Substitute Saturday: Peanut Butter!

      OK, this is a big one! I am amazed at how many people still buy peanut butter with added sugar & hydrogenated oils. Yuck! It amazes me that they even make the stuff! I guess many just don't know there's an easy alternative, which is why I started this series! (BTW, if you know of any easy healthy food alternatives, please leave a comment!) Most PB has added salt, sugar (sometimes even HFCS), and worst of all, hydrogenated oils. Look for a natural brand instead. I prefer the kind with just peanuts & salt. I bought it without salt once, and it's just not as tasty. To me, the natural PB tastes twice as good, and I do not miss the sugar AT all. Make sure you check labels, because a label of "all natural", legally, does not have to mean anything. Any product can be labeled "all natural". I buy Laura Scudder's, but Jiff has a natural line now as well (with some extra ingredients).

Substituted so far...

• Stevia or xylitol FOR: artificial sweeteners 
• Cane sugar FOR: high fructose corn syrup  
• Honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, or fruit juice FOR: all refined sugars
• Bragg's Liquid Aminos FOR: Soy Sauce
• Peanut Butter w/ only peanuts & salt FOR: old school PB

Substitute Saturday: soy sauce

Bragg's Liquid Aminos is a healthy alternative to soy sauce. It is more expensive, but with the amount you usually use in your recipes, it shouldn't be a big budget crusher. It has no added salt or preservatives, and the soybeans used are non GMO (genetically modified). Plus, amino acids are good for you. Just another thing to add to your list next time you run out of soy sauce. I found it on the baking aisle, but depending on where you live, you may have to go to a health food store.

Substituted so far...

• Stevia or xylitol FOR: artificial sweeteners 
• Cane sugar FOR: high fructose corn syrup  
• Honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, or fruit juice FOR: all refined sugars
• Bragg's Liquid Aminos FOR: Soy Sauce

Keaton @ 18 months

MORE HERE!

Substitute Saturday: refined cane sugar

Your body handles real foods (foods from nature) much better than processed foods. The substitutes listed below are from actual foods made by nature. Do they still have calories? Sure, but since they are processed differently by the body, the don't raise your blood sugar as much. Not to mention, they have vitamins, minerals, and good antioxidants in them as well. Refined sugars have NO health benefits whatsoever.

Check here for dangers of refined cane sugar.

Substitute:

Honey, real maple syrup, molasses, brown rice syrup, agave, or fruit juice. These are more expensive, but really worth it. They are also actually sweeter than sugar, so you can use less! We bought a jug of maple syrup, and I was shocked it cost $20!. BUT, it has lasted us a year, and it's only halfway gone! A little goes a long way on pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, baked goods, etc. For baking, search for recipes that have these ingredients instead of sugar or corn syrup.

Check here for:

Using these in baby food.

Substituted so far...

• Stevia or xylitol FOR: artificial sweeteners 
• Cane sugar FOR: high fructose corn syrup 
• All refined sugars FOR: honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, or fruit juice.