Written by Catherine Saxelby
on Tuesday, 14 August 2012.
Tagged: butter, dairy, fat, fat loss, health, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, oil, weight loss, wellness
Olive oil for dipping? Avocado, hummus or peanut butter? The debate rages as to what’s the healthiest spread for your daily (wholegrain) bread. Here’s my 7 healthiest alternatives to butter and margarine depending if you want sweet or savoury options or just want to grab something quick.
Healthy, natural and good for you. This is one of my favs spread on crunchy grain toast with tomato, cucumber, chicken and rocket. Avocado is rich in monounsaturated fat – the same heart-friendly fat as in olive oil and macadamias – with little of the 'bad' saturated fat. At 22 per cent total fat, it's way lower than butter (80 per fat), margarine and most light variants so you can afford to spread it on thickly. I buy a small avocado if it's just for me or a large one if there's more to feed.
Another healthy option. And practical as it can do double duty as a dip. Made from tahini (sesame seed paste), chick peas, lemon, garlic and salt, hummus has 15 to 20 per cent fat, a little less than avocado, but with the same benefit of it being low in saturated fat. Now that supermarkets sell tubs of it, it's easy to keep in the fridge. Use with cold lamb or on toast wedges of flatbread or crackers with a drink.
A Mediterranean favourite, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat and contributes to the long-life that the Mediterranean foodies are renowned for! Drizzled on toast or used for dunking, it adds its fresh zesty flavour that beats the taste of margarine or butter – perfect with your morning eggs and tomato. Or try tossing tomatoes, fresh torn basil and pepper through a drizzle of olive oil and heap on fresh grainy bread or toasted rye sourdough.
A spreadable skim milk curd, cottage cheese is a great option for kids with its mild taste and interesting soft consistency. Spread on toast, crispbread or crackers. Go for the low-fat version and you'll be loving it with approximately 2 per cent fat!
Italian for 'twice-cooked', ricotta is similar to cottage cheese but is smoother in texture with no added salt. It can be a by-product of cheese (made from the whey leftover from other cheeses) or it can be made with cow's milk whey. Not only spreadable, ricotta can be used in baking, sweet or savoury, and in pasta dishes like lasagne. Try ricotta spread thickly on scones or toast topped with jam or honey.
Convenient and kids love it. At around 50 per cent fat, it makes a great substitute for butter and adds a bonus of protein as well, which is handy if you're vegetarian. The 'purest' choice is a 100 per cent peanut variety which is often in the health food aisle. Many of the supermarket smooth or crunchy types have added oil and less peanut but they're still an OK choice.
No added salt types taste fine – there's enough gutsy flavour from the peanuts so you won't miss the salt. Light peanut butter has approximately 30% less fat and saturated fat but usually has added sugar. I would prefer to use regular peanut butter - and spread it thinly - than to have peanuts with added sugar on my toast!
At 14 per cent fat, light cream cheese (Philly) offers you a nice soured-flavour change with around one-third less fat than the full-fat version.
Saturated and total fat content per 100 grams compared to butter and margarine listed at the end:
Spread |
Saturated Fat |
Total Fat |
Avocado | 5 | 22 |
Hummus | 2 | 17 |
Olive oil | 15 | 100 |
Ricotta, original | 7 | 9 |
Ricotta, reduced fat | 4 | 5 |
Peanut butter, regular | 11 | 52 |
Peanut butter, light (Kraft) | 8 | 38 |
Cottage cheese | 4 | 6 |
Cream cheese, Philadelphia regular | 18 | 26 |
Cream cheese, Philadelphia light | 10 | 14 |
Butter, regular, Devondale | 55 | 81 |
Canola margarine, regular Gold'n Canola | 16 | 65 |
That's a whole other debate in itself. See here for the whole story.
Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces
18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.
I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:
When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!
Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer
1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.
You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.
Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni
14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …
Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil
11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
“What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask. Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.
Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker
6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.
After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.
20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby
With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.
This post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.
Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range
15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby
When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!
This post has been sponsored by Birds Eye.
Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction
3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?
15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?
