Some people believe that the term “healthy baking” is an oxymoron because baking usually involves the use of fat, sugar, and carb-laden flour. What these people do not realize is that there are actually healthier alternatives to these standard baking ingredients. Technology and the development of such alternatives have given the term “healthy baking” a new lease on life, so to speak, and has made it mean what it actually means, healthier ways to bake.
How do you make the goods you bake healthier when in fact, all baked goods require some form of fat, some sweetener, and a type of flour? There are ways for you to make this a reality with the following tips and tricks that can help remove the guilt from your baked goodies.
Use healthier alternatives to regular flour – regular, bleached flour is what people generally use when they create breads, cakes, and pastries. For a healthier spin on your breads, cakes, and other favorites, you should opt for the healthier types of flour available to you. These include whole wheat, multi-grain, and even nut-based flours. Nut-based flours can reduce the overall carb count of your baked items and can even give it a nutty flavor that you don’t get from regular flour.
You can also use coconut flour, which is made from the white flesh of coconuts, and has a tropical flavor to it. Just make sure to adjust your ingredients accordingly, depending on the kind of flour you are using. For example, for nut flours, use more baking powder or soda to make it rise better. For coconut flour, increase the liquids since this absorbs fluids more than its other flour counterparts.
Use low GI sweeteners instead of white sugar – these days, you can now get the sweetness you want from white sugar from other healthier alternatives. These include applesauce, coconut sugar, honey, and even dates. For diabetics and those who are avoiding sources of sweetness with a high glycemic index, substitutes include alcohol sugars (sorbitol, isomalt, xylitol, and erythritol), natural low GI options (stevia and yacon), and sugar substitutes (sucralose, and saccharin).
Substitute fats like butter and lard with healthier options – fat comes in many forms, some of which are healthier than others. In the past, people were told that margarine is the healthier alternative to butter, but in reality, butter which is made from all natural substances is actually healthier for the heart and the body than synthetic margarine.
If you want a healthier alternative to the fats that you need to add to your baking, choose butter from grass-fed cows, apple sauce, flax meal, and a mashed banana. You can also use avocados, which have a high fat content and have the same consistency as butter or margarine at room temperature.
These are just a few of the things you can use to substitute regular ingredients for baking to make what you are making healthier. Simply research the conversion that is ideal for your recipe and with the substitute ingredient you are using. For example, if you are substituting flax meal for butter, soak 3 teaspoons of flax meal in 1 teaspoon of water to use in place of 1 teaspoon butter.
