Cooking oil can be replaced with applesauce, fruit puree, winter squash, thick water, or cooking spray. Using oil substitutes can reduce calories and cholesterol. Moderation and choosing low-fat oils is key.
Cooking oil of any kind is especially useful in baked goods, as it helps bind ingredients together and keeps baked goods moist. But for those of us interested in lowering calories or cholesterol in our diet, using too much cooking oil can be unattractive. You can of course use switching to oils high in monounsaturated fats (good fats). For example, choosing canola oil over vegetable oil will reduce saturated fat in your diet.
An oil substitute can also be another substance that will have some of the binding and moisturizing properties of oil, without the fat. For baked goods, the most popular oil substitute is applesauce. It doesn’t have much flavor and can easily make muffins, cakes, pancakes or brownies, to name just a few, that are low in fat but still moist and delicious. The guideline for using this substitute is to use unsweetened applesauce first. Instead of adding oil, use applesauce in half the amount of oil called for in the recipe. Applesauce can also replace butter or margarine in most baked goods, except pastas and noodles.
Almost any fruit puree will make an acceptable oil substitute in baking. Bananas don’t even need to be cooked, and you can make great banana bread without using any kind of oil or shortening. Keep in mind that it is possible to detect fruits with a strong taste. This is why applesauce is often preferred. Plus, applesauce contains a fair amount of pectin, which can help keep baked goods firm.
There are a few variations of winter squash that make a good oil substitute. Pumpkin, especially from sugar gourds, is probably the best of these. Mashed sweet potatoes can work too. These may have a stronger flavor in some baked goods, but in baked goods with many other strong flavors, the squash may not be as detectable.
Another alternative oil substitute is called thick water. This is a combination of cornstarch and water, which is heated to a certain degree of thickness and then cooled before use. It can impart firmness and hold a certain amount of moisture, and might be a better substitute for things like salad dressings, where what you’re really looking for is added thickness. Alternatively, you may be able to use skim milk instead of oil in some recipes.
Cooking spray can be used as an oil substitute, although it does contain a certain amount of oil. However, it’s usually a very low amount and will keep things from sticking. Nonstick cookware can also help you reduce the oil in any produce that needs to be cooked on a stovetop or pan cooked. Another excellent emulsifying ingredient is soy lecithin, which you can find in the refrigerated sections of health food stores.
It’s a common misconception that a diet should be completely or as close to fat-free as possible. This isn’t true, and if you’re trying to lose weight, don’t cut all oil out of your diet. The oil helps us absorb fat-soluble vitamins and increases the nutritional content of the food we eat. A little oil on a salad makes the salad more nutritious. The goal is moderation and choosing the lowest fat oils with good cholesterol types. Keep track of the actual serving size and add oil in smaller quantities. When you want to splurge on a baked good, chances are you don’t need the extra oil and can use an oil substitute.
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