How Can Creative Substitutions Reduce Unhealthy Fats in a Diet?

Swap out red meat for white meat and fish!

Commonly, unhealthy fats come from saturated fats, which are found in animal proteins. The most saturated-fat animal products are red meats. Fact: White meat and fish contain fewer unhealthy fats per serving and more healthy fats than red meat. So, swap out your beef, pork, or lamb with chicken, turkey, salmon, and tuna!

Unhealthy fats, like trans fats, fried foods, and conventional processed meat fat, can contribute to inflammation, heart disease, and cancer, among other issues.

In order to reduce unhealthy fats in the diet, consider swapping out cheese for avocado in a salad. Avocado is high in vitamin E and monounsaturated fat. Air-frying potatoes is a healthier option instead of regular fries and has a similar taste and texture. Perhaps choose olive oil and vinegar or fresh lemon instead of conventional salad dressings, which are loaded with refined vegetable oils, at home, restaurants, and salad bars.

One of the key recommendations I give to any client to reduce unhealthy fats is to add more flavor to daily meals and substitute saturated fats for better, health-promoting fat sources. For example, instead of using a creamy, oil-based sauce on a salad, you could opt for soy sauce, low-fat BBQ sauce for some added flavor, or make your own creamy sauce with mustard and low-fat Greek yogurt. Some great heart-healthy fat sources include foods like avocados and salmon, which could substitute for cheese and butter on a sandwich. On top of that, use different herbs and spices to add more flavor to otherwise bland foods - you can dress up a simple chicken breast with some homemade, flavorful marinades to eat more lean protein instead of a more fat-rich piece of pork or beef. The key to reducing unhealthy fats is to add flavors you enjoy and experiment with different spices, sauces, and condiments to enjoy fun, new flavor combinations and reduce your overall fat intake.

Firstly, using the term 'unhealthy' or 'healthy' fats can be problematic. There are so many types of fatty acids from thousands of food sources, consumed in too many combinations across the globe, for us to have much confidence in what we would define as healthy or not. For example, saturated fat is typically considered an 'unhealthy' fat. Still, very long-chain saturated fats from dairy positively affect CVD outcomes—how do we define unhealthy here? Additionally, consuming very low saturated fat has been shown to lead to low testosterone levels in men—how do we define unhealthy here? It becomes very murky and confusing for people if we make large generalizations about a single nutrient when the context of how we consume those nutrients greatly influences our health. Returning to the question, the main substitution I recommend is to use extra virgin olive oil 95% (or most) of the time for cooking and dressings. This is due to the convincing clinical evidence that extra virgin olive oil, when added to diets, positively impacts hard CVD outcomes like a heart attack or stroke. In this recommendation, I don't suggest avoiding 'unhealthy' fats like butter or vegetable oils; I stick to the positive association. So, I would present the argument like this: 'I'd recommend making extra virgin olive oil your choice of oil for cooking and dressings, as it's got the strongest evidence to support good health. Feel free to use other fats like butter or cold-pressed rapeseed oils when the recipe suits it.'

One creative substitution I've recommended to clients looking to reduce unhealthy fats in their diet is using avocado as a butter or mayonnaise alternative in sandwiches and spreads. This not only cuts down on saturated fats but also adds valuable nutrients and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats to their meals.

Another novel approach is suggesting the use of puréed beans or legumes in place of cream or oil in recipes for soups and sauces. This swap boosts fiber intake and provides a creamy texture without the added unhealthy fats, supporting both cardiovascular health and weight management.

For clients with a sweet tooth, I've introduced them to using unsweetened applesauce in place of fats like oil or butter in baking. This substitution not only reduces fat content but also adds natural sweetness, allowing for a reduction in added sugars while keeping baked goods moist and delicious.

Avocado has become my go-to option in recent years, and I often recommend it to my clients as a creative substitution to help them reduce unhealthy fats. Avocado can be an excellent substitute for butter or margarine in recipes like baked goods or spread on toast. It's rich in healthy fats and adds a creamy texture.