Healthy Ingredients: Substitutions and Additions

I really appreciate a good brownie, or cupcake, or any baked good for that matter.  And I don’t eat it expecting to gain many health benefits from it.  But what if you could?!?  What if there were secret little ways to enhance even the most notoriously “unhealthy” dishes?

Here is a list of ingredient substitutions and additions that do just that…

1.  Cook with coconut oil instead of olive, canola, vegetable, or other oils

This is the one ingredient on my list that requires the most taste adaptation.  There is definitely a unique flavor that comes with cooking with coconut oil.  Unique, not gross.

It took my family and I about one week to grow used to the taste of eating with coconut oil.  And now, we truly enjoy it!  By far the tastiest way I have found to cook with coconut oil is to cook it with homemade sweet potato fries.  And of course, I always put a small dollop of coconut oil in our Undercover Green Smoothies.  🙂

There are no calculations that you have to make when substituting coconut oil for any other kind of oil.  Frying, stir-frying, sautéing…any method of cooking is the same for coconut oil as the many other varieties.  (However, I don’t recommend baking with coconut oil, as the taste change is too great in my opinion.  For an oil substitute in a baked good, I use unsweetened applesauce.)

What are the health benefits of cooking with coconut oil?

• High in HEALTHY saturated fats
• One of the best natural nutritional agents for hair
• Acts as an effective skin moisturizer
• Contains lauric acid, which aids in preventing heart problems
• Very useful in losing weight (!!!)
• Improves your digestive system

2.  Add a Tablespoon of FlaxSeed to any Baked Goods, Yogurt, or Smoothies

Flaxseed has become my personal favorite addition to many “treats” that we eat.  Because it doesn’t have a highly noticeable flavor, it’s really easy to sneak into desserts and Green Smoothies!

Be careful, though!  Anything more than a tablespoon added to a blender or baking dish may cause you a little stomach discomfort later…it’s also quite the potent laxative!

What are the health benefits of adding flaxseed to your recipe?

• Excellent source of omega-3’s
• Promotes bone health
• Known to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels
• Great source of fiber
• Packed with vitamin E and many of the B-complex vitamins

3.  Cook With Sprouted 100% Whole Wheat Flour

The whole wheat flour market can be quite tricky.  If you walk down the baking aisle of any grocery store, you’ll see bags of flour labeled “White Wheat Flour”, “100% Whole Wheat Flour”, and “Sprouted 100% Whole Wheat Flour”.  My goodness!  Is one really better than the other if they all have the word “Wheat” in them?!?

The answer is “YES”!

If there is one that you should definitely stay away from it’s the bag labeled “White Wheat Flour”.  The white wheat flour is basically pure carbohydrates with little to no nutritional value.

The 100% whole wheat flour is a great choice, especially for a stricter budget.  It has not lost its original vitamins and minerals due to heavy processing, unlike white and white wheat flours.

But if at all possible, consider cooking with Sprouted wheat flour.  It is so named because the grains in this particular flour have been allowed to sprout, rather than be refined.

What are the health benefits of cooking with sprouted wheat flour?

• Allows the body to more easily absorb vital grain nutrients
• Contain increased proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients
• Reduces the risk of obesity and high blood pressure
• Low on the glycemic index

4.  Use Truvia or Coconut Sugar in Place of White Sugar

Many alternative sweeteners out there are wolves in sheeps’ clothing!  Beware of any artificial sweetener that contains and ingredient called “aspartame”, as it has negative effects on your health.  However, there are some great healthy alternatives out there.

Truvia is a great sugar alternative that comes from an herb found in Central and South America.  It is up to 40 times sweeter than sugar, but has zero calories and has no effect on your blood sugar.  I love Truvia because it bakes just like white sugar, it tastes great, and requires a much smaller portion than white sugar!

What are the health benefits of using Truvia?

• Calorie-free
• Doesn’t cause spikes in your blood sugar

Coconut sugar, on the other hand, is a substitute for white sugar that comes from the sap of the coconut plant.  It is considered to be much more nutritious and lower on the glycemic index than white sugar.   Some even consider it to be nature’s most beneficial sweetener!

I enjoy coconut sugar’s health benefits, but as it does have a strong flavor, I don’t use it that often.  My children really enjoy it sprinkled on top of fresh fruit.  However, it can be easily substituted for brown or white sugar in most recipes…it is used on a 1:1 basis.

What are the health benefits of coconut sugar?

• No additives or chemicals are needed in the manufacturing process
• Low on the glycemic index
• Contains a much higher percentage of vitamins and minerals vs. brown or white sugar
• Contains 16 amino acids and 12 of the B-complex vitamins

These are some simple ways to add and substitute in healthy ingredients to your recipes!  It’s always fun to know that even if you’re eating a yummy baked dessert, it can contain some of these nutritious ingredients!

Obviously, there are so many more ways to make recipes nutritious…please share any tips that you may have!

“Desserts” photo in header by:  Megan

Lauren Souers

Hi, my name is Lauren. I am the wife of one fine man and the momma of four (huge) young children – three boys and one princess! I love all of them. I mostly clean up messes and feed people all day, and it’s really fun to write about it. Jesus is the rock of my family – we love and serve a mighty King! I hope you leave here full of hope that “tired” can be good.