Low Cholesterol Diet: Cut the Fat, Save the Flavor!

Let's say you are trying to lower high cholesterol, but resistant to giving up the treats you love.  I want to give you some simple tips for modifying recipes and baked goods to make them more heart healthy without sacrificing the taste.

Here is a short table with basic substitutions to reduce fat and calories in some of your favorite foods while maintaining the flavor you enjoy.

Instead of . . .                                  Substitute. . .

Whole milk                                  1% or fat free milk

Whole egg                                  2 egg whites or egg substitute

Vegetable oil                               Non-stick vegetable oil or canola/olive oil

Butter/Margarine                          Fruit puree or vegetable oil

Cream                                        Evaporated Skim Milk

If you're modifying an old family recipe it will take some trial and error before you find the right balance between healthier substitutions and a quality product.  It may work best when baking to replace half the ingredients with a healthier alternative.  For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups all-purpose flour instead use 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.  Also, reduce the amount of fat added to a product.  For example, instead of 1 cup of oil try ¾ cups of oil.  You may not notice a difference.  Experiment with different options until you get a product you enjoy. 

Fruit Purees

Never baked with fruit purees?  Well, here's a quick lesson on how to use them to make moist baked goods without the artery clogging fat.

The reason fat makes products taste good is because it adds moisture, flavor, and a tender texture to baked goods.  Substitution of fruit purees or nonfat dairy products can provide some of the same fat-like characteristics without the actual fat.  The type of fruit puree you choose to use will affect the final product.  For example, a prune puree provides rich flavor with a moist, tender texture.  A prune puree works best in recipes containing chocolate, cinnamon, and orange seasoning.  For some recipes it may be best to just replace half the fat.  For example, replace 1 cup butter with ½ cup pureed prunes/bananas/applesauce and ½ cup butter instead.