that drinking coffee will lead to a heart attack. Is pasta okay to eat, or is it the enemy? I get frustrated, and I'm sure you do, too. Who do you believe? Many patients have told me they thought fat-free was healthy, only to later learn that fat-free products are often loaded with sugar. Or they start eating yogurt as part of their goal to start the day with a healthy breakfast; then they find out that their brand of yogurt has as much sugar as a candy bar.

When I was researching my book, AARP New American Diet, I had a lot of these questions in mind. In order to cut through the clutter, I relied heavily on the most recent and comprehensive clinical studies from two of the most respected names in health: the National Institutes of Health and AARP. Many of the studies you've heard on what people have done to live a longer and healthier life have come out of this lengthy study.

Here are seven easy changes you can make today to help settle some of these health questions in your life, and start on the path to a longer, healthier life:

1. Put down that dinner roll and pick up the salt (kosher preferred!) shaker.

Food Swaps

References:

[1] C. N. Freeman, E. D. Cummins, C. Tucker, J. Ostland, & B. J. Hock. "The Addictive Properties of Sweetener Consumption Using a Conditioned Taste Aversion Animal Model for Dependency." Journal of Behavioral and Neuroscience Research 2011, Vol. 9(1), 1-6.

For more by John Whyte, M.D., MPH, click here.

For more on diet and nutrition, click here.

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