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If you are like me my best friends are fat: butter and oil. So, can we say goodbye to our fat unhealthy friends without saying goodbye to flavor? Yes, there are healthier options that are low in fat, do not contribute to cholesterol and do not require us to live without flavor. Best of all, most of these alternatives are easy, inexpensive and products you may already have on hand.

1. "Honey, pass the honey."

Many of us start our mornings with a slice of toast or a bagel lathered in butter. Push aside butter for healthier and tasty alternatives like honey, jam, jelly or fruit butter.

You may also want to try making your own fruit butter. Fruit butter is easy to make and free of cholesterol and fat. Pick your favorite dried fruit and a fruit juice. Simmer a cup of dried fruit and about a cup of fruit juice over low heat for about thirty minutes. Stain the fruit and blend in a blender and you are done!

Bonus Hint: If you insist on buttering up your morning then try whipped butter. You will cut out 7 grams of fat by using whipped butter in place of regular butter.

2. Coconut Oil: the new trendy and tropical alternative.

Studies show that people who consume more coconut products are leaner and healthier. Coconut oil actually promotes weight lost by supporting metabolism and proper function of the thyroid. Coconut oil does not contribute to heart disease nor does it raise cholesterol. Be aware that hydrogenated coconut oil is just as unhealthy as trans- fat. Coconut oil also brings out the flavor in many foods.

Just between you and me coconut oil is also a great facial moisturizer and hair treatment. The oil does not clog pores and can be used daily. You can cook up a great meal all while giving yourself a beauty treatment. How's that for multi-tasking?

3. The Applesauce of my eye.

A great way to cut down the fat and still enjoy yummy baked goods is to replace the oil in a recipe with unsweetened applesauce. Using unsweetened applesauce will not change the flavor but may change the consistency of a recipe. Wait, do not skip this tip just yet there is a solution. In recipes where the fat is essential to the process of baking you can still replace half the oil with half applesauce. For instance, if the recipe calls for cup oil you will want to use cup oil and cup applesauce. What no applesauce on hand and you have a craving for something sweet? You can substitute this replacement with plain non-fat yogurt or fruit puree.

4. Olive Oil is not your enemy.

Don't let the word oil scare you! Olive Oil is a wonderful alternative to other cooking oils. Olive Oil offers health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease by controlling LDLs (bad cholesterol) and raising HDLs (good cholesterol). Olive Oil is also rich in vitamins A, B-1, C, D, and E. This is certainly an oil that is on your side without being on your hips.

5. Saut the meat not the fat.

If you love to saut but don't love the fat then try one of these replacements: water, fruit juice, cider, wine, fat free broth, or fat free cooking spray. Likely you will have some of these on hand to make this healthy change simple and delicious. Isn't it about time you can fry it up in a pan without regretting it in the morning?

Learn more about this author, Joelle Synclair.
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