Popular Junk Foods: From Junky to Hunky

Let us show you how

Do you want to see your favourite unhealthy food turn into a healthy one? Enjoy and satisfy that craving of yours, the healthy and guilt-free way.

Hamburgers. If we were to ask you, what do you think are the ingredients used to make those widely popular burgers in fast food restaurants? Most likely, you’ll respond with beef and a side of long pause. Don’t worry we understand your shortcomings when eating at these restaurants. You go there for the taste, not the million dollar questioning.

Burgers from popular fast food chains contain a lot of trans fats (damaged fat, artificially altered), excess calories, highly processed additives, and sugar. It’s like playing Russian roulette with your cardiovascular system.

Our healthy option for you:

Your choice of fresh vegetables, homemade beef pattie, chicken or fish with low-sugar sauces served on roasted eggplant or Portobello mushroom instead of a bun. Sounds delicious, huh? Homemade also means you know exactly what your burger is made up of!
Fish and Chips. Who from New Zealand and Australia doesn’t know about fish and chips? This staple takeaway food has satisfied hungry eaters from almost all ages for decades. The fish itself is nutritious. But the vegetable oil used for deep-frying your fish and chips is full of trans fats and that batter is made from refined white flour. If you really want fish and chips takeaways, look for a place that deep-fries in lard to minimise trans fats.

Our healthy option for you:

Instead of your usual chips, try roasting your favourite root vegetable chips (like kumara, beets, parsnips and carrots). You don’t just add flavour, but you also add more nutrients. Have your fish baked in mayonnaise and rolled in coconut for a healthier, tastier dish. Try our Oven Baked Root Vegetable Chips Recipe.
Pizza. Most pizzas out there are made from refined white flour and use sugary sauces and processed meats. The refining process removes much of the nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fibre. What’s more worrisome is the ability of refined flour and sugar (refined carbohydrates) to contribute fat to unwanted areas of your body (subcutaneous fat). Refined carbohydrates are also a major donor to the fat inside you (visceral fat).

Our healthy option for you:

Try one of those grain-free pizza bases available in your wholefoods store or make your own from almond or coconut flour for a yummy gluten-free base. If you prefer bite-sized ready to devour mini pizzas, use roasted eggplant, kamo kamo or squash rounds as a base. Going grain-free can help to improve mood, reduce anxiety, and aid digestive health. Try our Mini Breadless Pizza Recipe.
Ice Cream. This food may be the sweetest in the group, but it can prove itself to be the worst if not taken seriously. Too many refined carbohydrates (all that sugar you love so much) found in ice cream can lead to dental caries, weight gain, and an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Not to mention other artificial additives, colours or flavours in your favourite ice cream.

Our healthy option for you:

Here’s our twist on the matter, how does homemade banana or coconut ice cream sound? You can satisfy that sweet craving of yours with less sugar and no artificial flavours and colours. Try our homemade Banana Ice Cream Recipe.
Soft drinks. They may be called soft, but their effects on your health are far from soft. These sugar charged and additive abundant drinks make sure you visit your doctor a decade earlier for diseases that may have been prevented. Soft drink additives like benzoate salts may contribute to the development of cancer. They are present in small amounts. But how many cans do you drink in a day? A number of reports also state that sodium benzoate can contribute to the initiation of an allergic response. Watch out asthmatics. And let’s not forget the OTHER artificial additives, colours or flavourings found in your soft drink. Or the the loads of sugars or artificial sweeteners that you down with each can!

Our healthy option for you:

Try a fruit spritzer. It’s made by mixing sparkling or carbonated water with pure fruit juice, mint, and ginger. It contains no artificial additives and flavourings. It’s also low in sugar. Try our Tropical Spritzer Recipe.
Potato chips. If you always pick chips over a healthy option, then you’re setting yourself up for a whole herd of preventable diseases. This low-nutrient, readily available, and high calorie junk food contains acrylamide. Acrylamide is a chemical believed to raise your risk of developing cancer according to European health authorities. It’s produced in certains foods when they are cooked at high temperatures, particularly in potatoes and other starches.

Our healthy option for you:

Kale chips. They’re made by rubbing kale leaves with coconut or olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and grill for a minute or two. Keep an eye on them as they don’t take long! After cooling, they turn into yummy vegetable chips. No need to close your eyes and pretend you’re eating potato chips. Kale improves blood glucose levels in diabetics, reduces your risk of developing asthma, and lowers your blood pressure. It's also full of nutrients. Add some parmesan cheese before grilling for a yummy new flavour.
Meat pie. All those hydrogenated fats and refined carbohydrates in the pastry can lessen the nutritional value of your meat pie. But the real villain inside today’s meat pies is the presence of trans fats. These trans fats are often disguised or aren’t mentioned on food labels at all, especially in Australia. Trans fats have some notorious playmates. We think you know them, they’re HD (heart disease) and DM (diabetes mellitus).

Our healthy option for you:

Try mini pastry-less savouries using egg, vegetables, and bacon or salmon. You can also make a shepherd’s pie with no pastry. Try replacing the mashed potato on top with mashed kumara or carrot or cauliflower for a more nutritious topping. Try our Egg & Prosciutto Muffin Cup Recipe.
Biscuits and cookies. Sugar (or high fructose corn syrup), refined white flour, and hydrogenated fats (full of trans fats) are the three musketeers that stand and fight together when it comes to unhealthy biscuits and cookies.

Our healthy option for you:

Replace the three bad musketeers with stevia, almond or coconut flour, and dark chocolate. For a yummy sweet treat try our Coconut Macaroon Recipe, our Chocolate Truffle Recipe or our Cinnamon Stars Recipe.

We know these popular junk foods are your favourites. Now try to enjoy them without the unwanted guests to your health. Indulge in our healthy, nutritious options of your favourite fast foods.