Healthy Ingredient Substitutes
Have you ever found a recipe that sounds absolutely wonderful, but then decided not to make it because it sounded too fattening, or just too unhealthy overall? Many recipes can easily be made healthier by merely replacing one or more of the ingredients, without sacrificing the taste or appearance of the dish.
The following list shows you how you can make simple ingredient substitutions that can help reduce the amount of calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and sugar in your meals.
So, the next time you see a recipe that looks great but are concerned about the nutrition value, use this list to substitute one or more of the ingredients. These changes can lead to a long-term habit of healthy ingredient substitutions, while allowing you to expand your healthy recipe collection.
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If your recipe lists this ingredient…
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Try this ingredient…
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Bacon
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Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham), soy bacon
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Bread (white)
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Whole grain bread
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Bread crumbs (dry)
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Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal
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Butter, margarine, shortening or oil (baked goods)
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Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil; butter spreads or shortenings specially formulated for baking that don’t have trans fats
(To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, do not substitute oil for butter or shortening. Do not substitute diet, whipped, or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.)
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Butter, margarine, shortening, or oil (to prevent sticking)
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Cooking spray or nonstick pans
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Cheese
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Low-fat or fat-free cheese (fat-free cheese does not melt very well)
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Cream (heavy)
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Evaporated skim milk or fat-free half-and-half
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Cream cheese (full fat)
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Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel, ricotta, or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth
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Eggs
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Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg
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Fruit canned in heavy syrup
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Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit
(You can also rinse the canned fruit in water to rinse off the syrup)
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Ground beef
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Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (no poultry skin)
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Mayonnaise
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Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise
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Milk (whole)
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Low fat or non-fat milk
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Milk chocolate chunks
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1/2 the amount of mini milk chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate
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Oil-based marinades
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Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice, or fat-free broth
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Rice (white)
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Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley
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Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt, or onion salt
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Herb-only seasonings (such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes) or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery, or onions
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Shortening
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Vegetable oil
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Soups, creamed
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Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes, or tofu for thickening agents
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Sour cream
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Plain yogurt or reduced-fat cottage cheese (blended)
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Sugar
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In most baked goods, you can reduce the amount of sugar by one-half, then intensify the sweetness by adding vanilla, nutmeg, or cinnamon
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Syrup
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Pureed fruit, such as applesauce or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup
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Table salt
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Herbs, spices, citrus juices (lemon, lime, orange), rice vinegar, salt-free seasoning mixes, or herb blends
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Yogurt (fruit-flavored)
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Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices
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Glad you enjoyed the article!
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