Duke Integrative Medicine Offers Easy Tips for Making Your Favorite Foods Healthier
We all understand the importance of a healthy diet, yet it seems we’re always faced with a choice: flavor or nutrition.
Not anymore.
Cate Smith, full-time Executive Chef at Duke Integrative Medicine, serves up healthy meals that are bursting with delicious flavor. She ensures that the Center's café and food services reflect our belief that nutrition is key to optimal health.
Cate's daily fare is a seamless extension of the philosophy of Duke Integrative Medicine's Nutritionist, Beth Reardon, who showcases it as the perfect application of nutrition principles.
Below, Duke Integrative Medicine offers tips for substituting healthier alternatives in your favorite recipes. For more information, to print these tips or to arrange an interview, please contact Emily Coghlan at 202.778.1025 or ecoghlan@apcoworldwide.com.
If you're in the Raleigh/Durham area, please join us for an open house at our center on Tuesday, November 13 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Sample some of Cate's delicious recipes and watch her demonstrate how easy it is to make food healthier!
KEY INGREDIENTS REDUCE THE FAT & CALORIES BUT KEEP THE FLAVOR
Healthy Substitutions for Any Recipe
APPLESAUCE
Substitute: Use applesauce in place of butter, margarine, oil or shortening in all your favorite baking recipes.
Why: Replacing butter and oil with applesauce makes baked goods extra moist, while cutting calories and saturated fat.
Note: As a general rule of thumb, one cup of applesauce replaces one cup of butter, margarine, oil or shortening. However, there isn’t a standard formula for substituting applesauce, so you may have to experiment a few times before getting it just right.
NON-FAT YOGURT
Substitute: Non-fat yogurt, as well as non-fat sour cream or mayonnaise, can be used as an alternate for the regular or full fat versions in dressings or dips.
Why: Regular sour cream and mayonnaise contain a lot of fat, so by replacing them with non- or low-fat alternatives, the fat content of your recipes will be significantly decreased.
Note: If the recipe calls for high heat, be sure to use non-fat sour cream rather than yogurt, as it cannot be boiled. For all replacements, it is a simple one-to-one ratio.
HONEY
Substitute: Honey can be used instead of refined sugar as a sweetener in almost any recipe.
Why: As a natural sweetener, honey is easier to digest, helping with blood sugar levels. This is especially helpful if you are diabetic, as it prevents insulin levels from sharply increasing after eating something sweet.
Note: Use about half the amount of honey as you would refined sugar.
LOW-SODIUM TAMARI
Substitute: Low-sodium tamari is a wheat-free soy sauce which can be used in the place of salt.
Why: Because of its full flavor, you only need to use about half the amount that you would of salt, which reduces the overall sodium level in your recipe.
Note: The tamari has a naturally occurring dark color that may not be ideal for certain recipes.
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
Substitute: Whole wheat flour can be used in place of white flour in any baking recipe. It is especially delicious in chocolate chip cookies.
Why: It’s important to incorporate whole grains into your diet and baking with whole wheat flour is a good way to start.
Note: Using whole wheat flour instead of white will make your baked goods a little denser.
VEGETABLE STOCK
Substitute: When making salad dressings, particularly vinaigrettes, replace half the amount of oil with vegetable stock.
Why: By using only half the oil, the dressings are lower in fat, but still full of flavor. Plus, you can use olive oil, which is both rich in vitamin E and aids in weight loss and vitamin absorption.
Note: You will notice a lighter, more watery consistency.
EGG WHITES
Substitute: When baking, use three egg whites and one yolk to replace two whole eggs.
Why: Using fewer egg yolks reduces the cholesterol and saturated fat content in baked goods.
Note: For recipes calling for one egg, use two egg whites or ¼ cup of egg substitute.
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ENERGIZE YOUR BODY at the CAFÉ
Open 11:30-2:30 Monday-Saturday for lunch and snacks, 5-8:30pm Wednesday for Grab n’ Go dinner.
Fresh, local, organic, nutritious and full-flavored.
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