7 ways to 'spring clean' your diet

Now that spring is here, many people are pledging to eat more healthfully and be more active. Amy Musselman, a registered dietitian with Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in Ohio shares her tips on how to "spring clean" your diet:

1. Substitute for red meat.

If you frequently consume red meat, consider opting for more chicken, fish or turkey meals instead. Fish is a healthy go-to, and lean ground turkey or chicken can provide a substitute for higher fat ground beef in recipes such as chili or tacos. On occasion when red meat is consumed, read labels and choose leaner cuts.

2. Fill up in veggies.

High in fiber and low in calories, vegetables are extremely helpful when it comes to losing weight and promoting good health. Vegetables like cauliflower can be used to make pizza crust or cauliflower fried rice, and potatoes can be sliced and baked as an option to french fries.

3. Help satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit.

Try freezing fruit to use as an alternative to ice cream or other frozen treats. Bananas can be frozen and then blended, as can many other fruits. As an alternative to sugary syrup and butter, top pancakes or waffles with fruit or applesauce to freshen up your breakfast for spring.

4. Make substitutions in recipes.

Look for recipes that replace unhealthy fats with nutritious ones, such as applesauce, avocados, yogurt, bananas, beans or dried fruit blends. Refined flours in baked goods can be replaced with whole grains (quinoa, oats, barley or rice), and beans or starches (tapioca, potato, rice or corn) can be used in place of refined flour in many recipes.

5. Use low-fat ingredients for loaded baked potatoes.

Top your potato with broccoli, salsa, low-fat cottage cheese or yogurt rather than high-fat sour cream, butter and cheese.

6. Reduce empty-calorie sugar intake.

These empty calories can be found in high-calorie juices, soft drinks and alcohol. Aside from a lack of nutritional value, these can add up to significant weight gain over time. From coffee creamers to a bite of candy here and there, it's easy to lose track of just how much sugar you may be consuming.

A single can of soda contains approximately nine teaspoons of sugar, and it would take about a half hour of walking to work it off. If you need to use a sweetener, consider switching to one derived from natural sources, such as Stevia. Flavored or infused waters and tea, berries and citrus fruit are a great way to perk up water.

7. Freshen up your diet by avoiding processed foods.

These include chips, cookies, canned goods and pre-packaged meats. Instead, choose healthier alternatives instead like fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, trail mix, popcorn, guacamole and low-fat cheese.

This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 5:44 PM with the headline "7 ways to 'spring clean' your diet ."