Butter is a favorite ingredient in most kitchens though it is hardly the healthiest. You probably use butter in a wide range of preparations, both sweet and savory dishes from cakes and cookies to pasta and bread. However, high butter consumption may be very detrimental to your health, especially concerning your cardiac functioning. Butter has high amounts of saturated fat and LDL cholesterol, which are known to clog arteries and cause numerous heart diseases. Moreover, butter is also high in calories, which promote weight gain as well. Therefore, the need to substitute butter in everyday cooking is the need of the hour to keep healthy. Keep reading to learn about ten alternative ingredients you could try the next time your recipe calls for butter.
Butter made from nuts make for great spreads to eat with bread, muffins, and light cakes even. Unlike butter, which has high quantities of saturated fat and not many nutritional benefits, nut kinds of butter contain more healthy fat components as well as potassium and fiber. Homemade peanut butter and almond butter are both tasty alternatives that you should substitute for butter in both sweet and savory preparations.
You should use different varieties of olive oil in place of butter for practically any kind of dish. For instance, extra virgin oil, which has high amounts of monosaturated fat, can be used in salad dressings, sauces, and other Mediterranean dishes. The regular olive oil can is perfect for baking. Just replace every cup of butter with a three-fourths cup of this healthier ingredient.
A paste made of sesame seeds, chickpeas, garlic, lemon, and seasoning, hummus is a delicious dip as well as savory spread. Its fat content is constituted primarily by unsaturated fats, thereby making it far healthier than LDL-rich butter. You can also prepare hummus at home, which allows you to customize the taste to suit your particular palate.
In recent times, everyone recognizes the avocado as a super-food, which is rich in micronutrients like potassium and vitamin K. It also has monosaturated fats that fight bad cholesterol. Avocado also has a lighter calorie content making it more suitable for weight watchers. The best part is, this green food is delicious as a spread for all kinds of bread. In its pureed form, avocado is ideal for sweet desserts and baked goods.
An excellent substitute for butter in baking, Greek yogurt is not just healthier, but it gives baked goods a smoother texture and moister consistency. It adds more protein and fiber to dishes without adding extra calories and fat. Replace every cup of butter with a half cup of Greek yogurt in your baking favorites.
Low-fat cream cheese is also a healthier option to use in savory dishes that use high quantities of butter. It is rich in unsaturated fats, and its sour taste adds more of a kick to everyday meals. It is also great as a spread on bread, crackers, and bagels. Cream cheese is mild, fresh-tasting dairy that is easy to make at home.
For sweet recipes such as bakes and desserts, applesauce is a better ingredient regarding its nutritional value and flavor profile. It contains significantly fewer calories than butter and also helps keep sweets more moist and velvety texture. Moreover, it adds more depth and flavor to recipes, especially those that contain cinnamon, nuts, and dried fruit. Applesauce should be used in the same quantity as prescribed for butter in recipes.
Low-fat varieties of cottage cheese are great for making nutritious dips and spreads. It has much higher quantities of protein, but a lower fat content along with several essential micronutrients. Given its mild flavor and soft consistency, cottage cheese is a perfect base upon which one can add on various ingredients, spices, and dressings.
Another versatile butter alternative is coconut oil because it shares many of butter’s properties, but it is far healthier with antiviral and antimicrobial properties. It can be used for frying, basting, or baking and is a favorite ingredient in sauces and curries. You may also use coconut oil and experiment with recipes for spreads and dips to use with bread, bagels, and muffins too. In baking and cooking, it is to be used in the same quantity as butter and can be cooked at the same temperature as well.
This butter substitute is known to be an excellent stimulant of the gut. In fact, prune puree is ideal in place of butter for sweet recipes. It has a much lesser fat content and calories, making it a useful constituent of desserts. Those who are watching their weight may use it and still indulge their sweet tooth without having to worry about buttery additives. Though packaged prune puree is available in stores as well, you can prepare it at home – the preparation process is simple and ensures that essential fibers stay active after processing.
This site offers information designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on any information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or as a substitute for, professional counseling care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.