People frequently ask how I lost all my weight – and how I continue to keep it off. I tell them about my favorite apps that allow me to track my food and calories. And, I share with them about exercising. However, I often forget about one of my favorite weight loss hacks.
It’s pretty simple. I use lower calorie ingredients in place of higher calorie ones. Â These six ingredient swaps are all substitutions that come so naturally to me that I forget to point out the change – so I do that with some of my recipes here.
Which is your favorite ingredient swap?
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Applesauce for sugar
So, you’re doing some baking.  Do you know how many calories lurk in a cup of sugar?  770 calories!  One cup of unsweetened applesauce only has 100 calories.  For each cup of applesauce, decrease the overall recipe liquid by 1/4 cup.  This ingredient swap is a smart food substitution because applesauce also adds fiber and vitamin C.
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Agave for sugar
Substituting applesauce for sugar is all well and good – unless you are a diabetic. Â Many diabetics limit sugary fruits in their diets because it may cause unwanted blood sugar spikes. Â Agave syrup has more calories tablespoon for tablespoon than sugar. Â However, agave is sweeter than sugar, so you use less of it, consuming fewer calories in the process.
Substitute 2/3 cup agave for each one cup sugar. Â As with applesauce, reduce recipe liquids by 1/4 cup for each cup of sugar substituted. You won’t sacrifice sweetness, and you save 180 calories. Â It’s not quite the calorie reduction that you get subbing applesauce, but this ingredient swap is low-glycemic.
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Marshmallow Fluff instead of frosting
I use marshmallow fluff instead of melted marshmallows in my Rice Krispies treats as a vegetarian alternative. Â You can also use it instead of frosting on cakes. Â Add a few drops of your favorite flavoring extract (and possibly food coloring if you desire). Â You just saved 30 calories and half the sugar per tablespoon! Â Doesn’t this ingredient substitution feel intelligent?
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PBFit for traditional peanut butter
Of all the powdered peanut butter on the market, PBFit is my favorite. Â I love the flavor. Â Just add water to two tablespoons PBFit powder until it reaches the desired consistency. Traditional smooth peanut butter has about 190 calories in a two-tablespoon serving. Â Whereas, PBFit only adds 55 calories. Â PBFit is also higher in iron and vitamin C. Â Oh, and did I mention? It’s all-natural!While a decent substitute in a classic PB&J, PBfit makes an excellent substitute for peanut butter in peanut sauces in dishes like my African Maafe Stew. Â This lower-calorie ingredient swap changes the game!
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Mashed Bananas for Oils and Other Fats
Substitute one cup of mashed overripe banana for one cup of oil. Â Mashed bananas impart the same mouth-feel but slash calories! Â One cup of oil adds 1,910 calories, while one cup of mashed bananas only adds 200. Â Wowzers! Â Not to mention, bananas add fiber and potassium!
Check out my recipe for Nature Muffins in which I used a mashed over-ripe banana as an oil replacement. Â This lower calorie food substitution saves money by minimizing food waste, too!
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Try one of these smart ingredient swaps to slash calories from your favorite recipes Plain non-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream or mayonnaise
Non-fat Greek yogurt makes an excellent low-calorie ingredient replacement for mayonnaise or sour cream.  The next time you make a dip or a soup recipe that calls for a dollop of sour cream, substitute plain nonfat greek yogurt.
Mayonnaise and sour cream are both hefty contenders in the creamy condiment field. Â Comparatively, mayonnaise adds 900 calories a cup. Â One cup of sour cream adds over 400 calories. But, nonfat greek yogurt only adds about 120 calories for the same cup. Â However, it matches sour cream’s calcium content, providing 25% of the RDA, and adds a whopping 20 grams of protein. Â Sour cream cannot match that. Â Not only does this sneaky ingredient swap slash calories, but it also adds a significant nutritional punch.
Check out my Roasted Red Pepper soup recipe where I substitute yogurt for the sour cream!
Do you have any sneaky food swaps to share? Â Which of these do you use? Â Which will you try?
Alicia Taylor
We enjoy hosting parties and my husband and I are both avid gamers. You can find me on PS4 as SunshineFlaGirl. We also play tabletop RPGs and eurogames.
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25 Comments
Leana Jay
September 17, 2016 - 4:42 pmI’ve heard of using greek yogurt for substitue but the others are new to me. I would like to try the marshmallow fluff instead of frosting. Hey is there a recipe for marshmallow fluff as a cake frosting? That I would like to try.
