Every time we eat, we make choices—whether we think about them or not. Putting a little more thought into the ingredients we choose can have a big impact on our physical, mental, and cognitive health.

So try these simple food swaps—at work, at home, or somewhere in between. You’ll get a nutritional boost without compromising on taste.

1. Instead of sparkling water, try mixing 90 percent soda and 10 percent grapefruit or guava juice. Both juices are lower in sugar without added sugar, and the combination with soda mimics the taste of sparkling water.
2. Instead of a protein bar, try two hard-boiled eggs or a bag of nuts and seeds.
3. Try cauliflower rice instead of rice. If you’re new to cauliflower rice, try mixing 50% rice with 50% cauliflower rice.
4. Try topping soups and salads with roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead of croutons.
5. Try blending frozen berries instead of tropical fruits (like pineapple) in your smoothie.
6. Try using green bananas or 1/2 an avocado instead of ripe bananas in smoothies. Both add a creamy flavor with little or no sugar.
7. Try using olive oil and lemon or vinegar instead of pre-made dressing.
8. Instead of using sweetened yogurt, try using unsweetened yogurt and chopped or mashed strawberries for extra flavor (any frozen and thawed berries will work here).
9. Alternate meat with plant-based proteins such as lentils, tofu or black beans, which are lower in saturated fat and higher in fiber.
10. Instead of canned tuna, try canned salmon, which has lower mercury levels.
11. Instead of ice cream, try mixing frozen bananas with dark chocolate and walnuts.
12. Try using 1/2 bun + 1 portobello mushroom or a lettuce wrap instead of a burger bun.
13. Try dark chocolate (85% or higher) instead of milk chocolate.
14. You can substitute olive or avocado oil for butter and canola oil in most recipes (avocado oil has a more neutral flavor).
15. Try mustard instead of ketchup.You’ll cut back on sugar and increase your intake of anti-inflammatory spices.
16. Instead of spaghetti or lasagna, try shirataki noodles, which are a great source of prebiotic fiber. (Miracle Noodle and Better Than Pasta are both good brands.) Hearts of palm pasta (such as Palmini) and spaghetti squash are also good alternatives.
17. Try thinly sliced ​​zucchini, eggplant, or almond flour lasagna (such as Cappello’s) instead of lasagna.
18. Try using jicama or rutabagas instead of hash browns, gratin potatoes, or scalloped potatoes.
19. Instead of a bowl of tortilla chips, try making a bowl of thinly sliced ​​cucumbers sprinkled with coarse sea salt and guacamole.
20. Try vegetarian chips (such as Rhythm, Brad’s Crunchy Chips or making your own) instead of potato chips.
21. Instead of tortilla shells or corn tortillas, try kale wraps, tapioca flour tortillas (like Siete), or coconut tortillas (like NuCo, SunFood, or The Real Coconut).
22. Instead of sandwich bread or toast, try nut and seed breads (such as Base Culture, Uprising Foods, Julian Bakery), or roasted, thinly sliced ​​sweet potatoes.
23. When a restaurant has limited bread options, choose sourdough.It raises your blood sugar less than white bread or even whole wheat bread.
24. Try using olive oil or avocado oil mayonnaise instead of canola oil mayonnaise (like Primal Kitchen, or make your own).
25. When cooking at high temperatures, use avocado oil instead of olive oil. It has a high smoke point, which means it doesn’