Protein shakes for weight loss
9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.
Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD
20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby
Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.
How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet
14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby
The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.
What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?
16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby
Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.
This post is sponsored by Chefgood
Kitchen make-over for the New Year
8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby
“This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?
Q. What's the difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero?
12 September 2013 by, Catherine Saxelby
A. At first glance, Diet Coke and Coke Zero appear to be identical. Both contain no kilojoules (Calories) and no sugar. Both are artificially sweetened with (the same amount) of aspartame and acesulfame K and therefore have the same ‘sweetness’.
How to convert sodium to salt (and salt to sodium)
6 August 2010 by, Catherine Saxelby
As a nutritionist, my aim is to help busy women eat healthily. One of the ways to do this is to follow the general nutrition advice to reduce the salt in your diet. So, how can you do this when what you’ll see on a food label and on any recommended daily intakes is sodium?
7 types of sugar - which is healthier?
11 December 2013 by, Catherine Saxelby
Last week on the radio, the announcer asked me if there was a 'good' sugar – one that would satisfy her sweet tooth but that was 'healthier' than regular white sugar. She figured if there were 'good' carbs and 'bad' carbs there must be some sugars that would get the nod of approval from nutritionists.
Eat to beat gastro and diarrhoea
12 October 2012 by, Catherine Saxelby
A clear fluid diet is the best form of treatment for gastro and tummy upsets. It is the "lightest" type of diet, designed to place as little strain as possible on the digestive tract. It is NOT nutritionally adequate and should be followed only for a strictly limited time e.g. two or three days but no more than a week.
Nutella. The full (correct) list of ingredients
12 April 2011 by, Catherine Saxelby
Have you ever tried to find the exact list of ingredients for Nutella online? The identical one that appears on its label - in descending order from the first (largest ingredient by weight) to the last ingredient, as required by law? Well, you won’t find it! Here’s the hoop-la I went through to discover exactly what the ingredients in Nutella are and why Nutella is not good for your kids.
Sugar - why quitting sugar guarantees you'll lose weight
6 May 2013 by, Catherine Saxelby
Sugar. It's been labelled "deadly", "addictive", "toxic", "sweet poison" and blamed for the rise in global obesity in recent years." Get rid of the white toxin from your diet and you'll free up your body to drop those excess kilos" (or so say anti-sugar campaigners Sarah Wilson, David Gillespie and Robert Lustig). Here are the three real reasons why I believe quitting sugar helps you lose weight.
What does 8,700 kilojoules look like?
14 August 2012 by, Catherine Saxelby
8,700 is a magic number in nutrition. It’s the number of kilojoules (kJ) that is the “average” intake for adults in Australia, if the surveys are correct.
It’s widely used as a benchmark figure and as the basis of food labels such as the Percent Daily Intake values.
Recently kilojoules have appeared on fast food menu boards and they use 8,700 as the yardstick to assess their foods against. Here's my take on it.
24 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
This is a kind of pavlova topped with fruit, but the base is made from ricotta, rather than egg whites and sugar.
22 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
This is an Asian-influenced salad that’s perfect to serve as a side salad at a BBQ or with a fillet of fish.
14 December 2022 by, Guest Post
This banana loaf is half bread and half cake. Hence I've called it "cread" which is halfway! It’s dense and delicious without being super-sweet or oily. It can be enjoyed fresh, toasted or sliced and frozen into portions to enjoy later.
23 November 2022 by, Guest Post
This quick and easy dessert is ready in minutes. And there are NO leftovers to tempt you later!
19 October 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
A quick and easily-made sandwich, it’s great for an easy lunch.
Spring Vegetable Pesto Pasta Salad
7 September 2022 by, Guest post
This super salad-in-one gives you pasta plus vegetables all together. It has a spring feel to it.
Squash-ed spaghetti bolognaise
3 August 2022 by, Guest post
This is an excellent make-and-freeze recipe, so weeknight meals become more manageable. I know of no better way of ‘hiding’ veggies than in a Bol sauce – somehow mince with a few veggies like pumpkin or zucchini is a match-made-in-heaven.
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