5 Healthy Ingredients To Use When Baking Tasty Treats

Stressed is desserts spelt backwards. Suffice to say, baking is a respite for when we’re feeling stressed. There’s nothing that can soothe the soul better than the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through the air. But in the long run, such sweet treats may be harmful to us.  If you’re looking for ways to make your favourite treats healthier without sacrificing flavour, then you’re at the right place. 

Sugar

You might think that sugar is an essential ingredient in baking, but fret not! You can substitute sugar out for these ingredients instead:

• Organic honey
• Organic maple syrup
• Stevia-based sweeteners
• Lakanto sweetener

The substitutes bring about many benefits to your health! So, on top of not compromising the sweetness of your treats, you’re also able to eat guilt-free. However, some of these alternatives may be sweeter than sugar, so be sure to adjust your measurements accordingly! If you’re someone with diabetes, then it’s safe to also consume in moderation.

Butter

Higher fat content in butter results in a flakier pastry. If you're paying attention to your fat consumption, then here are a few possible alternatives you may consider:

• Avocado (works well with everything)
• Applesauce (good for most things)
• Coconut oil (suitable for sweets)
• Olive oil (best for savoury items, avoid using with sweet desserts)
• Greek yoghurt (works exceptionally well in cakes) 

Next time, you won’t have to stop yourself when reaching into a pineapple tart container for seconds. Before you start baking, we recommend checking online for butter substitution ratios so that your baking efforts won’t be futile!

Eggs

There has been a demand in egg-free baking as many want to avoid eggs due to health or dietary restrictions. Even though there might be a change in taste and texture, the result will remain pretty similar. You can substitute one egg can be replaced with:

• ½ mashed banana
• ¼ cup pureed fruits such as apple, pears or prunes
• ¼ cup plain yoghurt
• ¼ cup sour cream

Take note that substitutions do not work for recipes that require two or more eggs. 

All-purpose flour

Out with the old all-purpose flour, and in with the new flour substitutes. Flour usually forms the basis of a batter or a dough. If you have an allergy or if you just want to add more variety to your diet, then we’ve got your back:

• Almond flour
• Coconut flour
• Spelt flour
• Oat flour
• Chickpea flour 

Flour substitutes add different types of nutrients to your baking. For example, almond flour provides more protein than all-purpose wheat flour. On top of that, it also gives off a nutty flavour.

Dairy milk

When replacing milk with non-dairy milk, stick with the original cup for cup measurements. Here are some dairy-free alternatives available:

• Rice milk
• Coconut milk
• Soy milk
• Almond milk
• Oat milk 

Non-dairy milk is healthier than dairy milk. On top of that, going dairy-free is also better for the environment and the animals. Not all non-dairy products work the same in every recipe though so it’s better to double-check online!

Conclusion

You can apply some of these ingredients in cooking as well! When you’ve whipped up a delicious meal, pack them in take out lunch boxes for your family and friends to try. Who knows, you’d be able to influence them to adopt the healthier measures mentioned above.