Lowering Your Cholesterol With Low Fat Or Non Fat Ingredients
Nowadays many foods are available in three types: Full fat, reduced fat or low fat. In many cases, especially when used in cooking with other ingredients and difference in taste is hardly discernible.
You can purchase low fat dairy products such as cottage cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and many of the cheese varieties. Many cookie producers have also begun creating low-fat versions of their cookies. The options are almost as endless as the food choices.
Some low fat or reduced fat ingredients and products work better than others in cooking, but often a simple substitution of one for another will work. The addition of low fat or non fat ingredients, such as herbs and spices, also add plenty of extra flavor to recipes.
Low Fat Spreads in Cooking:
Generally speaking, the very low fat spreads with a fat content of around 20% or less, have a high water content and are unsuitable for cooking. Spreads with a fat content of around 40% are suitable for some cooking methods. 40% fat content spreads are best suited for recipes such as all in one cakes and biscuit recipes, sauteed vegetables choux pastry and some cake frostings.
When using low fat spreads in your cooking never cook them over a high heat. Always use a heavy pan over a low heat to avoid your foods burning or spoiling – and stir all the time.
Also remember that the storage times for recipes made with reduced or low fat spreads may be reduced slightly because of the lower fat content.
Fat Substitutions:
Another way to reduce the fat content of recipes, particularly cake recipes is to use a fruit puree in place of all or some of the fat in the original recipe. Applesauce makes an excellent substitute.
To make the dried fruit puree, chop 4 oz. of ready to eat fried fruit and place in a blender or food processor with 5 tablespoons water and blend to a roughly smooth puree. Then, simply substitute the same weight of this dried fruit puree for all or just some of the amount of fat in the original recipe. You can use dried prunes, apricots,peaches or apples, or substitute mashed fresh fruit, such as ripe bananas, or lightly cooked apples – without the water.
To find these and other tips and techniques for lowering your cholesterol through natural methods,look into out Demystifying Cholesterol. They offer a detailed guide to lowering cholesterol naturally in addition to a free low-fat, low-cholesterol recipe book.
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