Alter Cooking
Instructions For
Less Fat |
When preparing baked goods or pasta or rice dishes from commercial mixes, can I use
less fat than is listed in the instructions? How can I tell what the resulting fat content
would be?
In many cases, you can use less fat than is suggested on package instructions to lower
the overall fat content of these foods. Many recipes for muffins, brownies and cakes come
out very well if you substitute applesauce or plain nonfat yogurt for all or part of the fat
listed. Try omitting only half of the fat to see if you like the results. Rice and pasta dishes
can be prepared with little or no added margarine or oil, but you may want to add a little
extra liquid (chicken stock, vegetable broth or water) for moistness. Nutrition information
provided on the label usually lists both "mix only" and "as prepared" (which includes the
ingredients to be added according to the directions). For each tablespoon of oil you omit
from the instructions, you will lower the total fat content by 14 grams of fat. Each
tablespoon of margarine you leave out will result in 11 fewer grams of total fat. To get the
new fat content per serving, simply divide the total amount of fat by the number of servings
in the mix.
American Institute for Cancer Research
Read Healthy Cooking Secrets for more tips on preparing healthy meals.
|