Stick Butter substitute?

Alford96

I have found that for baking, butter is the best way to go. I don't have any particular brand that I use but for baking, real butter is the way to go. If I'm cooking (sautee'ing, etc...) I find that olive oil works well but the taste is just slightly different. I used to use Smart Balance, which to me tasted the best and wasn't as watery but now I just use butter or olive oil. Occasionally canola or veggie oil but usually only when I'm frying or baking cake mixes that call for oil. For spreading, I sometimes use the Land O' Lakes butter/oil blends, but that's usually at work and only because it spreads more easily. Were I you and no medical issues, I'd just go with butter and use portion control.

_Elemenopee_

Butter is better

VelociMama

I've never found a good substitute for butter for baking. Just cut your portion size down on the finished product and fit it into your calories for the day, and you'll be fine.

Quasita

The general consensus is that real butter is better than margarine. However, it should be used in moderation. If you are looking for subs for baking, I would use alternative items such as suggested above.

If you are talking about for frying and that sort of deal, I have switched almost 100% to cooking with extra virgin olive oil for everything... from eggs to steak to greasing baking pans. A little goes a long way.

Another thing you can do to minimize butter but still have the consistency and taste is to use Chia seed. Chia makes a gel when in contact with liquid, and will absorb the flavor as well. You can substitute a substantial amount of butter in your baking with Chia gel, and it's a bonus because it also adds amino acids, fiber, antioxidants, and other super healthy nutrients. Using it allows you to have real butter without the guilt.

AEcklar813

when I bake I use no sugar added applesauce instead of oil or butter.

crrc78

In my experience, most things that I bake call for oil or butter. You can use mashed bananas or applesauce in place of butter & oil with baking. I'd recommend going one of these routes because then you know what you're putting in your body. Not some chemically processed junk that's been made to taste like butter. I've baked with bananas and applesauce and I really don't notice a difference in taste or texture over using oil or butter.

Maybe you'll find this helpful:

http://greatist.com/health/healthy-baking-fat-swaps/

I bake A LOT... I usually use real butter (salted sweet cream butter) for 1/2 of the amount, and then depending on what I'm making I use unsweetened apple sauce or pure pumpkin puree for the rest.

MB_Positif

Nope. Real butter = yum and not that bad for you. I went through an anti butter phase, but I used olive oil instead which has a good amount of calories too.

yo_andi

Eat real butter. It's usually not the butter that's the issue, it's the food you use the butter in or with that presents the problems many people reference.

LuckyLeprechaun

Betty bought a bit of butter, but, said she, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter."

So she bought a bit of butter better than the bitter butter, put in in her bitter batter, made her bitter batter better.

hollyk57

Stick with real butter... the butter substitutes, no matter how healthy they say they are, are just a bunch of oils and additives.

CoderGal

Betty bought a bit of butter, but, said she, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter."

So she bought a bit of butter better than the bitter butter, put in in her bitter batter, made her bitter batter better.

bump souly for this.

Fat is fat, and that's basically what butter is. I'm thnking of trying avocado next time for something different since it's high in fat and I'm becoming a fan of it. Great when frying up pancakes

Lyerin

I just use regular butter, made by a local dairy. I just don't use too much of it.

road2goal

I say stick with real butter. I'm becoming increasingly wary of anything that is "manufactured", "tastes like", anything with aspartame, etc. this is not natural products. Butter is natural and tastes so much better than any substitute. I find that when you use the good stuff, you don't need as much.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

There is nothing wrong with real butter unless you have issues with cassein. Saturated fat is not bad for you. so unless you have some underlying dairy allergy - butter is healthy for you.

I'm not sure if you actually know the OP and their medical history and speaking only to them, but as a general statement there are a lot of nutrition scientists and doctors who would disagree with this.

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with saturated fat. The whole saturated fat MYTH has been debunked time and time again. Holes poked all through that theory..........

That is not a general statement, that is fact. Saturated fat nor cholesterol causes Cardiovascular Disease. Inflammation causes disease and that inflammation DOES NOT come from Saturated fats or cholesterol.

People really need to get out of that 1980's thinking. It is OLD and OUTDATED.

sjohnny

Swoon.

I had a tub of goose fat I had saved from the last time I cooked a goose. I used it for many delicious things. God help me I do miss it so. I need to get another goose or a duck or something.

Acg67

Swoon.

I had a tub of goose fat I had saved from the last time I cooked a goose. I used it for many delicious things. God help me I do miss it so. I need to get another goose or a duck or something.

http://www.amazon.com/Rendered-Duck-Fat-1-gallon/dp/B002GC3EJY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1357241727&sr=8-5&keywords=duck+fat

DavPul

Sorry, my grammar was horrible above!

I just meant the best butter to use with the least amount of fat/calories; there are so many brands to choose from, wasn't sure if anyone had a brand they would recommend.

Oh. I thought you wanted butter. I recommend the brand of butter called" butter".

Although sometimes, when I really want to eat healthy and lose weight, I use butter.

sjohnny

http://www.amazon.com/Rendered-Duck-Fat-1-gallon/dp/B002GC3EJY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1357241727&sr=8-5&keywords=duck+fat

HOLY JEBUS! That's a steal. I don't know what it normally goes for but $37/gallon seems really good.

sjohnny

Sorry, my grammar was horrible above!

I just meant the best butter to use with the least amount of fat/calories; there are so many brands to choose from, wasn't sure if anyone had a brand they would recommend.

Oh. I thought you wanted butter. I recommend the brand of butter called" butter".

Although sometimes, when I really want to eat healthy and lose weight, I use butter.

Or what about butter?

bcattoes

There is nothing wrong with real butter unless you have issues with cassein. Saturated fat is not bad for you. so unless you have some underlying dairy allergy - butter is healthy for you.

I'm not sure if you actually know the OP and their medical history and speaking only to them, but as a general statement there are a lot of nutrition scientists and doctors who would disagree with this.

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with saturated fat. The whole saturated fat MYTH has been debunked time and time again. Holes poked all through that theory..........

That is not a general statement, that is fact. Saturated fat nor cholesterol causes Cardiovascular Disease. Inflammation causes disease and that inflammation DOES NOT come from Saturated fats or cholesterol.

People really need to get out of that 1980's thinking. It is OLD and OUTDATED.

I don't know what MYTH you refer to, but currently (2013) most nutrition scientists and doctors recommend limiting saturated fat especially from beef/dairy sources.