Cut calories, keep treats sweet with baking swaps

December 16, 2015 baking, Diabetes, Dr. Luis Rustveld, Houston, Nutrition, Nutrition and Wellness, Roberta Anding, Sugar Heart and Life

Thinking about holiday baking? Hearty, rich meals and decadent desserts during the holidays can make your waistline grow.

Our dietitians and experts from the Baylor College of Medicine Sugar, Heart and Life program, offer swaps to help keep your baked goods delicious while reducing fat and calories.

If the recipe calls for an egg, Registered Dietitian Roberta Anding says use one of the following instead:

1/2 cup of applesauce
2 ounces of tofu
1 banana

Another trick? Dr. Luis Rustveld, assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine says if a recipe calls for cream, use fat-free half and half or evaporated skim milk instead.

Rustveld also suggests using whole wheat flour for half of the required amount of white flour in baked goods.

While it won’t work for all baking recipes, he offers this tip for reducing the amount of sugar you use: Cut the amount of sugar in the recipe by half and add vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon to enhance the recipe’s flavor.