Guess what, it is possible to health-ify your favourite recipes, so you don’t have to give up the foods you love in your quest to shed some extra kilos!
Once you get into the swing of it, making healthy food swaps is easy. This guide will help you adapt your favourite recipes and make better food choices.
Reducing fat
Including fat in your diet is essential for good health. However, too much fat can contribute to weight gain, heart disease and some cancers. On average, Australians consume around 50% more fat than is considered healthy.
When adapting recipes, you can use the same quantity of a low-fat ingredient to replace a high-fat ingredient – saving on calories and fat. You can also prepare and cook foods in ways that reduce fat content.
Ingredient | Alternative |
Full cream milk | Skim milk |
Yoghurt | Low-fat yoghurt |
Cream | Skim evaporated milk
Low-fat ricotta cheese blended with skim milk |
Coconut milk/cream | Low-fat coconut milk
Low-fat evaporated milk with coconut essence |
Sour cream | Low-fat natural yoghurt
Buttermilk Low-fat ricotta cheese blended with low-fat yoghurt |
Cream cheese | Low-fat cream cheese
Low-fat ricotta cheese |
Cheddar cheese | Use low-fat varieties in smaller servings
Use 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese to replace half a cup of full-fat cheddar cheese. (It has a stronger flavour, so you’ll need less.) |
Chicken | Remove skin
Control portion sizes (100g, uncooked, per person without bones, 200 g with bones) |
Meat | Trim all visible fat
Choose lean cuts Control portion sizes (100 g, uncooked, per person) |
Bacon | Trim off all the fat
Use lean ham or mid-eye bacon instead Use 97% fat-free varieties |
Butter, margarine | Choose low-fat spreads
Use apple puree in baking to keep cakes moist |
Oil | Cooking spray
Use apple puree in baking to keep cakes moist |
Mayonnaise | Low-fat natural yoghurt
Low-fat or no-fat mayonnaise |
Reducing sugar
Australians consume around 40 kg of refined sugar each year, or 22 teaspoons daily. Only 25% of this is added sugar. The rest is hidden in processed food products like soft drinks, confectionery, biscuits, cakes, sauces, canned fruits, ice cream, jelly and breakfast cereals.
On average, sugar adds an extra 440 calories to your food intake each day – which could be the difference between whether you’re a healthy weight or overweight. Reduce sugar in your cooking and save calories – and kilos!
Ingredient | Alternative |
Sugar – white or raw | Artificial sweeteners in a liquid or powder form
Reduce sugar in recipes by half. |
Increase fibre
Increasing fibre in your diet is easy – simply substitute whole grains for white or refined grains such as white flour and white rice. As well as containing valuable fibre, whole grains are a nutritious source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Fibre helps you feel fuller for longer and stabilises blood sugar levels, so you can continue making healthier choices throughout the day.
Ingredient | Alternative |
White flour | Wholemeal flour
Half wholemeal, half white flour. |
White rice | Brown rice |
White pasta | Wholemeal or vegetable pasta |
White bread | Wholemeal or wholegrain breads |
Breadcrumbs | Use wholemeal breadcrumbs or natural bran |
Fruits and vegetables | Leave the skin on where possible |
Alternative cooking methods
Where possible, use cooking methods which result in less fat. Here are some ideas for cutting back on fat when cooking:
Conventional method | Alternative methods |
Sauté or shallow frying | Use a non-stick pan
Use a cooking spray instead Grill or barbecue instead Dry-fry on medium heat, stirring continuously Use stock or water for sautéing, instead of oil Microwave food first, then crisp it up in the oven or under the grill |
Deep frying | Bake in the oven on a lightly greased tray
Partly cook in the microwave, then allow to brown in the oven |
White sauce | Halve amount of butter or margarine you normally use
Thicken with cornflour Use skim milk |
Thickening sauces with flour | Boil rapidly to reduce the amount of liquid
Thicken with extra pureed vegetables or tomato paste Add natural bran Add 1 tbsp of cooked lentils |
Adapting your favourite recipes
Adapting the recipes you love requires minimal effort, and can save you a bunch of calories. Here are some examples of recipes where the high-fat ingredients have been substituted with low-fat alternatives.
Savoury beef rolls – Serves 4
Original recipe: 545 calories per serve
Modified recipe: 250 calories per serve
Saving: 295 calories (1235 kj) per serve
Ingredients | Modification |
1 kg rump steak | Too much meat for four people. Reduce to 500 g. |
90 g cream cheese | Use low-fat ricotta |
1 Tbsp oil | Reduce by half |
2 Tbsp cream | Use low-fat evaporated milk |
½ tsp mixed herbs
Flour, salt & pepper 1 tsp soy sauce ½ cup beef stock 2 tsp parsley |
Use as stated |
Tomato and basil quiche – Serves 6
Original recipe: 485 calories per serve
Modified recipe: 245 calories per serve
Saving: 240 calories (1005 kj) per serve
Ingredient | Modification |
Pastry: | |
1 cup plain flour
1 Tbsp lemon juice |
Use as stated |
90 g butter | Reduce by half or replace with low-fat spread |
1 egg yolk | Omit. Add more water if necessary. |
Filling: | |
30 g butter | Reduce to 5 g (1 teaspoon) or use reduced-fat spread |
300 ml cream | Use 150 ml skim milk blended with 150 g ricotta |
¾ cup grated cheese | Use ½ cup of low-fat cheese |
2 eggs
1 leek Salt, pepper 3 small ripe tomatoes ¾ cup basil ½ cup parsley |
Use as stated or replace eggs with egg substitute |