Many of us find a recipe we like, but worry about the fat, salt or cholesterol content? Gourmet Jack’s table of Healthy Ingredient Substitutions shows you how to replace some common recipe ingredients with healthier alternatives. It’s not exhaustive, but it does cover some of the main items that seem to come up. Some other tips to consider when looking for substitutions are:
1. Learn the cooking properties of your ingredients.
2. Ingredients that serve several purpose in a dish can be difficult to replace.
3. Replace up to half the sugar in a recipe with artificial sweeteners.
4. Use cornstarch instead of eggs to thicken puddings.
5. Fruit purees can add moisture to lower fat recipes.
6. Top desserts with nonfat whipped topping or frozen yogurt.
7. Use buttermilk instead of sour cream.
8. Test out your recipe and make adjustments—don’t give up the first time.
We stock healthy foods in our pantries, but what do we do with them? How do we modify favorite family recipes so that they’re more in line with our healthy-eating plan? It’s not as hard as you may think. The key is to incorporate healthier alternatives into our daily food preparation and eating routine.
The following suggestions can help you lower fat, salt, sugar and calories and increase fiber in your recipes.
| Instead of: | Try This: |
| All-purpose (plain) flour |
Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked goods Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in softer products like cakes and muffins. |
| Shortening, butter, margarine, or solid fat | Use less liquid oil or solid fat called for in the recipe. If recipe calls for 1 cup use cup. If recipe uses cup shortening, use 3 Tablespoons oil. Use equal amounts of oil for melted shortening, margarine or butter. |
| Shortening, butter or oil in baking |
Use applesauce or prune puree for half of the butter, shortening or oil. May need to reduce baking time by 25%. Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don’t substitute oil for butter or shortening. |
| Instead of whole milk, half and half or evaporated milk | Use skim milk, Skim Plus, 1% milk, evaporated skim milk, fat-free half and half , or plain soymilk with calcium. |
| Margarine in baked goods |
Trans fat-free butter spreads or shortenings that are specially formulated for baking Note: If ingredient lists include the term "partially hydrogenated," it may have up to 0.5 grams of trans fat in one serving. To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don’t substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine. |
| Butter, shortening, margarine, or oil to prevent sticking. Fat to saute or stir-fry | When frying, use cooking spray, water, broth or that old standby – non-stick pans |
| Creamed soups | Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents |
| Dry bread crumbs | Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal |
| White bread | Whole-wheat bread |
| White rice | Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley |
| Whole milk | Reduced-fat or fat-free milk |
| Full-fat cream cheese | Use low-fat or nonfat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth. |
| Full-fat sour cream Full-fat cottage cheese Full-fat Ricotta cheese |
Use nonfat or reduced fat sour cream or fat-free plain yogurt. (Yogurt is not heat stable.) Use 2% or fat-free cottage cheese. Use part-skim ricotta. |
| Cream Whipping cream |
Use evaporated skim milk Use nonfat whipped topping or cream (This is only nonfat if one serving size is used.) |
| Eggs | Use egg whites (usually 2 egg whites for every egg) or cup egg substitute. |
| Bacon | Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham) |
| Enriched pasta | Whole-wheat pasta |
| Evaporated milk | Evaporated skim milk |
| Fruit canned in heavy syrup | Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit |
| Fruit-flavored yogurt | Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices |
| Whole fat cheese | Use reduced fat cheese, but add it at the end of the baking time or use part skim mozzarella. |
| Iceberg lettuce | Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress |
| Oil-based marinades | Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth |
| Salad dressing | Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars |
| Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt or onion salt | Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes, or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery or onions |
| Frying in fat | Use cooking methods such as bake, boil, broil, grill, poach, roast, stir-fry, or microwave. |
| Regular mayonaisse or salad dressing | Use low fat, reduced or nonfat mayonnaise or salad dressing. |
| Soups, sauces, dressings, crackers, or canned meat, fish or vegetables | Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions |
| Soy sauce | Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy sauce |
| Table salt | Herbs, spices, fruit juices or salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends |
| Syrup | Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup |
| Canned fish | Use water-packed canned products or canned products packed in lite syrup. |
| Meat as the main ingredient | Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews |
| Ground Beef | Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no poultry skin has been added to the product) |
| Fatter cuts of meat, or skin on | Leaner cuts of meat or ground meat, remove skin before cooking. |