Alicia Taylor
September 18, 2016 - 5:33 pmHere’s a recipe I like. It’s still high in sugar, but is a much lower-calorie version than traditional canned frosting:
https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=265052
Alicia Taylor
September 18, 2016 - 5:35 pmIf you want more of a glaze instead of frosting, use 1/4-1/2 cup Marshmallow Fluff mixed with a teaspoon or two of coconut milk. Add more milk till it’s the consistency you need.
NYC Tech Mommy
September 17, 2016 - 12:31 pmLove ingredient swaps! Apple sauce is my favorite these days 🙂
milenabarrett
September 17, 2016 - 7:09 amI’ve heard of a few of these especially the applesauce swap. I hadn’t heard or ever Fluff. I have seen it in the store and I’d like to try it!
Marisa Atwood
September 16, 2016 - 10:07 pmI’ve tried all of these except substituting marshmallow fluff for frosting. I would have never thought of that, thanks!!
Alicia Taylor
September 17, 2016 - 12:12 pmI don’t bake a lot of cakes, but it’s a calorie saver.
Cynthia
September 16, 2016 - 9:06 pmThese are some great ideas for swapping out calories. I do try to use applesauce, but have never thought about the other ideas you share.
Rebecca Bryant
September 16, 2016 - 2:56 pmI knew about swapping apple sauce for oil but not sugar. my question is how can you reduce the calories of a box cake mix without losing flavor or moist texture?
Alicia Taylor
September 16, 2016 - 3:28 pmOn boxed cake mixes, you could sub the applesauce – or mashed banana – for the oil. That’s about the only suggestion I can think of for a boxed cake mix.
erinconefrey
September 16, 2016 - 12:47 pmGreat tips! I have used (and love) applesauce, bananas, and greek yogurt as healthy swaps! Yum! 🙂
diadarling3
September 15, 2016 - 4:05 pmThe one I have really been loving is the apple sauce swap. It’s like “Who new” also zoodles for traditional noodles.
Alicia Taylor
September 16, 2016 - 4:53 pmYes! I love zoodles. Several of my recipes use them – and cauliflower rice
caendicott
September 15, 2016 - 8:53 amGreek Yogurt for mayo and sour cream. It will work for most things.
Alicia Taylor
September 16, 2016 - 4:54 pmYes – it will! It’s the perfect texture. Of course, it’s no substitute on a sandwich, but works great for dips, sauces, and soups.
Annemarie LeBlanc
September 15, 2016 - 12:24 amThanks for the information you’ve provided. I love the swap ideas, especially the one with using applesauce instead of sugar. I have not tried PBFit yet, and now I think I need to get them the next time I do my grocery shopping. We love peanut butter in this house, it is the extra fat and sugar we don’t need. 🙂
carrie@thelavenderhytta
September 14, 2016 - 10:11 pmThese are great substitutions! I have been thinking about trying to switch out the sugar with some homemade applesauce!
Valerie Gray (@valmg)
September 14, 2016 - 9:17 pmI have used apple sauce instead of sugar on occasion. I like the flavor that it gives a little more than just using sugar.
Dana
September 14, 2016 - 6:10 pmI tried PBFit years ago when it first came out and sadly, just couldn’t jump on the bandwagon. I know it’s been great for a lot of people, however. I am a tried and true natural peanut butter fan…
Alicia Taylor
September 14, 2016 - 6:15 pmHonestly, I prefer it in my peanut sauces. I’m not a huge fan of PB&J’s, but PBFit is great for sauces. Have you tried any of the other powdered peanut butters?
More Than A Mom Of 3 (@MoreThanAMomOf3)
September 14, 2016 - 5:52 pmI love these substitutes! I have to check out the PBFit I dont think I have seen that before, is it available at specific store?
Alicia Taylor
September 14, 2016 - 6:08 pmI have found it at Sam’s in big jugs, but I think it’s also available at Walmart and Target.
Heidi
September 14, 2016 - 4:18 pmI love to swap yogurt for sour cream, and sometimes I swap applesauce for oil in recipes. Thanks for more swap ideas!
Alicia Taylor
September 14, 2016 - 4:20 pmYep – Greek yogurt still has that zing – and maybe even more of it!
kage2015
September 14, 2016 - 4:17 pmI use some of these substitutes. Peanut butter we will never change.