# Is there a low fat butter substitute?



## sjaguar13 (Aug 19, 2005)

Everything I want to cook calls for butter. Is there anything that would make a good substitute or should I just leave it out and not even try to replace it with something?


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## purrfectlydevine (Aug 19, 2005)

Land O Lakes makes a light butter in stick form.  You could experiment with that.  Depending what you are baking there are other fat substitutes such as applesauce or prune puree that can be used.  For example, I use applesauce in white cakes and nobody noticed.


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## GB (Aug 19, 2005)

It all depends on what you are cooking. Often times other healthier fats (like olive oil) can be substituted or the butter might even be left out without a substitute.

Do you have particular recipes that you are thinking of?


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## Michael in FtW (Aug 19, 2005)

I agree with GB - it totally depends on the purpose of the butter in the recipe. Give us an idea of what you're trying to make and we can give you some ideas.


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## Claire (Aug 22, 2005)

I agree with everyone, it depends on what you're doing with it.  Most low-fat margarines will not saute or fry -- they contain too much water.  You wind up steaming.  If going for health alone, I simply sub olive oil if that's what I have in the cupboard.  SAME AMOUNT OF FAT.  For the most part, fat is fat, same calorie content be it lard, butter, or olive oil.  I tend to use the latter a lot, and butter when I'm really looking for a certain flavor.  I don't bake, so can't help you there.  When it comes to spreading, I happen to like the Brummel & Brown which contains yogurt, so has a pretty good flavor.  

So it depends -- spreading, sauteeing, or baking?


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## Constance (Aug 22, 2005)

We use lowfat "tub butter" (Parkay Lite) for spreading on bread. I use olive oil to replace butter in cooking most of the time, but there are times when I use real butter, as when I make a white sauce. They say now that margarine is not good for you either, so I figure we might as well have the real thing. Besides, the 2 tbls of butter I use in my white sauce goes a long way. 
I have discovered that if you're making grilled sandwiches, you can spray the butter flavored cooking spray right on the bread, then toast in the skillet. It browns nicely, and really cuts calories on your sandwich. 
I use real butter in my baking. If you're going to have a dessert, no point in skimping.


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## Robo410 (Aug 22, 2005)

fat is fat and contains the same calories whether it is lard or corn oil margerine. I only use real fat for cooking and baking. I see no sense in replacing it with hydrogenated products that may be worse for one's health after all. I have found in cooking one can cut butter and oil quantities quite a bit, and unless one is making a pure demiglaze of some sort with 8 tbspn of butter, the taste and quality of the food does not suffer. However, baking is more of a physical science requiring exact quantities to produce given reactions and results. If the butter is for flavor or moisture, things like apple sauce and dried fruit spreads can work very well. But if the fat is needed for a reaction to heat, then you probably need it all. Check various recipes and web sites to find ways to reduce the fat content in baking.


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## jennyema (Aug 22, 2005)

I agree 100% with Robo!


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## Jikoni (Nov 20, 2005)

I use omega 3 margarine. That way I get some good fat anyway so I don't have to worry about bad cholesterol too much. It tastes just as good as butter.


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## BigDog (Nov 20, 2005)

I use straight up lughtly salted stick butter, but for general spreading I use a Land O' Lakes butter with canola oil. Some new thing theycame up with fairly recently, with a red lid. Being from the Land O' Lakes, I figured I should use their stuff! HA!

Since olive oil has been mentioned, anyone have advice for finding good olive oil in a standard supermarket? There are so many options! I'm never shy of replacing butter with olive oil, but I would like to learn how to find the "good stuff."


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## Ishbel (Nov 20, 2005)

Urmaniac started a thread about olive oil a while back.
Here's the URL
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f24/olive-oil-16564.html


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## JMediger (Nov 20, 2005)

purrfectlydevine said:
			
		

> Land O Lakes makes a light butter in stick form.


 
I've used this for cookies and they turn out great!  The only "weird" thing is that when you try to cream your butter and sugar, it won't come together as nice as butter.  It will mix but some of the oil comes out and it doesn't "fluff" like butter will.  As far as taste, they have always come out just as yummy!

Good Luck!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 21, 2005)

The problem with margerine and all trans-fats is that they not only increase your "bad" cholesterol intake, but decrease the amount of good cholesterol in your system.  And there is a good deal of cotrovery surounding canola oil.  I use sunflower oil, safflower oil, and olive oil almost excusively.  Sometimes I will use other nut oils.  The nut oils in general are much healthier than are fats from animals.  The problem with nut oils is that they each have their own flavor.  Sesame Seed oil is great, but only where you want a strong sesame seed flavor.  Peanut oil is the same, as are walnut and pumpkin seed oils.  Sunflower Seed oil is absolutely neutral, or flavorless, and so is great for frying and cooking in general.

And flax seed is a better source of Omega-3 fatty acids than are fish oils and the fish oils dan contain environmental contaminants such as methyl mercury.

Do a bit of research.  There is a wealth of info concerning edible oils on the internet, and in medical periodicals.  Talk to your nutritionist.  They can help you understand the chemistry and interaction of oils within your body.

Contrary to popular belief, some dietary comsumption of oil is essential to proper nutrition.  Many vintamines are fat soluble and cannot be obtained except tby consuming oils, or oils with foods containing these vitamis.  The human body is an extremely complicated machine that has a great many chemical and electrical reactions occuring in it at all times.  We are only scratching the surface of how different chemicals, compounds, and elements interact to make our bodies funtion.

Guessing which substances will help or hinder bodily functions is like guessing which gasolene is correct for your car.  High octane fuel will actually make an engine not designed for its use run poorly, and reduce performance.  But put with the right engine, it increases performance.

So it is with your body.  Learn as much as you can about it and then remember, we are all going to pass from mortality at some time.  So enjoy life, but do it intelligently.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## theislandgirl (Nov 22, 2005)

For topping vegetables and other flavoring purposes, I actually use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, which has a surprisingly "clean" ingredient list. A good low calorie option. 

For other quick sautes and egg frying, I actually use a (coconut oil based) MCT Oil with natural butter flavor.  I use less of it, so it's less fat grams and calories.

For grilling and roasting, I use a good quality panspray with no hydrogenates.  Low calories and fat grams.

For spreading, I pretty much use butter  on my homemade sugarfree and flourfree baked goods, or light cream cheese where appropriate to the flavors.  Ditto on the baking.

So as you can see, it's not *so *much the fat/calorie content I'm concerned with, as the kind of fat, mostly.  I believe some fats are  very necessary (brain and hormones and cell walls absolutely require them, without going into a lot of detail), and tyhe quality of the fats is very important.


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