Taken from MayoClinic.com: A good site for healthy recipes.
Fat and cholesterol
| To reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol | |
|---|---|
| If your recipe calls for: | Try substituting: |
| Bacon | Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham) |
| Butter, margarine, shortening or oil in baked goods | Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute oil for butter or shortening, and don't substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine. |
| Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking | Cooking spray or nonstick pans |
| Creamed soups | Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents |
| Eggs | Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg |
| Evaporated milk | Evaporated skim milk |
| Full-fat cream cheese | Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth |
| Full-fat sour cream | Fat-free plain yogurt, or fat-free or low-fat sour cream |
| Ground beef | Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey |
| Mayonnaise | Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise |
| Oil-based marinades | Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth |
| Salad dressing | Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars |
| Whole milk | Reduced-fat or fat-free milk |
Sodium
| To reduce the amount of sodium | |
|---|---|
| If your recipe calls for: | Try substituting: |
| 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 garlic, celery or onions |
| 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 |
Sugar
| To reduce the amount of sugar | |
|---|---|
| If your recipe calls for: | Try substituting: |
| 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 |
| Syrup | Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup |
Other nutrients
| To increase the amount of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and fiber | |
|---|---|
| If your recipe calls for: | Try substituting: |
| All-purpose (plain) flour | Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour |
| Dry bread crumbs | Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal |
| Enriched pasta | Whole-wheat pasta |
| Iceberg lettuce | Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress |
| Meat as the main ingredient | Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews |
| White bread | Whole-wheat bread |
| White rice | Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley |
